Theme
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making alarming progress, permeating various domains and contexts of contemporary life at a dizzying speed, including within the realm of Design. The adoption of AI, which will bring both positive and negative impacts, will necessitate a review of collaborative relationships between machine and human, with natural consequences for the theory and practice of Design. However, its combination with digital sensors, networks, nanotechnology, and bioengineering raises ethical, economic, social, and environmental issues that cannot be overlooked. Significant effects are already evident with current forms of “weak AI,” which primarily operate at the level of design support, emulating procedures and performing technical tasks in which humans encounter difficulties. More impressive impacts are anticipated with the sophistication of AI models and their entry into the realm of innovation, i.e., in decision-making about what should or should not be created. In his article “Natural Intelligence in Design,” Nigel Cross (1999) anticipated that “It seems that AI-in-design research can be aimed either at supporting design (through interactive systems that aid the designer’s creativity) or at emulating design (that is, through developing computational machines that design)” and considered that we could learn a great deal about what design is through research on AI applied to this area, posing the challenge – “Instead of machines that do things that people enjoy doing, and are good at doing, we want machines to do things that are arduous and difficult for human beings to do. We also want machines to do things that are not merely arduous or difficult for human beings to do, but to do things that human beings simply cannot do unaided. So rather than just emulate human abilities, some of our design machines should also do things that designers cannot do.” Inspired by Cross’s reflection, Senses & Sensibility 2025 challenges the community to discuss the impacts of AI not only on Design but also on the future of humanity and, for this, adopts the theme
“From Natural Intelligence to Artificial Intelligence in Design.”
Theme
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making alarming progress, permeating various domains and contexts of contemporary life at a dizzying speed, including within the realm of Design. The adoption of AI, which will bring both positive and negative impacts, will necessitate a review of collaborative relationships between machine and human, with natural consequences for the theory and practice of Design. However, its combination with digital sensors, networks, nanotechnology, and bioengineering raises ethical, economic, social, and environmental issues that cannot be overlooked. Significant effects are already evident with current forms of “weak AI,” which primarily operate at the level of design support, emulating procedures and performing technical tasks in which humans encounter difficulties.
“From Natural Intelligence To Artificial Intelligence In Design.”
The organising committee of The Senses & Sensibility conference invites original contributions in the following categories:
1. Long Papers (12 pages)
2. Short Papers (6 pages)
3. Tales from the Market (4 pages)
4. Workshops
All Submissions Will Undergo A Double-Blind Peer-Review Process.
This call is open to researchers, academics, designers, and students whose work aligns with the field of Design, including but not limited to:
Around the theme, six thematic axes have been defined, each intersecting with Artificial Intelligence (AI):
• Design and Technological Challenges
• Design, Culture, and Diversity
• Design for Health and Well-being
• Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability
• Design and Entrepreneurship
• Design and Education
The first thematic axis, Design and Technological Challenges, explores AI as both a challenge and an opportunity for designers. On one hand, AI presents a complex technological domain that designers must learn to navigate and apply effectively. On the other, it offers new tools and perspectives for addressing the evolving challenges posed by other technological fields—fields that are increasingly becoming part of people’s everyday lives.
The second thematic axis, Design, Culture, and Diversity, emerges from a critical reflection on the risks and opportunities AI poses in these areas. While there is a danger of cultural homogenisation—particularly in contexts already affected by weak education systems—AI also holds the potential to expand access to diverse cultural experiences, such as shared memory collections and underrepresented narratives.
The third thematic axis, Design for Health and Well-being, invites research on how design, in collaboration with AI, can improve quality of life. This axis highlights the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, positioning design as a key agent in humanising technological solutions and ensuring they respond to real human needs.
The fourth thematic axis, Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability, calls for discussions on how AI can support sustainable development across its social, economic, and environmental dimensions. AI-enabled design may offer solutions to complex challenges such as unemployment and skills retraining—solutions that were previously unfeasible. In this context, design research has the potential to renew hope and life prospects for many.
The fifth thematic axis, Design and Entrepreneurship, serves as a platform to explore intersections with the other axes. The entrepreneurial spirit that drives visionary designers is akin to that which fuels innovation and progress. This axis investigates how design, empowered by AI, can support new business models, start-ups, and transformative ideas grounded in science and technology.
The sixth thematic axis, Design and Education, opens space for reflecting on the impact of AI on design education and how design, in turn, can contribute to improving education more broadly. It encourages exploration of new pedagogical models, tools, and approaches that leverage AI in ways that are both innovative and ethically grounded.
Submission Guidelines
The submission process for S&S 2025 occurs in two stages
1. Stage 1: Provisional Full paper Submission
The first submission is a full paper written in English. The paper must be anonymous to ensure a blind peer-review process. Authors should ensure their submission does not contain any identifying information to maintain the integrity of the review.
2. Stage 2: Camera-Ready Submission
Once the contributions have been accepted by the reviewers, authors will be invited to submit the final, camera-ready versions of their papers. These should be revised in accordance with the reviewers’ comments, properly formatted using the official conference template, and clearly identified. The final submission must also include the completed and signed copyright transfer form. Please note that a separate registration is required for each accepted paper. The registration must be completed before the final version can be included in the conference proceedings.
Paper Submission Requirements:
• The full paper should be between 8 to 12 pages in length, including the title, abstract, keywords, main body, and images (bibliographical references are not included in the page limit).
• The paper must be written in English.
• The paper must not contain any identification of the author(s).
• The paper must adhere to the APA style standards, v.7, and comply with the formatting and presentation rules outlined in the provided template.
Download the full paper template here.
The proceedings book, which will feature the best selected papers, will be submitted for approval to Springer for publication in their Series in Design and Innovation. Papers not selected for the book will be considered for publication in an e-book of proceedings, published by IADE Press, which will have an ISBN and include all accepted abstracts.
Copyright Agreement
Upon receiving notification of paper acceptance, the corresponding author will be required to submit a signed copyright agreement. This is a mandatory step for publication. The agreement will specify the intended publication platform (either Springer or IADE Press), depending on the selection of the paper for inclusion in the proceedings book or e-book.
The Conference registration fee serves as the admission ticket for the entire event. Participants can choose from two attendance options: ‘on-site’ or ‘remote’.
All registered participants are entitled to the following:
• Full access to the Conference Proceedings in electronic format
• Participation in the hybrid Opening Plenary Session and all Keynote Speeches
• Attendance at all parallel paper sessions
Additional entitlements for on-site participants include:
• Access to the Poster Presentations
• Entry to the Exhibition Area
• Complimentary refreshments during scheduled breaks (10:00–10:30 and 15:30–16:00 daily)
• Participation in the social and cultural programme (subject to prior registration and, where applicable, payment of an entry fee)
We encourage all participants to consult the full programme and registration details to make the most of their conference experience.
Please note that extra fees apply for the gala dinner. The registration fee does not cover lunch or dinner meals.
During the online registration process, participants planning to present their work will be required to select their preferred presentation format: either ‘on-site’ or ‘online’.
At least one author must be registered for each accepted paper.
An author registration is valid for only one paper and a different author must be registered for each extra paper. However, co-authors may appear on multiple papers.
Price List
Available Soon
Programme
To be announced soon
Committees
Conference Chairs
- Júlio van der Linden (LDCI Coordinator, PGDESIGN, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil);
- Emília Durte (UNIDCOM/IADE, Lisbon, Portugal);
- Hande Ayanoglu (UNIDCOM/IADE, Lisbon, Portugal).• Participation in the hybrid Opening Plenary Session and all Keynote Speeches
Organizing Committee
- Júlio van der Linden (LDCI/PGDESIGN/UFRGS);
- Claudia Adriana Oliboni Nichetti (LDCI/UFRGS);
- Silvia Trein Heimfarth Dapper (PUCRS; LDCI/UFRGS);
- Luiza Graziottin Selau (UCS; LDCI/UFRGS);
- André Grilo (LDCI/UFRGS).
Technical Support Team
- Luiza Mara Mattiello Rossetto (LDCI/UFRGS) – PhD candidate;
- Andreia Anele de Bortolli (LDCI/UFRGS) – PhD candidate;
- Tânia Mara Mattiello Rossetto (LDCI/UFRGS) – Master’s candidate;
- Gabriela de Oliveira Dutra (LDCI/UFRGS) – Master’s candidate;
- Priscilla dos Santos Silvani (LDCI/UFRGS) – Master’s candidate;
- Clarice Seligman van der Linden (PUCRS) – Undergraduate student;
- Victor Dutra (PUCRS) – Undergraduate student
Scientific Committee
- Adérito Fernandes – Marcos University of Saint Joseph, Macau
- Adriana Bolaños – Mora Jardín Botánico del Quindío, Colombia
- Aguinaldo dos Santos – Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil
- Amilton José Vieira de Arruda – Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil
- Ana Luísa Marques – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Ana Margarida Ferreira – Universidade da Beira Interior. Portugal
- Ana Thudichum Vasconcelos – Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
- André Monat – Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Angélica Paiva Ponzio – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Annalisa di Roma – Polytechnic of Bari, Italy
- Carlos Alberto Miranda Duarte – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Cátia Rijo – Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Portugal
- Cínthia Costa Kulpa – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Cláudia Mont’Alvão Pontificia – Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Cristina Caramelo Gomes – Universidade Lusíada, Portugal
- Cyntia Santos Malaguti de Sousa – Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
- Daniela Viviana Di Bella – Universidad de Palermo, Argentina
- Edirlei Everson Soares de Lima Breda – University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
- Eduardo José dos Foros Santos Gonçalves – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Elga Ferreira – Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Portugal
- Erik Bohemia – Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway
- Fabiane Wolff – NEXXO, Brazil
- Fabiano de Vargas Scherer – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Fernando Oliveira – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Flávia Ataide Pithan – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Francesca Nicolais – Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa, Italy
- Gabriel Bergmann Borges Vieira – Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Brazil
- Gabriela Zubaran de Azevedo Pizzato – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Grazielle Portella – IE University, Spain
- Guilherme Ranoya Seixas Lins – Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil
- Hande Ayanoglu – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Heitor Alvelos – Universidade do Porto, Portugal
- Igor Escalante Casenote Sicredi, Brazil
- Isabel Maria Bernardo Pereira Farinha – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- João Alfredo Fernandes Dias – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- José Guilherme Santa-Rosa – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
- Juan Salamanca – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
- Juan Carlos Briede-Westermeyer – Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Chile
- Léia Miotto Bruscato – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Loredana di Lucchio Sapienza – Universitá di Roma, Italy
- Luís Cláudio Portugal do Nascimento – Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
- Luiz Salomão Ribas Gomez – Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil
- Maria Emília Capucho Duarte – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Maria Madalena Túbal Miranda – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Nuno Martins – Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave, Portugal
- Priscila Farias – Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
- Raquel Salcedo Gomes – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Rita Assoreira Almendra – Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
- Sara Gancho – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Sofia Ponte – UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia, Portugal
- Stuart Medley – Edith Cowan University, Australia
- Teresa Franqueira – Universidade de Aveiro,Portugal
The lectures and technical sessions will take place at the Cultural Center of UFRGS, which occupies a building constructed in the 19th century for the former Institute of Industrial Chemistry of the School of Engineering. The building features typical characteristics of neoclassical architecture and is part of a group of structures built at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century that helped shape the central campus of UFRGS.
Address
Rua Engenheiro Luiz Englert, 333, Bairro Farroupilha, CEP 90040-040, Campus Centro da UFRGS, Porto Alegre-RS
Sponsors:
