Rice Farming
Data generated by symbiotic behaviours between the twin bacterial systems will generate behaviours for the robotic arms. These arms are situated at each end of a central raised pool where natural Azolla is being grown. This Azolla is complete with its natural symbiont (Anabaena) and provides the nitrogen rich fertilizer for the rice paddy which forms a moat like circle around the pool.

Beginning with very basic and functional behaviours the robotic arms are capable of evolving new expressive movements based on data they receive, movements which will ‘balletically’ and abstractly describe the ‘emotional’ state of the system as a whole. Their fundamental job, however, is to scoop Azolla from the pool and deliver it to the rice paddy via the ramps at each corner of the pool. At the bottom of each ramp is a spinning blade that serves to pulp and distribute the plant matter.

Technical Details
The installation runs various software on two computers alongside two microcontrollers. One machine running OSX runs a max/msp/jitter hub which receives output data from the bacterial interchanges and delivers appropriate responses to the robotic arms. Simultaneously the application is generated the 3D graphical visualisation of the GCS activities as well as recording, processing and replaying audio from various parts of the system.
GCS runs as a distinct application, developed in Python, on a separate Linux machine which is networked to the mac. The physical interface between the GCS and the bacteria culture chambers is a Phidgets microcontroller system. The robot arms are controlled by a serial servo controller which receives serial data from the max/msp/jitter hub application on the Mac.
An inverted biological microscope shows some of the cultured Anabaena at 400 times magnification. Audio is relayed around the installation by means of customised powered speaker units and home made electronics.

exhibition history
Autoinducer was commissioned by AV06 and exhibited at:
Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, Sunderland, March - April 2006

Autoinducer_Ph-1 (cross cultural chemistry) was awarded an honourable mention in VIDA9.0

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