1. Presentation and Statement

The Center for Non-Anthropocentric Play (CNAP) is a research group at Noroff University College in Norway. CNAP develops research, experiments, tools and concepts in the field of video games, and more broadly in the field of Play. The research environment and the approach to these fields is quite interdisciplinary ranging from cognitive sciences and phenomenology to philosophy, arts and aesthetics.

In a decaying natural ecosystem, in which more than 500,000 species have now disappeared due to the exponential growth of humans and their negative impact in natural environments, it seems fundamental to embrace a non-anthropocentric approach to research and development. Norway is the birthplace of Biocentrism, an ethical view of the world promoted by Arne Naess which assumes all living beings have the same moral standing. At CNAP we are highly inspired by this approach, and instead of focusing research and design on humans, we are rather interested in exploring a more horizontal relationship between humans and non-human actors, especially those found in natural environments. De-centring humans is therefore one of the central dimensions of CNAP’s agenda. In this way, CNAP is driven by a fundamental question: how to design games and playful experiences after the Anthropocene?

Anthropocentric vs Non-Anthropocentric Design (Available via license: CC BY 4.0)

2. Research Fields/Diciplines

CNAP gathers several interdisciplinary researchers and contributors with a rich expertise in different fields and disciplines: Interaction design, Robotics, Critical Play, Sustainable Design, Phenomenology, Affective gaming, Serious Games, Affective computing, Affective Videogame, Affective Design, Multimodal Affect recognition, XR Cognition, Videogame Cognition, Neurogames, Flow in Games, DDA Dynamic Difficulties Flow Adjustment, Emotional UX, Emotional Gaming, Emotional AI, Autonomous Emotional Agents, Presence in VR, Cyber-therapy, Gamification, XR Simulations.

3. On-going Research Projects

  • Beyond the Blue Mist, exploring Blue Cone Monochromatism (BCM) disease through play
  • Enhanced HyFlex Courses Design Model with Crossplay Gamification
  • Learning and playing with robotics
  • Play, politics and embodied learning in childhood
  • Playmode
  • Invisible NISSE

4. Team

DR. Erik Geslin (PhD, Associate Professor, CNAP co-director)

Dr. Erik Geslin is an Associate Professor and Affective Gaming Researcher at Noroff University College. He is also a Lecturer at UCO L3Di University in France. Dr. Geslin has worked within the video games industry and in virtual reality systems for over 26 years and has a wealth of experience covering all aspects from development to publishing. Consultant on the production of AAA and Indie games, he is specialist in Emotion induction and player's fun, attention and motivation. He is also the founder of Emotional Games Awards.

DR. Filipe Pais (PhD, Associate Professor, CNAP co-director)

Dr. Filipe Pais is an Associate Professor at Noroff University College and a Research Associate at the Reflective Interaction Group from EnsadLab (the laboratory of Ensad – École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris). He is the co-coordinator of the MisB Kit Project at Ensadlab. His research focuses on the transformative power of play and on the notions of behavioural and misbehavioural objects. More recently his research has also been focusing on the impact of digital technologies in natural environments.

Other members

  • Joshua Griffin
  • Diego Saldivar
  • Erik Hammer
  • Alexander Ross
  • Paul Bettinson

5. Network/Collaborations

  • Ensadlab, Ensad, Paris
  • LCC, UAL, London
  • Arts & Metiers ENSAM
  • UCO L3Di Laval
  • Rïtsumeikan University Kyoto

6. Contact

For further inquiries please contact:

Dr. Erik Geslin — erik.geslin(at)noroff.no

Dr. Filipe Pais — filipe.pais(at)noroff.no

     
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