The iconic Anglepoiselamp has been given a new lease of life by students at the University of Wellington. They’ve transformed the inanimate desk light into Pinokio, an object that expresses a range of movements and behaviours, and demonstrates an awareness of its environment by responding to external stimuli.

An electronic circuit, web cam and algorithms work together to bring the structurally modified lamp to life - but Pinokio isn’t a showcase of robot technology. Rather he’s intended to raise questions around the scope for industrial objects to transcend their role as 'obedient tools', and to explore the potential for 'living algorithms'. He also has an uncanny ability to make you coo which prompts discussion on what it is that has the power to generate emotional empathy in humans.