Blast Theory’s Cat Royale has received several prestigious awards, recognising its groundbreaking blend of art, technology and animal welfare.
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2025 Digital Dozen: Breakthroughs in Storytelling Award
Awarded by Columbia University’s Digital Storytelling Lab, this accolade honours projects that push the boundaries of narrative, technology, and culture. Cat Royale was selected as one of the twelve global recipients for 2025. -
2025 Finalist in the Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Hub’s AI & Robotics Research Awards
Cat Royale was shortlisted in the Best Demonstration category, celebrating groundbreaking achievements in trustworthy autonomous systems. -
2024 Webby People’s Voice Award
Recognised as the Best Integrated Experience in the AI, Metaverse & Virtual category, this award is considered the “Internet’s highest honour” by The New York Times. -
2024 Best Paper Award at CHI (Computer-Human Interaction Conference)
A research paper co-authored by Blast Theory and the University of Nottingham won this prestigious award, highlighting the project’s impact on understanding trust in autonomous systems.
Cat Royale features three cats interacting with an AI-controlled robotic arm in an environment carefully designed for their comfort and curiosity. The project was developed through a close collaboration between Blast Theory and researchers at the University of Nottingham’s Mixed Reality Lab, with significant contributions from two of our CDT PhD candidates. Nick Tandavanitj(2023) led the project as part of his role at Blast Theory, while Victor Ngo (2022) also played a key role in its development, helping to shape this unique blend of art and technology.
