The exhibition “KonSekvence ≡ Fragments of a Possible Ecosystem” will take place at Cukrarna Ljubljana between March 3rd and April 2nd, 2023. StellaVerde – Smart Garden will be presented among numerous artistic-research works, innovations, and research learning methods.
The authors, Gregor Krpič in Simon Gmajner, imagined a robotic spider as part of the StellaVerde installation which was developed by our colleagues Gal Sajko, dr. Marko Jamšek, and prof. dr. Jan Babič from the Laboratory for Neuromechanics and Biorobotics, from the Department of Automation, Biocybernetics, and Robotics at the Jožef Stefan Institute.
Robotic spider as part of the StellaVerde installation (photo: Jan Babič)
By depleting the soil of nutrients, industrial agriculture has an increasingly detrimental impact on the environment, which fails to regenerate at a rate necessary to sustain animal and plant life. Industrial production further affects food quality and interferes with its provision to the point of scarcity and, ultimately, the extinction of individual species. The current situation is a critical challenge for the planet. Neither traditional farming nor industrial agriculture can meet the needs of a growing population, the biotic diversity of a balanced environment and the increasingly growing demand for quality food sources.
The main takeaway from the artistic research into the co-existence of humans, technology and living systems is a critical need for human society to reinvent itself and stop natural resource extractivism. The creative use of various technological sensors in art projects gives us a glimpse of the life-giving potentials of human and non-human beings. Combined with reflections on preserving natural balance, we can develop possible scenarios of non-extractive coexistence. The installation StellaVerde is a micro-situation, a habitat in which plants, with the assistance of moisture sensors, control their watering, growth and harvesting – all executed by a spider robot.
You are kindly invited to visit the exhibition which will take place every day at Cukrarna Ljubljana from March 3rd to April 2nd, 2023, between 10 am and 7 pm.
Video: Simon Gmajner
Production: Youth Centre Velenje, konS Praksa/Challenge Lab
Partner: Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics – Laboratory for Neuromechanics and Biorobotics, Jožef Stefan Institute
Innovation catalyst: Jurij Krpan
Producer: Lea Lipnik
Acknowledgements: Martin Konič, Uroš Mehle, Marsel Osmanagić, Andraž Tarman, Luka Žagar
