Living Interface
Living interface
The topic of the project works between interactiondesign and the biology.It concerns the communication between animal and the machine. The animal represents the user of a system and has the possibility to intervene. The User of the System are the so-called „Daphnien“. These organisms are placed under a microscope and form an interface in the system cycle. Thus they have access to all processes in the computer and are able to manipulate them. The animal communicates with the computer and the borders between technology and the animal world blurs.
The system consists thereby of the animal, a microscope, an apperatur with LED`s, the computer and a digital aquarium. Even if the technical part outweighs, the animal is „the conductor “. A Daphnie is placed under the microscope in a small Gadgetry with water, in which it can move freely. This animal is very sensitive concerning bright light. It swims very quickly to the source where the light is coming from. From three sides small LED `s illuminates, depending on which side the animal is swimming. For example if the animal swims on the right side, the right Led turns off and the left turns on, so the animal swims to the opposite direction.
The received data of the movement are used to show a clone of the animal in the digital aquarium. So the primitive organism is able to steer its virtual clone. Further the animal is able to manipulate a swarm of digital plankton which pursue permanently the movement of the animal and swimming afterwards him. So this simple little animal is able to intervene in our digital world. Furthermore the animal is able to manipulate a soundsample in speed and balance, depending on the swimming direction and position of the animal. If it swims upwards, the spherical sound increases in its speed, and will be slower if it swims downwards. Also a soft transition from the left to the right box is caused by the swimming direction of the animal. Thereby it generates an individual, unique music piece, composed by an animal.
The whole Applikation can be used as alternative measurement device for water qualities. The animals reacts on toxications in the water. If thats the case their movement activity decreases. The decreasing movement can be seized and evaluated at the screen.