Description
Microbes are foundational to nearly every ecosystem on Earth, including our bodies—yet they remain largely invisible and underappreciated in technological design. The human microbiome plays a crucial role in health and well-being, while environmental microbiomes influence a range of factors, including soil fertility and indoor air quality. This presentation will explore how we engage with this “invisible majority” to create tangible, living, and expressive informational interfaces. We design embroidered biosensing interfaces on textile that can detect and visualize physiological (internal) and environmental (external) data through visible microbial feedback. Sweat-responsive patches could be placed in high-perspiration regions to track cortisol, lactate, or environmental toxin exposure, turning sweat into an interface with the microbial world. A biosensing lactation bra or patch could monitor specific biomarkers in breast milk to detect inflammation or nutrient content. Cervical fluid–monitoring undergarments could offer non-invasive insights into menstrual cycles, ovulation timing, or shifts in vaginal microbiome health.
