ISEA 2026

ISEA 2026 coming soon

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Abstract : 

This paper explores how biohybrid interfaces can foster relational encounters with microbial life beyond instrumental or representational models. We present a speculative interface based on a living kombucha culture, approached as a situated and temporal interface shaped through microbial morphogenesis rather than as a data source or metaphor. Author engage through a gift-of-self protocol, introducing bodily materials such as hair or saliva into the fermentation process. As bacterial cellulose biofilms grow, bioelectrical activity is translated into abstract, non-representational visuals that resist literal interpretation. Through a 9-day autoethnographic engagement, the study reveals recurring tensions between fascination and discomfort, intimacy and distance, care and instrumentalization. Rather than enabling stable co-becoming, the system exposes the fragility and asymmetry of human–microbial relations. We argue that biohybrid interfaces can operate as sites of ontological negotiation, where ambiguity, temporal commitment, and material vulnerability invite ethical and affective reflection. The work contributes design strategies for engaging microbial agency through care, relational materiality, and speculative interaction.