Response to Laura Tripaldi’s ‘Softness: An Ecological Paradigm for Embodied Technological Intelligence’

In response to Laura Tripaldi’s compelling introduction of ‘softness’ as a framework for next-generation technologies, I respond by drawing on my experience in ‘soft’ technology innovation to expand on key observations, especially regarding biofilm design and engineering – a form of ‘soft’ technology. I comment on a range of points to extend the conversation on this important topic by considering the kind of work a ‘soft’ technology is designed to perform, the contribution of softness arising from the permeation of flexible structures by vital media like air and water, delegating the engineering of soft technologies at the molecular scale to non-human agents, while creating optimised environment for them to perform their work, expanding our communication systems to engage non-human agents, engaging the possibilities of technodiversity and tackling the instinctive resistance to softness in technological systems, which may challenge widespread acceptance. I summarise that in the near future, soft technologies will transform our interaction with the material world, promoting planetary-scale enlivening, where our key role is to negotiate with these agentised makers using innovative communication systems. Once integrated, soft technologies will form dynamic, self-repairing structures, improving our environments. Tripaldi’s contribution to this transition is crucial as we develop the necessary frameworks and toolsets for large-scale applications.