CONCEPT Here's a fact: there is a current dichotomy between nature and technology in today’s world, caused by sustainability issues, increased time spent on screens and urban developement. How can we reinforce a positive relationship between humans and nature, and could we view this through an interaction lens?

Bio-Interfaces is an exploratory and speculative project that facilitates tangible interactions through plants as mediating interfaces. It explores how every human’s inherent biophilia can be utilised to enable further opportunities for human-plant communication and connection. Ultimately, how can more poetic and nurturing mindsets towards nature be encouraged?

METHODOLOGY This research takes the format of a critical journal led by experimental and explorative strategies and supported by notions of discursive design and speculative thinking. Primary research consisted of interviews, surveys and observation exercises.

The most fundamental methodology used within this critical journal framework was the creation of a series of experiments that developed Living Media Interfaces based on insights gathered from primary research. This methodology of conducting experiments emphasises the value of the process and developing a thorough understanding of the subject matter, driven by motives of inherent curiosity.

CATALOGUE OF MAKING The project began with a series of experiments looking into various manifestations of tangible human-plant interactions, documented in a Catalogue of Making. This highlights the aspect of reflection via a meaning-making process, with every iteration resulting in more thorough comprehension of the artefact subject, interactive system, and relevant interrelationships.

SEE THE ENTIRE CATALOGUE OF MAKING→

PROTOTYPES Thorough experimentation in the Catalogue of Making led to the development of two prototypes that faciliated tangible contact with plants and visualised it in different manners. These prototypes are documented in a video.

HUMAN + PLANT +AXIDRAW   This first prototype aims to discover ways to create meaningful and personal connections with nature via Human-Plant Interaction. One way to do so is by humanising or attributing some level of sentience to the plants, explored through the physical representation of a visual language, something akin to a human using handwriting to communicate or express themself.

It consists of a plant connected to a pen plotter. When you touch the plant, the axidraw moves in response, drawing ellipses. The more intensity you touch the plant with, the larger the ellipse, and vice versa. This sets up a dialogue or conversation where you and the plant are responding to each other.

LOOSE LEAF ZINE   These instances of human + plant + axidraw collaborations were user tested amongst friends and peers and were documented in a loose-leaf zine.

CELLULAR AUTOMATA   This second prototype takes an algorithmic approach to visualising Human-Plant Interactions in order to lay a foundation for new means of communication.

The chosen algorithmic pattern, cellular automata, is naturally occurring in nature and also has applications in computer science and engineering. Therefore, it sufficiently represents a shared phenomenon between the entities of nature and technology.

Over time, perhaps the generated cellular automata patterns can develop strains of predictability with certain instigated touches, and therefore form a language.