Biosynergy #101

2025

3D-printed recycled plastic, living plants, interactive VR installation 

The project was created within the framework of the Digital Worlds artstudio of the Art & Science Master’s program at IMTO University.

Studio supervisor: Helena Nikonole
Consultant: Serge Kernbach, Dr.rer.nat (CYBRES GmbH, Germany)

Exploring symbiosis and mutual aid as evolutionary survival mechanisms, this project investigates technology-mediated collaboration between humans and plants. The artist creates a hybrid system where the biorhythms of mosses control the behavior of a VR avatar and influence the plant’s physical environment. The viewer’s actions in VR—touching or “feeding” the avatar—trigger real-world responses: activating lighting to create a dialogue between the digital and the biological.

The work addresses ecological concerns, scientific research in phytosensing, and a cultural demand for new forms of interaction with nature. Mosses, as ancient organisms, symbolize resilience and adaptability.

The project reimagines technology as a bridge between humans and nature, proposing a model where technology becomes a language for interspecies dialogue, and recycled materials form the foundation of symbiotic connections. The VR avatar, devoid of chlorophyll yet endowed with “emotions, ” serves as a gateway into plant consciousness, revealing new perceptual horizons. A sensor transmits data on moss activity to a VR application (Oculus), where the plant avatar responds to user actions through color shifts, sound, and tactile feedback. This, in turn, affects lighting, closing the interaction loop. Here, recycled materials and technologies forge a language of interspecies dialogue—not domination.