Design’s fundamental task is to help people deal with change
The original Amino is a friendly miniature laboratory that allows users to carry out genetic engineering and enables the subsequent care and feeding of the bacteria that are grown. Inspired by Tamagotchis, the genetic transformation of an organism's DNA is performed by the user through guided interactions, resulting in their own synthetic organism, for which they can care for like you would a pet.
Amino was developed using low-cost ways of carrying out lab-like procedures in the home and is packaged in a suitcase-sized continuous bioreactor for cells.
Design’s fundamental task is to help people deal with change by interpreting technological advancements into understandable objects and experiences. Amino has the potential to help shift public perception of Synthetic Biology and get non-traditional audiences excited about taking part in this field.
Amino was the physical output of Julie’s MIT Media Lab graduate thesis, Amino : a domestic system for synthetic biology and continuous culturing, 2014-15.
A home and school-friendly commercial version of the original Amino is now available at amino.bio