BioGraphr: Science Games on a Biotic Computer

BioGraphr is a tabletop biotic computing platform that uses roughly one million phototactic Euglena cells in a 3 mm micro-aquarium to generate bioconvection patterns in response to projected light. A tablet camera images these patterns, closing a feedback loop between human players and living organisms. The work argues that such living systems can serve as engaging, low-cost platforms for science games and science education, with the aquarium remaining functional for about four weeks and the apparatus buildable from Lego parts for DIY, museum, and classroom use. Its intellectual basis sits at the intersection of educational game design, informal science learning, microfluidics, amorphous computing, and biotic computing.

The biological system displays non-linear, path-dependent behavior, with patterns forming in roughly 10 to 60 seconds depending on light color and intensity. Characterization shows the response functions as a non-trivial spatial transform: it first reproduces stripe edges and centers, then acts as an edge detector before convection circulates and replaces the static pattern. Two prototype games, a one-player pattern-guessing game and a two-player game, were tested with 43 participants, who rated the system highly (4.7/5, n=10) and developed strategies such as rapid guessing to avoid "burnt-in" patterns and choosing harder-to-recognize patterns for opponents.

Quantitative results indicate that players acquired measurable skill with repeated play, with completion time falling from 38.8 s to 30.3 s and errors from 9 to 2 (p < 0.001). Difficulty could be tuned through biological and hardware parameters such as light intensity and image refresh rate. Players also absorbed incidental biology: 14 of 15 participants (93%) correctly identified that the Euglena eyespot is less sensitive to red than to blue light. Museum and Lego-based dissemination drew strong visitor interest, although visitors did not always recognize that the exhibit was alive, suggesting a gap between engagement and explicit understanding of the living system.