View source for GMU:Design with Microorganisms/ Lucy and Hanna / TheProject

Cellular atomaton model of crowd evacuation inspired by slime mould 

In case of immediate danger efficiency is paramount. In this experiment, slime mould insitints are relied upon to formulate the most efficient route to escape a space by motivating it with an exterior food source. In doing this, the slime mould found the fastest exit out of the enclosure to create an efficient evacuation path while simulating real world applications without utilising heavy energy consuming simulation programs. 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03081079.2014.997527


Floating planting beds made of a mycelium biomaterial to cleanse waterways - RIDS 

"Because of  the urbanization of  the Providence River, a lot of the wetland that acts to actively remediate pollution had been removed.". To start those ecosystems again, scientists of the RIDS created floating planting beds made of a mycelium biomaterial. Using the Biopods native plants and microorganisms can be reintroduced to degraded wetlands to naturally decontaminate their environment.  

https://www.dezeen.com/2023/11/30/risd-students-floating-mycelium-pods-cleanse-waterways/


Printer that creates "living" images from algae - Luis Undritz 

Motivated to create a new method of creating living clothing, Luiz Undritz uses algae and bright light to create natural designs for clothing. This method is called Phytoprinting, where an image can be naturally printed without need of toxic chemicals and dyes, instead applying photosensitive algae to fabric in order to create a design. 

https://www.dezeen.com/2021/09/10/luis-undritz-printer-living-images-algae/



Art through symbiosis - Hanna Bremerich 

Usually there is some kind of separation between the artist and their work. By building a symbiosis with the slime mold to create an artwork together, I want to form a deeper connection with my art. I would create a sketch/plan and try to motivate the slime mold with food to grow in the directions I want it to, however in the end the art will be a mixture of my plan and the instinctive growing of the slime mold. This would form a symbiosis since the slime mold would depend on me keeping it alive, while I depend on the slime mold to create a collaborative piece of art, where the slime mold is artist and artwork at the same time.