Biomaterials for Prototyping in HCI
01Digital Fabrication Technologies, madalina, Steimle
While prototyping is a widespread practice among researchers, creating sustainable, functional devices remains challenging due to the limited range of available tools and materials. We present several approaches to sustainable prototyping of functional devices. Our methods range from using bio-based and bio-degradable materials as sustainable alternatives to biologically growing electronic substrates. These methods enable a new class of interactive devices that integrate electronic components with sustainable materials. Our research on Interactive Bioplastics [1] introduces a DIY approach for producing conductive bioplastics that are compatible with digital fabrication techniques. Furthermore, [2] introduces an integrated fabrication framework for sustainable soft shape-changing interfaces made of bioplastics. Finally, our work on Biohybrid Devices [3] showcases how the biological growth of living bio-materials–such as Bacterial Cellulose–can be used as assembling and embedding process for electronics. In addition to presenting various artifacts, we highlight the processes introduced by our fabrication frameworks [1-3] and engage the audience in discussions about the life-cycle phases of producing artifacts, promoting a critical reflection of sustainable practices in prototyping.
