Namrata has addressed interrelations between gender and technology through the design and application of emerging technology. Her work has included creating a gender fluid doll with multiple gender identities, investigating the complex relation between gender, sex and the body and how we project gender roles onto our machines. She has investigated gossip as a means of counter-surveillance within the Smart Home, addressing gender, technology and artificial intelligence using Natural Language Processing. Her research has dealt with the production and use of domestic technologies and discussions surrounding ethics and privacy in the smart home, gender and the smart home and the relation between gender, gossip and society. More recently, she has researched and written about the relationship between sex, magic and technology. Her work has commented on the history of witchcraft, the performance of magic, the first chatbots,the aesthetics of technology, artificial gendered voices and labour.
I aim to lead by example, using design to demonstrate the impact and formulation of policy for euqality, fairness and trust in emerging technologies. Through design, writing, workshops and talks, I aim to investigate what policies need to be made in order to frame grassroots movements, regulation and government approaches towards new technologies. On a wider scale, I aim to advocate for influencing policy in IoT, AI and data collection as well as to promote better values in policy surrounding the research, development and implementation of new mediums. I aim to bring participatory design into my practice, extending the reach of technology and policy advocacy as well as engaging in the exchange of ideas, bridging the gap between people, organizations, policy and government. An important goal would be to steer the development of AI and trusted technology development in India and other emerging economies through sustainable,open source, economical and people centered design.
