Elliot Han is a designer based in London.





Index 01.
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 (non) adversarial living companions
   .iO Chair
   Don’t Stare Mirror
   Perceptive Fan

Harmonizing Heritage with Made in UK

Memento (under construction)

 Paper Cup Typologies (under construction)
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(non) adversarial living companions
A design research project examining algorithmic impacts on material culture



(non) adversarial living companions explores what it means to live alongside algorithmic systems - not just through screens, prompts, and digital interfaces, but as physically embodied, attuned presences woven into our daily lives.

As these systems gain form and animacy, how will our relationships with the algorithmic world shift from typical, mediated interactions to something more lived, embodied, and mutual — blurring the boundaries between tool and companion, object and subject, or adversary and an ally.


Each object in this series plays on the uncanny and doesn't rely on humanoid forms, but inhabit familiar roles, animated by unexpected intent – sensing, interpreting, and intervening, sometimes gently, sometimes startlingly. Creating a network of “physical AIs,” the objects invite you to reconsider your relationships—with yourself, with objects, and with the wider algorithmic world—not through warnings or conventional utility, but through small, evocative frictions that surface the invisible and spark new imaginaries for coexistence.

Object #1: .iO Chair

The .iO Chair is indecisive about being idle and not sat on, but also doesn’t want to be sat on for too long. Its only way of interacting with the world and expressing itself is through the means of text printed on a receipt printer.



The seat of the .iO Chair are embedded with pressure sensors and thus it can detect how people are sitting in it. Oftentimes, how someone sits in a chair can indicate their current mood. This data is interpreted by a large language model that generates a dialogue, printed in real time on a receipt printer, creating a playful interaction based on how the chair “reads” their presence.

Object #2: .iO Chair

The mirror is very vigilant about how long you stare into it, getting you to reconsider your vanity. But at the same time, it encourages positive behaviors, such as smiling.



A Raspberry Pi running an AI model is used to analyze and process one’s reflections. When the mirror deems that one has stared for too long, it will project your eyes looking back at you.




Object #3: Perceptive Fan

The fan is aware of those who are constantly attending to their phones, with high likelihood of using an algorithm. When it detects someone, it gently rotates toward them and emits a soft gust of air to subtly prompt environmental awareness.





The fan detects people in space using a computer vision module, making real-time readings on distance, body positioning, and object detection.

This data is sent to an Arduino that triggers the 270 degree movement of the fan on a motor driven rotating plate. Simultaneously, a rack and pinion mechanism pulls back the latex membrane to generate a small burst of air upon release.