Taking cues from soft robotics and the natural world, conceptual artist Anicka Yi builds lighter-than-air machines that roam and react like autonomous life forms. Her floating "aerobes" inspire us to think about new ways of living with machines -- and to ponder how they could evolve into living creatures. "What if our machines could be more than just our tools, and instead, a new type of companion species?" she asks.

Anicka Yi: Intelligent floating machines inspired by nature

Intelligent floating machines inspired by nature

Exploring the symbiosis between technology and biology, aerobes inspire reimagining machines as living companions, not mere tools.

Aerobes, with unique personalities and behaviors, challenge our perception of machines, fostering a future of coexistence.

Imagining a world where machines embody biological wisdom, focusing on coexistence and compassion in technological evolution.