The DXARTS SoftLab is a studio and an online platform whose mission is to examine the role of workmanship in artistic research, to redefine the use of crafting in the post-digital era, and to explore the body as an interface of control and resistance. It is part of the Department of Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Neural Mesh by Afroditi Psarra

Neural Mesh by Afroditi Psarra

Recently I have been interested in bobbin lace as a means to create intricate textile antenna designs, and have bought myself a kit to start experimenting with, but haven’t really found the time throughout the year to get started with apart from watching tutorials. Thinking about what initially drew me into lace I think it comes down to the the quality of this type of weaving which creates floating stitches. Lace has a very long tradition as a craft and has been depicted by numerous artists throughout the centuries. Also, after Angelika Strohmayer’s talk in the Wearable Narratives DRG I acquired Kassia St. Clair’s book “The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History” and read this beautiful quote by Gabreille Chanel: “I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature… I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin”.

On another hand, I started researching the use of lace in science and technology and stumbled accross the term “Neural Lace” to describe a general purpose biomechanical computer implant. Neural laces have been explored in recent years as ways of connecting directly with the neurological system of the body. Inspired by the article Syringe-injectable mesh electronics integrate seamlessly with minimal chronic immune response in the brain I started to speculate about the differences between macro and micro and how they relate to electronics and textiles (a good reference is Knit Macro-Electronics (2013) by Ebru Kurbak and Irene Posch). The Neural Mesh swatch reflects on this speculation by suggesting a sensor that can act as an external electrod that connects the skin with its underlying biology, by exteriorizing the interior structure of the human body.

Anatomical diversity of neuronal cells: a Purkinje neuron from human b pyramidal neuron (rabbit) c motor neuron (cat) d,e horizontal neuron (cat) f pre-motor interneuron (locust) g visual amacrinal neuron (fly) h multipolar neuron (fly) i visual mon…

Anatomical diversity of neuronal cells: a Purkinje neuron from human b pyramidal neuron (rabbit) c motor neuron (cat) d,e horizontal neuron (cat) f pre-motor interneuron (locust) g visual amacrinal neuron (fly) h multipolar neuron (fly) i visual monopolar neuron (fly) j visual interneuron (locust) k pre-motor interneuron (crayfish) l mechanical sensory neuron (crayfish); The arrows indicate the signal output zone. (from Cajal, Fisher and Boycott, Burrows, Strausfeld, O'Shea, Rowell and Reichert). The illustration has been taken from: H. Reichert; Neurobiologie, page 23.

Extracted from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44230306_Spatiotemporal_calcium-dynamics_in_presynaptic_terminals/figures?lo=1

Using as a reference the above type of neurons, a series of presence/touch/capacitance/resistance sensors were developed. I appropriated the bobbin lace idea of floating stitches to construct digitally embroidered sensors on power mesh, suggesting the possibility of extending this swatch into a mesh that could cover and map the neurological connections of the whole body.

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Materials list: Madeira HC-12 silver-plated nylon thread, power mesh

References:

Kurbak, Ebru, and Irene Posch. “Knit Macro-Electronics (2013).” ebru kurbak, September 25, 2017. https://ebrukurbak.net/knit-macro-electronics/

“Neural Lace.” The Culture Wiki. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://theculture.fandom.com/wiki/Neural_lace#cite_note-SurfaceDetailCh10-1

Newcomb, Rachel. “Review | The Overlooked Innovation Woven throughout Human History.” The Washington Post. WP Company, January 10, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/the-overlooked-innovation-woven-throughout-human-history/2020/01/09/11b9c0fe-f4f4-11e9-ad8b-85e2aa00b5ce_story.html

Clair, St Kassia. The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History. New York: Liveright Publishing Corporation, a Division of W.W. Norton & Company, 2019.

Zhou, Tao, Guosong Hong, Tian-Ming Fu, Xiao Yang, Thomas G. Schuhmann, Robert D. Viveros, and Charles M. Lieber. “Syringe-Injectable Mesh Electronics Integrate Seamlessly with Minimal Chronic Immune Response in the Brain.” PNAS. National Academy of Sciences, June 6, 2017. https://www.pnas.org/content/114/23/5894


Labandera by Esteban Agosin

Labandera by Esteban Agosin