Cell culture / Computer vision / Human bioelectrical activity /

Cyanobacteria cell culture

Creating a system to stimulate and analize the phototaxis of cyanoabcteria.

The first part of this project takes place at the laboratory for molecular cell network -department of electrical engineering and biology- of Waseda University (Tokyo-Japan). In this laboratory a system has been set up to stimulate and analyze the photosynthetic activity of cyanobacteria. From the laboratory, through cell culture, a high-resolution microscope and a custom software application a live video of the cells is sent over the Internet to the exhibition.

The image shows a population of cyanobacteria (Pseudanabaena) moving toward the light. This phenomenon is known as phototropism, which is the tendency that keeps organism following the light in order to get nutrition.

Optical calculation of the phototaxis in cyanobacteria

Analizing the behavior of the cells using computer vision.

In the exhibition, the behavior of cells (phototaxis) is analyzed using computer vision (CV) to obtain information in real time. The high resolution video of cyanobacteria show us the directional growth of the cells which is determined by the direction of the light source. This response to light stimulus is analized according to the following dynamics: spatial location, density, and speed.This data is processed and displayed as a three-dimensional structure that transforms itself continuously depending on the activity of the cells.

Human bioelectrical activity transformed into "light"

Measuring the electrical conductance of the skin

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Simultaneously, visitors induce changes in the activity of the cells through their own bioelectrical activity. On his hand the user has sensors that measure the electrical conductance of the skin (GRS), which reflect the activity of the nervous system. These reactions are processed and transformed into "light" as an array of digital structures and sent to the laboratory (internet) to stimulate the cyanobacteria. These cells sense the intensity, direction, color and duration of light and use this information to regulate their growth and metabolism. Thus, depending on the intensity and color of the reactions, the cyanobacteria generate several patterns of colonization.

At the same time, the present light conditions are visualized as dynamic geometry. Light-sensitive sensors register continuously the changes of ambient light. The information is processed in real time leading to the evolution of geometries that react to the on-going variations. As a result, the visitors and the cyanobacteria influence each other giving subsistence to a dynamic feedback system.

Biodynamic Geometries

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