Victoria Reiter – Looking Outwards – 07

Computational interaction between humans and plants

Disney Research Pittsburgh has developed a project which uses a touch sensor to create an electromagnetic field around plants. The sensor detects minute disturbances in the field, and responds by creating a shapes and colors around the plant, in a type of aura, reacting to different forms of touch, movement, and proximity to the plant.

The video below demonstrates some interactions with the plants.

Video of interactions with plants

I think that this project is beautiful. It combines nature with technology, and although nature is already alive, it manages to animate it even further, giving these plants personalities, and making the interaction seem almost mutual rather than simply one-dimensional.

Furthermore, I thought it was fascinating that this project pertains to Pittsburgh, and in particular Disney Research Pittsburgh. Not sure how much the facts connect but shout-out to Randy Pausch just in case they do:) Just like how Randy Pausch combined technology and the arts, two “unlike forces,” so does this project combine technology and nature, another “unlikely” pair.

Full details on the project can be found here.