Sinfonía Biótica is an interspecies creative ecosystem: an immersive virtual reality experience in which humans and plants co-create a unique audiovisual piece. Each digitised organism — emblematic trees from Spain and Portugal — acts as an instrument in this symphony. Their electrical impulses, recorded over hours, become melodies, rhythms and sonic textures; the movement and voice of the participant shape the landscape in real time. The result is an unrepeatable work that depends on the bioelectrical activity of each plant, the time of day, and the intensity of the gestures of the person wearing the headset.
The boundary between spectator and creator dissolves. Participants do not watch a pre-defined scene, but co-create with digitised encinas, ash trees, laurisilva forests and sequoias. These species — the solitary encina in the Salamancan dehesa, the fresna of Sancti-Spíritus, the laurisilva of Fanal (Madeira) and the giant sequoias of Buçaco — have been captured with gaussian splatting, producing photorealistic point clouds that preserve the atmosphere and morphology of the original spaces. Their virtual forms change in real time according to previously recorded data and user actions.
The project aims to deconstruct anthropocentric ideas by revealing the complexity of other living beings and to deepen sensitivity towards nature, emphasising the importance of non-human organisms such as trees and fungi. To capture the «voice» of plants, the project uses biodata devices: open-source hardware based on Arduino ESP-32 that amplifies electrical signals in the microvolt range and converts them into MIDI data. The biodata, originally developed by Sam Cusumano and adapted by the Sinfonía Biótica team, can be built from public documentation so that anyone can construct their own sensor and contribute to the network of monitored trees. During 2024, more than thirty specimens were recorded in different locations.
The experience is structured as a symphony in four movements. In Awakening, the solitary encina of the Salamancan dehesa acts as a guide, teaching the user to listen to its electrical pulses translated into sound. In Exploration, the laurisilva forest of Fanal (Madeira), UNESCO World Heritage, gives the participant the ability to create music through movement. In Elevation, the giant sequoia of Mata Nacional do Buçaco allows the user to fly along the trunk and modify the tree’s sound. In Synthesis, a flight over dehesas, pine forests and Atlantic woods brings all voices together in a shared vegetal polyphony. Each movement introduces new mechanics and deepens the relationship between the human and the vegetal.
The biodata has been extended with temperature, humidity, calibrated light, ultraviolet light and air quality sensors, in collaboration with the School of Forestry at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Raw data (standard deviation, mean, maximum, minimum, threshold) are stored at the highest resolution the sensors allow. The project includes an open data platform (db.sinfoniabiotica.xyz) with a map of records, environmental and electrical data, and an API for other creators, artists and scientists. The Centinels of the Forest are interactive devices that connect to specific trees and translate their bioelectrical activity into light and sound, available as DIY kits or pre-assembled units.
Core values: open hardware and software, public documentation, 50% of profits allocated to the planting and care of the MolinoLab forest (recovering degraded land), and openness as a strategy for long-term continuity.
Milestones
- Biophony residency (Culture Moves Europe): Second quarter 2024 — Coordinated and technically mentored “Biophony: dancing nature” with nine artists from across Europe, using Sinfonía Biótica biodata devices to capture electrical impulses from plants and fungi.
- Ars Electronica Festival 2024: September 2024 — Presented several pieces alongside Biophony at one of the world’s leading art and technology festivals (Linz, Austria).
- BIME 2024: October 2024 — Exhibited an interspecies interactive installation at the international music industry meeting in Bilbao (with Célula Culture Lab and Mondo Sonoro).
- RTVE 2 — Culturas2: Coverage on RTVE and YouTube clips.
- RTVE 2 — La Aventura del Saber: 15-minute feature, broadcast 8 January 2025.
- Castilla y León Televisión: Report filmed October 2024, broadcast early 2025.
- CarneCruda: Feature on plants, April 2025.
- DmadridNoticias / DandalucíaNoticias: Cultural coverage of the VR experience.
- #BitsToKnow (Mondo Sonoro): October 2024 — Performed and presented live coding.
- Cineteca Matadero: Work presented using point clouds and plant electrical impulses.
- Ars Electronica 2025: Presented Sinfonía Biótica in the Europe Creative circles; featured in MOSAIC UOC article.
- PIF Camp (Slovenia): Project presentation.
- ACTS network (Madrid): Presentation at the Arte, Ciencia, Tecnología y Sociedad meeting.
- in.jer.to festival (Torre del Mar): Participation.
- InteractivasFest 2025: Workshops.
- Ars Sonora, U-TAD (24 June): Guest talk.
- Publication: Experience in early access on Itch.io and in process on Steam.
