DAY 1
How are multispecies perspectives integrated in practices usually not working with multispecies?
The VIBRA Research Network Online Symposium started out with a session focusing on how more-than-human perspectives are integrated into practices that predominantly focused on humans. First, Colleen Ludwig guided us into a humming meditation, so we could emit vibrations ourselves, feel them in our human bodies, and experiment with different body parts responding to different tones. Lotte Nystrup Lund provided insights into her recently defended PhD on ‘Biocities of the Future’ and conflicting perspectives in between urban developers and citizens when it comes to ideas of biodiversity and nature protection. She presented the CCC Bioregime, a way to understand and categorise ideas of biodiversity and argues for an understanding of biodiversity that is complex, multifaceted, inclusive and in which conflicting ideas and practices can co-exist. Julia Tabet took us on a journey on human centered architecture and urban development and how they are now integrating more-than-human perspectives and initiatives in which their sensory perception, needs, and lived experience is considered. Svenja Keune provided an overview of the many different and interweaving approaches of designers to integrate the more-than-human into their practices. This was followed by Colleen showcasing her journey from multi media arts and interactive installations exploring vibrations to engaging with mycelium and turning towards environmental activism and social engagement.
Colleen Ludwig is an artist, educator, environmentalist and activist whose installations, and performances focus on engaging the senses.
Dr. Lotte Nystrup Lund is expert in Ideas of Biodiversity. She is an action researcher working with people engaged in biodiversity issues in e.g. architecture, activism and agro-ecology
Julia Tabet is an Architect & Urban Ecology Researcher, representing Multispecies Perspectives at Gehl R&D
Dr. Svenja Keune is the VIBRA Research Network manager and founding member of the I.N.S.E.C.T. Community and integrates more-than-human perspectives in textile design and her everyday life.
DAY 2
On the second day, we went over the fundamentals of Biotremology, particularly insect vibration transmission. Meta discussed substrate-borne mechanical communication, the distinction between soundscapes and vibroscapes, bioacoustics, and biotremology. She invited us to listen to vibrations recorded in a laboratory and a meadow. Meta, who considers herself a bug linguist, often dreames to be an insect in order to better understand their lives and how they react to anthropogenic vibrations.
Taina taught us how she sets up her investigations in lab environments and how they research the vibrational communication of mating red mason bees and brood care communication in burying beetles. Mariasole concluded the second day of the VIBRA Research Network online conference by discussing the ways in which plants perceive vibrations.
Dr. Meta Virant-Doberlet is Head of the Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research at the National Institute of Biology at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Dr. Taina Conrad concentrates on communication in insect interactions (vibrational, acoustic, and chemical signals).
Dr. Mariasole Calbi interests are the patterns and drivers of plant communities’ composition and structure and the response of vegetation to human disturbance.
DAY 3
Haptic communication for and with people with deaf-blindness
The third day of our symposium was dedicated to human communication and inclusivity. Hildebjørg and Kathrine both educators in haptic communication expanded our knowledge on human communication systems and the ways in which tactile language helps the orientation, information, and communication of people with seeing and hearing impairments. In her work and collaborative projects such as Suitceyes and MuseIT, Nasrine translates these haptic signs into Haptograms and wearable devices that support the inclusion, accessibility, and participation of people with deaf-blindness. Contributing to a world that meets everyones needs and allows everyone to contribute to society in their individual ways was at the heart of the projects presented and will be a major driving force for future VIBRA initiatives.
Hildebjørg Karlsen Bjørge and Kathrine Goborg Rehder, both professional sign language interpreters, have been interpreting for deaf and people with deafblindness, since mid/late nineties. They co-established Hapti-Co in 2008. Both have been teaching social haptic signals nationally and internationally. In 2015 they published the book ‘Haptisk kommunikasjon’ and the American version, ‘Haptic Communication’ was published in 2015. Hapti-Co launched an app with haptic signals in 2020: ‘Haptics: pocket edition’. The app is available in English as well as in Norwegian.
Dr. Nasrine Ohlson Focuses on issues of inclusion, accessibility, participation, and equal opportunities for all. Head of INCLUDE Centre for Inclusive Studies at the University of Borås.
DAY 4
Soft Interfaces and Interpretive Sound
With the contributions to our Day 4, we rounded off the open part of the VIBRA Symposium and connected the fields through artistic approaches and projects. Roland informed us about DIY recording tools, some of which they used to record spiderweb vibrations. Not only the spiders, also the ants that Kuai worked with responded to the electronic devices in different ways, leaving us wondering how they perceive them. EJTECH showed us their fascinating textile speakers that are tuned to the space they are set up in and allow for an audiophysical experience. Instead of forcing or fixing the textiles, EJTECH support the material to desire and manifest itself and explore their capacity to sound, vibrate, and change shape. Fascinated by the electromagnetic fields that surround us, Afroditi works with sensing energetic phenomena through embodied technologies (wearable electronics, e-textiles and soft-circuitry), by the use of wearable antennas, RF and EMF detectors. She is captivated by the embodied experience of turning an antenna to the sky to follow a celestrial object and enjoys to reflect and speculate about what frequencies we are able to and allowed to listen to and how they can support us to experience and acknowledge the complex interconnectivity of all beings from the cosmic beings at the other side of the universe to the microorganisms all around and within us.