Mimosa Mechanica

Mimosa Mechanica is an interactive computational-robotic artwork inspired by Mimosa pudica, translating viewer interactions into real-time digital adaptive folding responses, later physically materialized via robotic calligraphy, bridging virtual dynamism with tactile artistry.

Artwork Description/
Mimosa Mechanica is an interactive computational–robotic installation that translates viewers’ touch into a generative graphical system, simulating flower-like forms and adaptive leaf-folding behaviors. These emergent digital patterns are then physically materialized through robotic calligraphy, transforming virtual dynamism into tactile artistry.

The work draws inspiration from the artist’s childhood fascination with the sensitive movements of the Mimosa pudica plant. It digitally reinterprets the plant’s responsive behavior, reacting delicately to human interaction. Unlike contemporary technologies that often demand and deplete attention, this installation invites a slower, contemplative mode of engagement—encouraging viewers to observe, pause, and wait for the virtual plant’s gentle unfolding.

The adaptive motions evoke biological intelligence and emergent dynamics, while the robotic calligraphy captures these fleeting digital interactions as crafted ink traces. Each drawing records a sequence of transformations—much like a stop-motion depiction of movement—preserving ephemeral gestures as still images. Through this process, Mimosa Mechanica extends the act of writing into a robotic and algorithmic performance, where each stroke becomes a translation of computation into embodied motion. It explores how technology can cultivate a new form of digital sensibility—where mechanical precision, generative aesthetics, and human touch converge within a contemporary reinterpretation of calligraphic art, resonating with the evolving dialogue between tradition, automation, and expressive form.

Technical Description/
The graphical generation system is built upon a real-time generative algorithm developed in Processing, which constructs a bifurcating fractal branching system defined by nodes/joints and connectors. Each node—also functioning as a joint—operates as an autonomous computational unit carrying its own local state information, capable of individually adjusting its orientation and angular configuration. Each connector, positioned between parent and child nodes, defines the spatial articulation of their connection, characterized by geometric structures derived from angular relationships and symmetry. This joint–connector architecture enables the system to perform recursive geometric growth, repeatedly applying angular and symmetrical parameters to generate complex, multi-layered floral morphologies.

Building upon this joint–connector architecture, the branching model incorporates a fractal binary tree structure in which each node—also functioning as a joint—possesses the capacity for local communication through an embedded cellular automata grid mechanism. Within this framework, nodes exchange state information with neighboring elements, enabling distributed coordination and adaptive response throughout the branching system. When touched on the interactive interface, local perturbations propagate through the branching network, inducing folding and reopening behaviors that emulate the sensitive response of Mimosa pudica. At a systemic level, the adjustable parameters not only regulate responsiveness and folding kinetics, but also interact with the underlying recursive grammar, producing morphological variations that resemble organic growth. Through this coupling between recursive structure and interactive dynamics, the system demonstrates a form of biomimetic aesthetics—where computational growth and sensory adaptation converge in a dynamic visual expression.

The dynamic visuals generated from audience interaction data are recorded as vector-based graphic structures and subsequently converted into robotic drawing trajectories through a workflow combining Rhino/Grasshopper and the self-developed TACO KUKA plug-in. Within this translation process, each stroke’s characteristics—such as the entry angle of the robotic ink pen, the applied drawing pressure, and the lifting direction at the end of a line—are algorithmically assigned as part of an interpretive mapping procedure. The system also defines a temporal sequencebased on the data structure of the generated lines, ensuring that each motion follows an ordered progression that reflects the original interactive dynamics. Through the predefined robotic workflow, these data-driven parameters are automatically translated into executable motion commands for the robotic arm, transforming algorithmic and interactive data into a tangible form of physical mark-making. This process establishes a correspondence between digital branching geometry and the material expression of brush and ink, extending the computational system into a performative act of robotic calligraphy that captures the ephemerality of human–machine interaction.

Artist/Director: Scottie Chih-Chieh Huang
with Collaborators/
Shih-Yuan Wang (Core Robotic Tech Developer)
and NTHU BioLogicDesign Team Members: Deng-Feng Jiang, Jie-Ke Pan

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創作概述 /
《機械含羞草》是一件互動式數位與機械整合藝術裝置，靈感源自童年時觀察含羞草敏感反應的純粹美好經驗。作品透過數位模擬含羞草的調適性行為，以觸控介面即時回應觀眾。在現代科技與媒體普遍傾向掠奪並耗損人們注意力的背景下，此作品特別設計成一個安靜、平和的互動體驗空間，鼓勵觀眾放慢節奏，細膩地觀察與等待虛擬植物重新展開的過程。觀眾輕觸螢幕所觸發的枝條收縮反應，呈現出生物學上的複雜性與突現動態之美。這些短暫數位互動隨後經由機械手臂轉譯成細緻精巧的水墨書法繪畫，如同杜象在《下樓梯的女人》中對動態的視覺探索，作品將動態序列以靜態方式捕捉並呈現，成為人與虛擬生命體間共同經驗的具體紀錄，引發觀眾對數位時代中注意力、科技與記憶的深刻反思。

技術內容 /
本圖形生成系統（graphical generation system）建立於以 Processing 開發的即時生成演算法（real-time generative algorithm）之上，用以構築由節點／關節（nodes / joints）與連接件（connectors）所定義的分岔狀分形樹系統（bifurcating fractal branching system）每個節點（同時亦為關節 joint）作為具獨立狀態資訊（local state information）的運算單元（computational unit）運作，能個別調整其方向與角度構形。每個連接件（connector）位於父節點與子節點之間，負責定義其空間銜接形式（spatial articulation），其幾何特徵由角度關係（angular relationships）與對稱性（symmetry）所構成此一關節—連接件架構（joint–connector architecture）使系統得以進行遞迴幾何成長（recursive geometric growth），並透過角度與對稱參數的重複套用，生成複雜且多層次的花狀形態（floral morphologies）。

基於此關節—連接件架構（joint–connector architecture），系統的分枝模型（branching model）進一步結合分形二元樹結構（fractal binary tree structure），其中每個節點（同時亦為關節 joint）具備透過內嵌的細胞自動機網格機制（cellular automata grid mechanism）進行局部通訊（local communication）的能力在此框架下，各節點得以與相鄰元素交換狀態資訊（state information），實現分散式協調（distributed coordination）與適應性回應（adaptive response）。當觀眾於互動介面（interactive interface）上觸碰時，局部擾動（local perturbations）沿著分枝網絡傳遞，引發枝條的摺疊與再展開動態，以模擬含羞草（Mimosa pudica）的感應性反應在系統層面上，可調參數（adjustable parameters）不僅能控制反應敏銳度（responsiveness）與摺疊動力學（folding kinetics），亦能與底層的遞迴文法（recursive grammar）互相作用，生成具生長性（organic growth）的形態變化（morphological variations）。
透過遞迴結構與互動動態之間的耦合關係（coupling），系統展現出一種仿生美學（biomimetic aesthetics）——使計算式生長（computational growth）與感知式回應（sensory adaptation）在動態視覺表現中交融。

由觀眾互動資料（audience interaction data）所生成的動態影像，會以向量結構（vector-based graphic structures）形式記錄，並透過 Rhino/Grasshopper 與自製的 TACO KUKA 外掛（self-developed TACO KUKA plug-in）轉換為機械繪圖軌跡（robotic drawing trajectories）。在此轉譯過程中，每一筆畫的特徵——包含機械臂墨筆的切入角度（entry angle）、描繪時的力道（drawing pressure）、以及結束筆畫時的提筆方向（lifting direction）——皆以演算法映射程序（interpretive mapping procedure）自動生成系統同時根據線條的資料結構，建立時間序列（temporal sequence），以確保每一筆動作依序進行，反映原始互動的動態節奏。透過預設的機械臂繪圖流程（robotic workflow），這些資料驅動的參數自動轉譯為可執行的運動指令（motion commands），將演算法與互動資料轉化為具體的物理筆觸（physical mark-making）此過程在數位分枝幾何（digital branching geometry）與筆墨表現（material expression of brush and ink）之間建立對應關係，將計算系統延伸為一種表演性書寫行為（performative act），呈現出機械書法（robotic calligraphy）的創作過程，並以具象形式捕捉人機互動的瞬態詩性（ephemerality of human–machine interaction）。