Somewhere in the woods outside Manchester, a mushroom is hooked up to electrodes and bionic arms and given a synthesizer. In response to the fungi’s bioelectric signals, the mallet-like arms knock on the synthesizer and create music. 

Bionic and the Wires is an artistic project that blends technology and nature. It was created by Jon Ross, a multi-disciplinary eco-artist, technologist, and environmental thinker, and Andy Kidd, a musician with a background in electronic music. Jon brings the “how” with the technology, and Andy brings the “what” with the sound design. The result is strange, otherworldly music that’s intended to make the viewer think differently about the natural world. 

The inspiration for the project came, Jon says, “from two key areas: the emerging scientific understanding of non-human intelligence (e.g. in fungi and plants), and a desire to experiment with music.” Jon and Andy have made music together for nearly ten years, but things changed when they started running simple bio-sonification experiments by connecting sensors directly to synthesizers. 

“The critical leap came when I had the idea for the bionic arms in 2024,” Jon says, “enabling plants and fungi to play real life instruments.” This allowed these organisms to become active creators rather than simply passive subjects. “By giving plants and fungi ‘hands,’ we challenge the exclusive human claim to artistic creation and invite profound reflection on the unique essence of human consciousness versus the intelligence found throughout nature.”

At its heart, Bionic and the Wires is meant to “foster a deeper connection with the living world.” 

How it works

The music is created through various components, including bio-sensors, bionic arms, electronic instruments, and — of course — the plants and fungi. 

The primary sensor is a biosonification device (MIDI Sprout) from Electricity for Progress, which operates on a galvanometer-style circuit. When clipped onto a leaf or the bell of a mushroom, the sensor detects minute magnetic fluctuations in the plant or fungi’s electrical conductivity, which is impacted by the nutrients and water that make up its physiological state.

In other words, the sensors detect the plant’s “mood” based on its electrical charge. The electrical activity of the plant is then translated into MIDI signals, which are fed into bionic arms custom-engineered by Jon. This allows the plants and fungi to “control” the motion. 

The final piece is the music technology. “We utilize a combination of traditional and electronic musical instruments as the final output devices for the plants' signals,” Jon says. While the rhythm comes from the plants and fungi, Andy’s artistic role is in deciding how to translate the motion with the synthesizers. For routing, they use Ableton Live, a digital sound software.

The intersection of technology and nature

Different plants and mushrooms yield different results, and Jon and Andy have experimented with a wide variety. “Some have a much faster signal response than others,” Jon adds. “We choose the plant/fungi based on what type of music we want to make.”

Bionic and the Wires shares music on YouTube and other social platforms. “Our art serves as a bridge, making complex scientific concepts about bio-electricity and plant cognition accessible and understandable,” Jon says. It’s the intersection of nature and technology that makes it possible. 

Their vision for the future of Bionic and the Wires stems from its original idea: “We hope to continue pushing the boundaries of what it means to be an artist and who gets to create,” Jon says, “with a future goal of solidifying the recognition of plants and fungi as creative entities.”

For more information: 

Bionic and the Wires

Bionic and the Wires on YouTube

Electricity for Progress

Ableton Live

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