Synthetic Aesthetics: David Benjamin

Summary

The speaker discusses the convergence of biology, design, and computation through three approaches: biocomputation, biosensing, and biofabrication. They highlight projects that use living organisms to compute solutions, monitor environments, and manufacture materials. Examples include designing xylem cells for new chair leg structures, using mussel shells to sense water pollution, and creating bricks with mycelium from agricultural waste. These projects aim to revolutionize design and manufacturing with minimal waste and energy, promoting a sustainable cycle from crops to construction and back.

Takeaways

• 🌿 The speaker discusses the intersection of biology, design, and computation, focusing on three approaches: biocomputation, biosensing, and biofabrication.
• 🧬 Biocomputation involves designing living organisms to compute solutions to human problems, viewing organisms as computers.
• 🔍 Biosensing is about creating living organisms that can monitor their environment and respond dynamically to conditions.
• 🏭 Biofabrication pertains to the design of living organisms to manufacture objects and potentially building materials.
• 🤝 The speaker's work is a collaboration with synthetic biologists, exploring growth systems in xylem cells and other biological phenomena.
• 📊 Advanced technologies enable the observation and analysis of complex biological systems, which can then be used as design tools.
• 🌱 The project with xylem cells aims to understand and replicate their growth patterns, potentially creating new, never-before-seen forms.
• 🪑 An example of biocomputation in design is the exploration of chair leg structures using algorithms derived from biological organisms.
• 🦪 Biosensing is exemplified by using living muscles to detect water pollution, combining biological and digital sensors for environmental monitoring.
• 🍄 Biofabrication is showcased through the 'High-five' project, which uses mycelium to grow bricks from agricultural waste, aiming for a sustainable design paradigm.
• 🌱 The 'High-five' project at MoMA PS1 demonstrates how mycelium can be used to create architectural structures that are lightweight, low-cost, and compostable.

Q & A

What are the three approaches to the intersection of biology, design, and computation mentioned in the script?

The three approaches mentioned are biocomputation, biosensing, and biofabrication.

What does biocomputation involve according to the speaker?

Biocomputation involves designing living organisms to compute solutions to human problems, thinking of living organisms as computers.

How does biosensing work as described in the script?

Biosensing involves designing living organisms to monitor their environment and trigger dynamic responses to conditions in the environment.

What is the concept of biofabrication as discussed in the script?

Biofabrication is about designing living organisms to manufacture objects and potentially building materials.

What is the significance of the project involving xylem cells in the context of biocomputation?

The project with xylem cells explores the potential of using the growth patterns of these cells as algorithms to regenerate or create new biological forms, including those that do not exist in nature.

How does the speaker suggest using biological algorithms in design?

The speaker suggests using biological algorithms in design by combining them with traditional computational and engineering techniques to explore new design possibilities beyond typical human linear thinking.

What is the innovative aspect of using living muscles for biosensing as described in the script?

The innovative aspect is using living muscles, which are sensitive detectors of pollution, in combination with inexpensive digital sensors to create a hybrid biological-digital method for environmental monitoring.

What is the 'high-five' project mentioned in the script, and how does it relate to biofabrication?

The 'high-five' project is an experiment in design and manufacturing using mycelium, a type of fungus, to grow bricks from agricultural waste. It relates to biofabrication as it uses living organisms to create useful materials with minimal waste and energy.

How does the speaker envision the future of design with the integration of biology?

The speaker envisions a future where biology is integrated into design to create new forms, materials, and manufacturing processes that are more sustainable and efficient, leveraging the power of living organisms and their natural processes.

What is the potential impact of using biological intelligence in design and computation as discussed in the script?

The potential impact includes the ability to solve complex problems, monitor and respond to environmental conditions more effectively, and create new materials and designs that are not limited by traditional human-centric thinking.

How does the speaker describe the evolution of biology and its impact on design?

The speaker describes the evolution of biology as a field that has advanced significantly with new technologies, allowing for the observation and manipulation of biological systems in ways that were not possible a century ago, thus opening up new possibilities for design.