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Musical Morphogenesis (2014-2017)
The interactive installation “Musical Morphogenesis” is a multidisciplinary project based on 5 main disciplines: computational biology, music, architecture, robotics, and science communication. The implementation of all components of the installation had to take into consideration the specificities of each discipline, turning this into an extremely challenging project. The main objective of “Musical Morphogenesis” was to take the visitors in a sensorial journey to explore the dynamic interactions of genes and proteins during the development of an organ. Such biological processes are highly complex, and the same set of genes can originate different organs depending on when they are activated. Taking advantage of a mathematical model that address the genetic network of the Arabidopsis thaliana flowers, a team of computational biologists, musicians, architects, engineers and science communicators joined hands to create an installation that could explore the development of flowers. The installation was composed of a robotic wood-made flower, which kinetics reflected the progression of the genetic network, and of an interface to interact with the installation. Visitors could turn on or off one or more genes, and eventually switch the network towards the formation of a different organ originating a mutant. To facilitate the comprehension of the network, each gene had a specific sound.
Researchers
Other Researchers
Maria João Oliveira (ISTAR-IUL, Dinamia’CET, ISCTE-IUL); João Sousa (ISCTE-IUL); Luis M. Rocha (IGC); Maunel Marques-Pita (IGC); Ana Mena (IGC); Maria de Assis Swinnerton (FCG); Simão Costa (SCM)
Related Publications
Morphogenesis of a project towards better science communication. Mena, A., Paio, A., Rocha, L., Marques-Pita, M., de Assis, M., in PCST2016, April 26-28, 2016, Istanbul, Turkey, p. 39.
Exhibition Morfogénese Musical. Maker Faire Lisbon, Junho 25 – 26, 2016, Lisboa, Portugal.
Partners
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Gulbenkian Science Institute, Simão Costa and Vitruvius FABLAB-IUL.
Financing
This project was funded under Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
