Deepwood by Mechanimal explores how plant biosensors, machine learning and immersive audio can take us closer to the hidden world of activity inside trees.
Deepwood places plant biosensors on a tree, recording multiple live data streams (e.g. sap flow, electrical activity, soil moisture). Synthesising these, Deepwood then sonifies this data into hovering sound spheres around the tree. Deepwood’s platform facilitates an experience whereby the tree is ‘orchestrating’ the sounds that we hear. Mapping this sound through spatial audio, listeners (with headphones) move within an imaginative, emotive 3D audio world. Deepwood offers a new symphonic, meditative, deep-listening encounter with a tree, based on real-time data.
Deepwood is currently in development, for future presentation across multiple contexts – festivals, museums, galleries, installations and outdoor spaces. A first-stage prototype is being developed for Spring 2025.