Aivan grows headphones from fungus and yeast
Fungus, yeast-based bioplastic and other materials grown by microbes have been used to make the Korvaa headphones, designed by Finnish studio Aivan in collaboration with scientists. More
-
Kuang-Yi Ku proposes creating hybrid animal organs for use in Chinese medicine
The Tiger Penis Project is a speculative design that proposes using synthetic biology to create organs that can replace the animal products used in traditional Chinese medicine, including parts from endangered species. More
-
Synthetic Polleniser could help depleting bee population
Brisbane-based artist Michael Candy has proposed a method of artificial pollination using 3D-printed robotic flowers, in a bid to help increase the dwindling bee population. More
-
Alexander McQueen's DNA turned into human leather goods by Tina Gorjanc
Graduate shows 2016: Central Saint Martins student Tina Gorjanc has proposed a conceptual range of leather accessories made of skin grown from late fashion designer Alexander McQueen's DNA (+ slideshow). More
-
Lesley-Ann Daly's connected implants let wearers listen to their wellbeing
Graduate shows 2016: this range of conceptual implants designed by Central Saint Martins graduate Lesley-Ann Daly allows wearers to track their health using sound. More
-
Fraser Ross' synthetic organs combine human and animal attributes
Glasgow designer Fraser Ross has created a collection of seven conceptual human organs that would perform extra functions like squirting ink and spinning silk (+ movie). More
-
Synthetic biology is turning into industrial design, says Daisy Ginsberg
Advances in genetic technology mean that creating synthetic animals has become just another branch of industrial design, according to Daisy Ginsberg. More
-
Will Patrick's Farma bioreactor could let owners brew their own drugs
MIT Media Lab graduate Will Patrick has designed a prototype desktop bioreactor that could enable the production of pharmaceutical drugs at home. More
-
Julie Legault's Amino bio-engineering kit creates a bacterial Tamagotchi
Canadian designer Julie Legault has developed a desktop biolab to make synthetic biology more accessible, allowing users to hack DNA at home and monitor the progress of their creations (+ movie). More
-
Yi-Wen Tseng's methane-powered concept car is modelled on a cow's digestive system
London Design Festival 2015: Royal College of Art graduate Yi-Wen Tseng has imagined a car powered by bio-printed organs, using synthetic biology to turn a cow's digestive process into a fuel system. More
-
Mushroom inhalers replace vaccination needles in RCA student proposal
For those scared of injections, Royal College of Art student Celine Park has proposed a new immunisation technique: inhaling vaccines through fungus (+ slideshow). More
-
Bloodflow of beefed-up bovines harnessed for energy in The Cow of Tomorrow project
Graduate shows 2015: tiny turbines installed in the arteries of genetically modified cows provide a solution to future energy production in this fictional scenario by RCA graduate Paul Gong. More
-
Neri Oxman 3D prints "photosynthetic wearable" to host living organisms
Designer and researcher Neri Oxman has successfully 3D-printed one of her "wearable skins" and filled its hollow tubes with a bacterial luminescent liquid to represent how it could host photosynthetic organisms (+ slideshow). More
-
Bistro in Vitro is a virtual restaurant serving the artificial meat dishes of the future
Dutch artist and philosopher Koert Mensvoort has launched a virtual restaurant featuring a menu of conceptual dishes that could be made possible by lab-grown meat – including knitted mince, a cocktail made from meat foam and sausages grown from living pets (+ slideshow). More
-
Lab-grown materials form fashion and furniture for Vivorium lifestyle concept
New York designer Ali Schachtschneider has imagined a future in which biologically grown materials are used to create furniture, garments and tools that would become "extensions of the body". More
-
Growduce "micro-factory" concept would allow users to grow their own products
A biologist and a designer are developing a bacteria and yeast "micro-factory" that could one day enable consumers to grow their own products at home (+ slideshow). More
-
MHOX envisions a future of bioprinted and enhanced human eyes
Italian research studio MHOX has unveiled a concept to allow people to swap their eyes with digital-compatible versions. More
-
Kathryn Fleming proposes engineering animals to thwart extinction
Design Indaba 2015: designer Kathryn Fleming has presented prototypes for new organisms that could be created using synthetic biology, including a cat-dog hybrid with reflective fur and a tightrope-walking herbivore. More
-
Rotten food becomes palatable in human-hyena synthetic biology scenario
Royal College of Art student Paul Gong has imagined how synthetic biology could be used to modify the human body so it can consume and digest rotten food. More
-
Growing products from fungus could be the start of a "biotechnological revolution"
Dezeen and MINI Frontiers: Amsterdam designer Maurizio Montalti explains how biological organisms such as fungi could be harnessed to create new sustainable materials in this movie filmed in Eindhoven. More
