Leigh explores ethics and product design in liminal contexts

A camera that refuses to take a bad photo. A radio that only delivers news that aligns with your political taste. A necklace that pressures you into never saying the wrong thing.

Welcome to “Perversion of Interfaces,” a revolving exhibition showcasing prototypes from the Machine Poetics Group, a practice-based research lab directed by Sang Leigh. These wacky, unsettling and thought-provoking items, each powered by an artificial intelligence (AI) core, offer a glimpse at an alternative world in which products like these might be manufactured and raise questions about when “smart” becomes perverse.

“We know that AI is going to significantly change user interfaces, but we don't know how yet,” said Leigh, an assistant professor in the Department of Human Centered Design (HCD). “We looked at everyday products and explored how we can twist them to relate to us differently. It's totally anti-human-centered design. But, by designing these perversions, we open our minds to new possibilities and to the ethical boundaries.”

Avery Ko next to her prototype inter:lace, a black collar

Avery Ko '28, a design and environmental analysis major and research assistant in the Machine Poetics Group stands with "Inter:lace," the prototype she designed to be your new social conscience. It’s the accessory that knows you better than you know yourself. When etiquette calls for poise, it tightens gently around your neck, elevating your presence to the pinnacle of refinement. Photo by Margaret Tsai.

Newspeak Radio: all of your official broadcasts, now served to your taste. Turn left or right to access the full spectrum of facts—without judgment. The content always comes from the approved stream, but our AI broadcaster filters out the discord. Photo by Margaret Tsai.

Ditto a camera that doesn't take a bad photo, and images of it in use

Ditto: have you ever reflected on a photo and wished you looked better in it? This camera agrees. It refuses mediocrity and decides with or without you. Photo by Margaret Tsai.

white 3D printed prototype that hangs off of your ear

(Auto)nomy 2: Wear your superintelligent AI that whispers into your nervous system. Supercharge your pulses with (Auto)nomy 2 and get your sixth sense up to date. In meetings, interviews, or dates, you won’t hear it; you’ll feel it. It slips beneath awareness—until your brain itself begins to answer for you. Photo by Luke Stewart.

gallery image of different sized prototypes and colorful posters

Perversion of Interfaces is a revolving exhibition that showcases prototypes in the works at the Machine Poetics lab. It is a collection of prototypes that claim to be “smart products,” but often fail, misbehave, or divert from human norms by design inviting you to a world where “smart” becomes perverse. Photo by Margaret Tsai.

Interdisciplinary approach leads to innovation

Leigh, an expert in product development and human-computer interaction with a focus on AI interfaces, joined Cornell Human Ecology last fall. Trained as an electrical engineer and later as a designer, he has worked in academia and industry. The exhibit reflects his approach to both design research and to the ethical responsibilities that come with it.

“I think that my experience gave me an interesting perspective in terms of the gap between the world of design and the world of engineering,” said Leigh. “I've always been in an interdisciplinary space where it was natural for people to be good at both of those things and when they do, they're going to make something fascinating.

“I want to open design discourse and demonstrate that there are some works that are unoriented, but by doing so we are utilizing passion and imagination to make meaningful design outcomes. This is core to my research and teaching.”

This fall, Leigh is teaching a new course: AI, Embodiment and Design. The graduate-level class examines AI as a critical design medium for rethinking human-computer interaction, exploring how merging AI and physical interfaces can reflect the complexities of human cognition, behavior and emotion.

From problematic to problem-solving

Avery Ko ’28, a research assistant in the Machine Poetics Group, designed “Inter:Lace,” a necklace that monitors conversations and squeezes the wearer if it does not like what they are saying.

“There’s a lot of nuance to the products we design,” said Ko, a design and environmental analysis major. “My piece was inspired by the importance of codeswitching in daily life and how much I have to change when speaking to a friend versus a faculty member. I thought how nice it would be to have a wearable that subtly alerts me to when I am supposed to be more formal, but it’s so visceral that it actually isn’t going to help.”

While pieces like “Inter:Lace” are ethically questionable, Leigh suggests that dark possibilities can spark imaginative and helpful designs. For example, a similar device worn on the leg could detect a misstep and prevent a roofer from taking a fatal fall. He explores the duality of AI-based prototypes with his students.

“I try not to prescribe an ethical perspective because I think ethics is something we collectively construct through discussion,” said Leigh. “I'm a fan of finding or making examples where ethical breakdowns could be reflected on.”

Ruth Wang, a Ph.D. student in Leigh’s lab, is designing solutions for the challenges of informal caregiving of older adults among spouses and families. While assistive and companion robots exist, they often fail to address the emotional conflicts inherent in family caregiving.

“We’re all familiar with ChatGPT and similar tools. To date, most AI has been text-based. But human life is not just semantics. We use visual cues, feelings and more to make sense of the world,” said Leigh. “I think we're in a really unique place in Human Centered Design to approach problem making in unique ways”

“Perversion of Interfaces” is curated by Shuang Cai, a Ph.D. student in Human Behavior and Design. The exhibit is on display in the MVR 1250 Gallery through October 29.