The Swarm Garden: A Human-Swarm Interactive Platform for Self-Adaptive Art, Architecture and Dance Performance, Jad Bendarkawi, UG '24, Yenet Tafesse, UG'24 (F258874D)
The Swarm Garden represents a combination of swarm robotics, architecture, and art, developed through the collaboration between the Self-Organizing Swarms and Robotics Lab and the Form Finding Lab. This project uses swarms inspired by biomimicry to investigate the relationship between human presence and responsive architectural settings. Another aspect of this initiative is a wearable device equipped with sensors, including proximity and inertial mass unit (IMU), which captures the movements of a dancer's performance. This integration allows for dynamic interaction with robotic modules that bloom and change behavior based on the dancer's gestures.
During a public exhibition on April 9th, 2024, The Swarm Garden exhibition allowed visitors to experience an evolving art exhibit where their movements and interactions generated unique outcomes through real-time and complex long-range responses from the robotic swarm. This approach not only demonstrates the technical feasibility of integrating human actions with responsive environments but also pushes the boundaries of traditional architectural spaces to become living systems that enhance well-being, efficiency, and sustainability.
By focusing on the well-being and happiness of individuals, The Swarm Garden introduces a new paradigm in architectural design where buildings evolve in response to human needs. This project serves as a proof of concept for larger scale, self-adaptive facade architectures, combining swarm intelligence and innovative buckling sheet technology, paving the way for future designs that improve human-robot interaction and enrich artistic expression through emergent interactions