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ARC — Algal Relay Computer
Bio
/ Engineering
Modern society is filled with fast-paced digital technologies. Our emphasis on efficiency has limited us to seeing time as a resource to be managed and optimised, and the technologies have been built on such a view. Researchers claim that this narrow perspective of time has made us blind to broader interpretations of time and has separated us from nature. The project challenges such a dominant narrative on time.
ARC — Algal Relay Computer is a simple form of computer that incorporates the growth of microalgae (Spirulina platensis) in its calculation process. A simple calculation takes a long time because the circuit needs to wait for the algae culture to grow to a certain density. The contrast of the instant technology symbolised by the computer and the slowness reflecting the temporality of microalgae serves as a design provocation to spark discussions about how we can interpret nonhuman temporalities and how designers can incorporate them into design practices.
ARC — Algal Relay Computer is a simple form of computer that incorporates the growth of microalgae (Spirulina platensis) in its calculation process. A simple calculation takes a long time because the circuit needs to wait for the algae culture to grow to a certain density. The contrast of the instant technology symbolised by the computer and the slowness reflecting the temporality of microalgae serves as a design provocation to spark discussions about how we can interpret nonhuman temporalities and how designers can incorporate them into design practices.
