Abstract

Keywords: Electronic Art, Interactive Art, Plants, Microbial Fuel Cells, Clustering, Machine Learning, Sound, Light, Breath, Computer Vision, Bacteria, Photosynthesis, CO2

This paper discusses the intersection of human, non-human and machine agencies via the analysis and description of two artworks that feature novel interfaces between humans, plants, bacteria and computational intelligence. Two projects are discussed: Microbial Sonorities, a real-time generative artwork that explores the use of sound and machine learning to investigate the bioelectric and behavioral patterns of microorganisms and PlantConnect, which explores humanplant interaction via the human act of breathing, the bioelectrical and photosynthetic activity of plants and computational intelligence to bring the two together.

• Carlos Castellanos, Assistant Professor, School of Interactive Games & Media (IGM), Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA. Carlos Castellanos is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher with a wide array of interests such as cybernetics, ecology, embodiment, phenomenology, artificial intelligence and transdisciplinary collaboration. His work bridges science, technology, education and the arts, developing a network of creative interaction with living systems, the natural environment and emerging technologies. His artworks have been exhibited at local, national and international events such as the International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA), SIGGRAPH & ZERO1 San Jose. He is also a founding member of DPrime Research, an art-science nonprofit research organization. He holds a Ph.D. from the School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT), Simon Fraser University and an MFA from the CADRE Laboratory for New Media, San Jose State University. ccastellanos.com