helene steiner uses enhanced digital communications to interact with plants

helene steiner uses enhanced digital communications to interact with plants 
all images courtesy helene steiner

UK based designer and researcher helene steiner is working to digitally communicate with the plants using nature’s own language – electro-chemical signals. together with microsoft research, ‘project florence’ is speculative glimpse into the future where both natural and digital worlds could co-exist in harmony through enhanced communications.

‘project florence’ 

combining natural language research, biology, design and computer engineering, steiner created the first platform for plant to human communication through the power of language. plants synthesize large amounts of information using electrical and chemical signals through ion fluxes, the platform can trigger a response using different light frequencies.

the output communication from the plant

the responses from the plant can be measured at the tissue level with attached electrodes and an modified circuit board for bioelectric signals. this creates the opportunity to have a rudimentary conversation with the plant. although it does not fully understand the linguistic information, it influences the resulting output in unusual and erratic ways. keep up the great work helene steiner!
the adapted language converted into electro chemical signals

details of the plant holder

helene steiner’s open-sourced circuit board 

users type the message on a microsoft ‘surface’ 

the communication platform converts the message into light signals 

the electrodes to detect changes in the plant