Originally Completed: Oct. 2017
Medium: Adobe AfterEffects, Javascript, Raspberry Pi, Makey Makey, Wood & Vacuformed Plastic
PROCESS NOTES
CEREBRAL CELERY
While the idea of plant intelligence is not a new concept, recent research suggests that plants may be capable of interpreting various stimuli, storing them as “memories,” and even learning from past experiences. This experiential project highlighted some of the new information we’re learning about the inner-workings of plants, while establishing a more emotional connection with its audience through its unexpected physical form.
The initial concept stemmed mostly from this article on an experiment conducted by evolutionary ecologist Monica Gagliano. In her experiment, Gagliano was able to “train” a plant not to be afraid of what would typically be alarming stimuli. The concept was fascinating to me; I was aware that plants had some basic awareness of their surroundings, but the idea that they could form memories or learn from experiences really changed the way I thought — and felt — about plants.
The experience itself took the form of a live plant growing in a small, wooden box. The front of the box contained a screen with an animated face representing the plant’s “emotions.” This odd setup served to encourage anyone passing by to engage with the experience and learn more.
Originally I had explored another, far more digital direction for the project based on a different experiment I came across during my research. This one had trained a vine to grow towards sources of wind by blowing air at it whenever it recieved light. When placed in a v-shaped vase with light coming from both ends, the plant would always grow toward whichever end was recieving a stronger gust of wind. My first idea was a sort of puzzle game, where users would have to use a set of parts to “convince” the vine to grow in the desired direction.
Ultimately, the concept ended up being a bit too heady, and would have been hard for new users to grasp at a glance. Plus, it didn’t really have the tactility I was hoping for either. So much of plants’ charm comes from their physicality, so I didn’t feel that a digital experience alone could properly provide the desired emotional hook.
ECOLOGICAL EMPATHY
Emulating the experiment it was based on, the plant would at first be cautious of new people. Touching it would cause the face on the front to change, quivering in fear until its assailant left it alone. However, after multiple consecutive touches, the plant would realize it was not actually in danger, ceasing to be afraid of the stimulus it now realized was not a threat.
The plant seen in the final product, although very satisfying to touch, was not actually my first pick. Initially, I wanted to use a mimosa pudica, otherwise known as the “sensitive fern,” which was the same species used in the original test. The mimosa pudica has an extremely unique behavior — when disturbed, its leaves quickly fold inward to protect itself from potential predators. This behavior made it the ideal subject for the original experiment, as Gagliano could immediately tell whether or not the plant sensed danger.
However, this particular species of plant proved hard to find, so I had to settle for something a bit less animated. Since the plant itself was part of the user interface, I wanted to make sure I got something pleasant to touch, but also compact enough that it could carry a light electrical signal no matter where the user touched it. After spending a frankly embarassing amount of time in Home Depot’s greenhouses, I finally settled on a small, mound-shaped sedum succulent that seemed perfect for touching.
Located next to the planter was a plant tag, prompting the user to insert it into the color-coded slot at the top of the box. Doing so would cause the screen to display one of many “Plant Facts,” highlighting various findings from the scientific research the project was based on.
Getting the physical components of the project to function correctly was complicated, but not too difficult overall. I ended up using two Makey Makey units hooked up to a Raspberry Pi running a tiny Javascript website that handled all the on-screen behavior.
More complicated, however, was trying to get the digital side of the project working properly. I hadn’t worked with the Raspbian OS prior to this project, and since someone had apparently messed it up while using it for a previous project, I had to completely re-install the OS on the Pi unit I was borrowing. Many hours worth of YouTube tutorials later, I finally got Chromium up and running, but I still see Linux command lines in my nightmares to this day.
The plant fact displayed was chosen randomly each time a user inserted the plant tag into the slot. The exhibit was left active for a few weeks, encouraging users to pet the plant and learn a new fact whenever they passed by.