In an article published in the cyber journal Technoetic Arts; Professor Stephen Gage of the Interactive Architecture Workshop and Will Thorne (UCL) describe a hypothetical fleet of small robots they call “edge monkeys.” Their function would be to patrol building facades, regulating energy usage and indoor conditions. Basic duties include closing unattended windows, checking thermostats, and adjusting blinds. But the machines would also “gesture meaningfully to internal occupants” when building users “are clearly wasting energy.” They are described as “intrinsically delightful and funny.”

via Architectural Record