Affy is an object blurring the boundaries between the living and artificial and re-imagines intimacy in a digitized environment. Due to increasing technological progress, our intimate connections and relationships are experiencing change. We find ourselves emotionally and bodily attached to the machine. Nonetheless, does that connection to non-humans make us feel more connected or more isolated from each other? How would an intimate relationship between humans and machines look in the future?

With the merging of AI, motors, and a soft pillow-like body Affy imitates a living creature and becomes a tool for observing human-machine interactions. The soft sensorial form, internal motors resembling breathing, and ability to “talk” to Affy make us connect to it emotionally and physically. Affy, therefore, becomes a companion, an autonomous being who can tell you a story, learn about your preferences, or be of comfort when needed. An encounter with Affy blurs the lines between animate and inanimate and makes us reflect on our current relationship with the devices around us.