Ants
2019 –
Cambridge, M
Ongoing research ︎

Realized as part of research project conducted in the Mediated Matter Group at MIT Media Lab ︎

This research aims to develop a dynamic fabrication system that interacts with harvester ants in order to understand the possible relationships the machine may establish with the organism. Ultimately, the goal is to achieve an autonomous system in which each part will be able to adapt to the other without human interference. Outcomes of this system will include structural components that can later be assembled as larger structures. 

So far, experiments show that harvester ants respond and follow UV light sources. As a first step, it is important to characterize the reaction of the organism to the stimuli and the impact it has on the structure. Here are some images showing the initial tests that pave the way for this research.

Research Team ︎
João Costa, Christoph Bader︎ and Neri Oxman︎

︎
︎
2023
Palo Alto, CA