Bio-Plastic Beats: Building Living Musical Interfaces
In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore the intersection of biology, material experimentation, and sound by creating bio-plastics that function as musical interfaces. Students will learn how to make simple bio-plastic materials from accessible, all-natural and biodegradable ingredients and transform them into touch-sensitive instruments that trigger sound.
Using basic electronics and custom sensors, participants will build a bio-sensor “drum kit”—a playable system where tapping, pressing, or holding bio-plastic surfaces generates rhythm and music. Along the way, we’ll introduce foundational concepts in physical computing, and translating data into music, showing how soft, organic materials can be used as expressive technological tools.
The workshop invites participants to rethink what instruments can be made of, asking how materials sourced from the natural world can become interfaces for creativity and connection. No prior experience with electronics or music is required — just curiosity and a willingness to experiment. By the end of the session, participants will create a collaborative live beatmaking performance.
About your Instructors:
Olivia Cueva is a bio material designer and technologist. Her work has been exhibited globally, including the Future Fabrics Expo in London and in WGSN's Consumer Tech Materials Forecast for 2026. She is the co-founder of Oakland Style Lab, a community-driven fashion education program and event space that empowers the East Bay community through accessible, sustainable fashion and sneaker-making education, while demystifying the design and production process.
You can see more of her work at https://www.oliviacueva.co/ and follow her on instagram: @olivia__cueva
Scott (Seamus) Kildall creates artwork that transforms hidden data from the natural environment, such as water quality, air quality and plant data into sculptural sound installations. He uses custom electronics to create generative, data-driven experiences with uncertain outcomes. He is the founder of BioSymphonic, which focused on creating music from biological systems using sensors. His artwork is at: https://kildall.com/. You can follow him here: on Instagram, on Tik Tok and on YouTube.