Cryptographic Beings is a Bio-Hybrid machine manipulating photosynthetic organisms through rules implemented in soft and hardware. It showcases a newly developed technology for information storage that leverages the ability of algae to perceive light. This robotic installation consists of 30 vegetal bits in the shape of glass vessels containing living organisms. Using a pair of motorized arms, the machine can expose each of the algae to light, encoding binary information in their state. Can humans design tools that are not only bio-inspired but made of, with and for living organisms?

Michael Sedbon runs an independent design studio that explores the cultural relationship between digital technology and biological techno sciences. To do so, he design and build bio-hybrid computers manipulating living organisms through rules embedded in software, hardware and wetware (logical systems embedded within cells in the form of genetic and chemical programs).