Deliverables¶
This section outlines the planned deliverables for the project Symbiotic EcoSystem, including timeline, materials, documentation and supporting files.
The deliverables are intended as living documents, evolving together with the project development.
GANTT¶
The project development is planned over the three-month Fabricademy period, following an iterative workflow that allows testing, failure and adaptation. After the Christmas bio-break, the project follows a 10-week timeline, starting on January 17 and concluding with the final presentation at the end of March.
Rather than a rigid schedule, the timeline is structured around phases that can overlap depending on technical discoveries and material constraints.
Project Timeline (January 17 – March 31)¶
Proposal Timeline Diagram by Carlotta Premazzi
Tools currently in use:
- Google spreadsheets for quick tables
- Notion for first task tracking and research organisation
- Miro for system diagrams and conceptual mapping
BoM — Bill of Materials¶
The Bill of Materials is evolving alongside the project.
Components are selected based on availability, experimentation needs and compatibility with the Textile Academy inventory when possible.
Materials¶
| Qty | Description | Estimated Price | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microcontroller (Arduino UNO) | 29,52€ | mauser.pt | owned / lab kit |
| 1 | Arduino USB Cable (USB A–B) | 1,11€ | ptrobotics.com | owned / lab kit |
| 1 | Plant sensing electrodes + Sensor Cable | € 147,85 | thomann.pt | received |
| 1 | USB Cable for Pocket Scion | € | recevived | |
| 1 | Moisture Sensor | 2,46€ | ptrobotics.com | received |
| 1 | GY-MAX30102 module | 5.77€ | amazon.es | received |
| 1 | L293D Motor Driver Shield (Keyestudio) | 4,70€ | mauser.pt | owned / lab kit |
| 1 | 12V 3A Power Supply (for pumps / motor shield) | 13€ | amazon.es | received |
| 2 | Mini Vacuum Pump | 10,30€ | mauser.pt | owned / lab kit |
| 1 | Mosfet Module | 4€ | ptrobotics.com | owned / lab kit |
| 3 | Tubes | 7,71€ | amazon.es | received |
| 1 | Valve | 4,67€ | ptrobotics.com | received |
| 2 | Soft material (silicone / textile) | 70,62€ | amazon.it | received |
| 2 | PLA | 36€ | amazon.es | received |
| 1 | Acrylic sheet (PMMA) 65x65cm, 4mm | 12€ | dagol | recevived |
| 1 | Sound output (speaker / interface) | 15€ — | — | to be ordered |
| — | Misc. cables, solder wire, small electronics, hot glue sticks | — | mauser.pt, amazon | 21 |
| Total spent: €496 |
Tools / Fabrication Equipment¶
| Qty | Description | Estimated Price | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laptop | — | — | owned |
| 1 | soldering iron | 78€ | amazon | reveived |
| 1 | power source for sold iron | 21,92 € | mauser, | reveived |
| 1 | 3D printer | — | Biolab | |
| 1 | Laser cutter | — | Fablab |
State of the Art / Concept Development¶
This project builds upon the initial proposal presented in the Implication and Application assignment (Week 13).
The project evolved through several conceptual stages during the research and prototyping process.
- Interactive Garden (initial idea) - Presentation Proposal The project initially explored the idea of an interactive environment where plants could communicate their internal states through responsive elements such as pneumatic flowers, light and sound.
The aim was to make invisible biological processes perceptible through sensory interaction.
Project Presentation Proposal on Canva, Carlotta Premazzi, 2025/2026 Biolab Lisbon.
Feedback & Mentoring notes Project Presentation Proposal
- OSCAR — try to work on the mapping with the human and non-human data and the interaction possibilities. Select a place to work on to try it.
- ANASTASIA — there is a lot of work coming from Ars Electronica. have a look at the final project of gabriela lotaif. you can think of making the flowers with bioplastic, you can also add essence/fragrance. https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/1st-3d-printed-inflatable-flower-just-gimmick-22868/ https://starts.eu/hungryecocities/ppe/le-terre-di-zoe-betiana-pavon/ https://koyne.org/Betiana-Pavon explore the option of making the flowers yourself, with biomaterials, they are hydroscopic and you can use this property to create a semi-artificial landscape. logistics wise it will be easier
- CECILIA — Carlotta, i love the topic - the project is very ambitious! i am happy you made 3 plans - to ensure its happening. I will send you some links later, i think you may enjoy the work of Spela Petric > projects such as Pl'AI and breathing garden & also the work of …
- CLAUDIA — lovely concept and topic. nice presentation and mood! Great idea of making the interactive installation with other beings. The installation is going to be tailor made for the plants in Portugal? Check the project by the teamlab and the one in Osaka there is also bioluminiscence. what will be the most challenging part in the project?
- LOUISE — it looks like you have thought quite thorough about your project already! I am wondering how you can tackle the ecological aspect of the soft robotics to have a vertuous loop from the plant to biodegradable soft robotics. As reference, a great exhibition around plants: https://www.fondationcartier.com/en/programme/exhibition/trees
- CAROLINA — Carlotta, great research and presentation. Next time, consider limiting presentations to a maximum of 20/25 slides so you move faster and focus on the essentials. We need to visit other green locations and choose plants to work with. Good work! Congratulations!
- DIANE — Love this idea of an interactive garden installation! Depending on the size of the installation you will need to have the necessary power supply for your system, and it can be very different depending on how/if you connect this all together; you will need to test that every interaction works, but also the whole circuit, to-size
- ANNIE — Reconnecting humans with living systems, I feel exactly the same… “All my relations”… everything is connected (wind, humidity, air particles, fungi, etc.). the Brazilian forest is partly fertilized by microparticles from an old lake in Africa picked up by the wind. I think your project can highlight those invisible interrelations. congratulations — it is really fun
- PORPLA — Plant intelligence and human interaction is very intriguing, love that you bring up energy and frequency as well, really interested to see how your project evolve
- Radical Signals (system perspective) - Mid Term Project Presentation As the research progressed, the installation began to be framed not as a simple interface but as a system composed of multiple interacting agents.
The focus shifted toward the relationships between plant signals, human physiological input and technological behaviours such as movement, light and sound.
Mid Term Project Presentation on Canva, Carlotta Premazzi, 2026 Biolab Lisbon.
Feedback & Mentoring notes Mid Term Presentation" on February
- ANASTASIA — I had difficulty following your presentation for two reasons: first, you were reading and introducing more abstract concepts; second, you fragmented the system into different aspects, so it was difficult to have an overview of the project.
- CECILIA — I think you went deeply into your methodology and the role of each element. I invite you to make this into one comprehensive map — mind map, flow, overview, whichever you like. It is important for you, and eventually the viewer of your installation needs to experience these roles and meanings. Start translating these into audio segments or a visual map. I hope to see more of your design process soon, there were some beautiful things that we saw very quickly. I know you like to explore new things, but also play to your strengths — make a mix between new skills and your background knowledge in audio/visuals.
- CLAUDIA — Keep the presentation focused and interesting, where did the nice visuals and images go? i would have put these experiments at the beginning- what you did is very interesting, deserves to be showcased properly. what if a system responded like a living body? like a plant? slowly, imperfectly, independently? humans inputs as something temporary..
- NURIA — Carlota, your project presents a beautifully poetic interaction between plants, humans, and technology. However, the complexity of the system risks diluting the core experience. I suggest prioritizing one primary biosignal at first and defining more clearly how it will be translated into the soft-robotic actuator. It would also help to clarify the final form of the installation and how the audience will interact with it. I recommend dividing the next steps into achievable tasks for the next 3 weeks. Time really flies.
- CAROLINA — Carlotta, I would like to see your final scheme. You have a lot to say, but maybe you can shorten the information and focus more on the final design. Congratulations on the big pictures!
- Radical EcoSystem (final concept) - For Final Presentation The project is developed into a bio-hybrid system exploring a more-than-human perspective.
Rather than using technology to monitor or control nature, the installation investigates how plant activity can influence technological behaviour.
Within this small ecosystem, plant signals shape the responses of artificial components, while human presence introduces additional subtle modulations of the system.
Working doc¶
Radical EcoSystem notionsite¶
Useful links¶
Slide show¶
stoorytelling de Carlotta Premazzi
The final presentation will summarise: - concept and research - system logic - prototypes and tests - final outcome
Story telling script¶
The storytelling session translates the project into a narrative experience, guiding the audience through the system while explaining it technically.
VIDEO INTRO (≈60 s)¶
| Image / Clip | Scene | Seconds | Visual |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
1 | 8 s | Forest atmosphere, water movement, light through leaves |
 |
2 | 8 s | Close-up leaves, droplets, subtle natural movement |
 |
3 | 7 s | Macro nature, slow organic rhythms |
 |
4 | 8 s | Greenhouses, sensors attached to plants |
| 5 | 6 s | Short pause / darker transition | |
 |
6 | 7 s | Reveal of your installation: pneumatic flower breathing slowly |
 |
7 | 5 s | Close-up of artificial flower and plant |
 |
8 | 7 s | Slow shot of the breathing artificial flower |
 |
9 | 6 s | Final shot: real plant + artificial flower together |
Presentation structure¶
| Image / Clip | Slide | Time | Text | Visual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~50 s | Concept-This project explores a bio-hybrid system where plant signals influence the behaviour of an artificial pneumatic organism. | Photo of the installation | |
| 2 | ~40 s | Question-What happens when plants start shaping technological behaviour? | Large text question | |
| 3 | ~90 s | System-The system combines plant sensing, human heartbeat input and a pneumatic artificial flower generating movement, light and sound behaviours. | Simple system diagram | |
| 4 | ~70 s | Interaction-The installation creates a feedback loop between three agents: the plant, the human participant and the artificial body. | Triangle diagram plant–human–machine | |
| 5 | ~60 s | Behaviour-Plant signals influence different behaviours in the system: the movement of the pneumatic flower, reactive light patterns and a generative sound environment. | Photos / clips of behaviour | |
| 6 | ~90 s | Process-The project developed through prototypes, material experiments and technical integration of sensing, pneumatics and interaction. | Prototype photos | |
| 7 | ~35 s | Demo-Here we see the system in action, where plant signals begin to influence the behaviour of the artificial body. | Demo video | |
 |
8 | ~20 s | Closing-Plants are not passive organisms. They are complex living systems that constantly sense and respond to their environment./In Radical Signals, plant activity begins to influence the behaviour of a technological system./The project explores a bio-hybrid ecosystem where plants, humans and machines interact through shared signals. / Perhaps the challenge for the future is not only designing smarter technologies/ but learning how to listen to the living systems that surround us. Thank you. | nature |
Fabrication files¶
Fabrication files will be progressively added as the project moves from testing to implementation.
These files may include:
- Download system diagram
- Download Electronic schematic
- Download laser-cut control box
- Download 3D models Final .stl Flower Mold; Final .stl Calix; Final .stl Pistl Flower
- Download CODE example
- Download README.txt
Code example¶
Custom code for sensing, mapping and interaction logic will be documented and added during the development phase.
CODE – RadicalEcoSystem Moisture threshold patch
```cpp /* Radical EcoSystem — Moisture Threshold Patch
Author: Carlotta Premazzi Program: Fabricademy 2025/2026 System Type: Bio-Hybrid Installation
Description: This patch reads soil moisture values from an analog sensor and classifies them into three environmental states: DRY, OK, and WET.
Two thresholds define the system: - dryThreshold → above this value, the system is considered DRY - wetThreshold → below this value, the system is considered WET - values in between define the OK state
The current state and raw sensor value are printed to the Serial Monitor, allowing calibration and real-time observation of environmental conditions.
This simple logic forms the base layer for behaviour in the installation.
*/
const int moisturePin = A1;
int moistureValue = 0;
// Thresholds (to be calibrated) int dryThreshold = 600; int wetThreshold = 300;
void setup() { Serial.begin(57600); }
void loop() { moistureValue = analogRead(moisturePin);
if (moistureValue > dryThreshold) { Serial.print("State: DRY | Value: "); Serial.println(moistureValue); } else if (moistureValue < wetThreshold) { Serial.print("State: WET | Value: "); Serial.println(moistureValue); } else { Serial.print("State: OK | Value: "); Serial.println(moistureValue); }
delay(500); }
Fabrication Workflow¶
The following tutorials document the fabrication process of the system, from structural components to soft robotics and electronics integration.
Collection of tutorials, how-tos¶
Laser-Cut Control Box Tutorial¶
Laser-cut acrylic enclosure fabricated at FabLab Lisbon using a GCC LaserPro Spirit LS laser cutter.
Material: 4 mm transparent acrylic sheet.
Kerf: 0.15 mm (calibrated).
Joint type: finger joints (press-fit).
See fabrication files section above ↑
3D Print Fabrication Tutorial¶
3D printed mold used to fabricate the soft robotic flower components.
Tools: 3D printer (Bambu Lab H2D, BioLab Lisboa).
Material: PLA filament (Elegoo PLA 1.75 mm).
Software: Fusion 360 (modeling), Bambu Studio (slicing).
Process: 3D printing and post-processing.
Print time: ~18 h
Material usage: ~100 g (multiple parts)
See fabrication files section above ↑
Silicone Pneumatic Actuator Fabrication Tutorial¶
Silicone casting process used to fabricate the soft pneumatic actuator, combining 3D printed molds and flexible materials.
Tools: 3D printed mold, mixer, containers.
Material: silicone A/B, fabric scaffold.
Software: Fusion 360 (mold design).
Process: mold fabrication, silicone casting and assembly.
Mix ratio: 1:1 (A/B).
Mix time: ~3 min.
Curing time: ~3 h.
Material usage: ~20 g.
See fabrication files section above ↑
Electronic Assembly Tutorial¶
Electronic system assembly including wiring, soldering and integration of sensors, actuators and control unit.
Tools: soldering iron, wire stripper, helping hands, multimeter.
Components: Arduino, sensors, cables, pumps.
Power: 5V / 12V system.
Connection type: soldered + modular connections.
See fabrication files section above ↑
Learning outcomes
- GANTT : sketch of a project planning and first Gantt chart
- BoM: Bill of Materials (BOM) necessary to reproduce the project, including costs and links were possible
- Showcase: Collection of evolving and work in progress * slide shows, ppts or presentations about the project
- Story board: draft and sketches of a story telling script for video production
- Fabrication files: all necessary files for project production are collected here
- Tutorials: Collection of tutorials, how-tos generated during the research process.
Student checklist
- [ ] Create a GANTT chart (planning calendar)
- [ ] List and (if possible) budget of all foreseen materials and machines required
- [ ] Upload all sets of slides produced during the various presentations
- [ ] Upload story board drawings
- [ ] Upload all necessary files
- [ ] Update how-tos generated