The interweaving of different knowledge cultures is a central approach for the Ars Electronica Labs. Find out how citizens are actively involved in shaping our world, how the human body can be extended by means of technology, how (new) materials are used to innovatively produce things and how the smallest biological structures and processes shape our lives.
BioLab, photo: Ars Electronica / Robert Bauernhansl
MaterialLab, photo: Ars Electronica / Robert Bauernhansl
CitizenLab, photo: Ars Electronica / Birgit Cakir
The idea of the laboratory far removed from everyday life, where scientific results are produced in detachment from the world, is out of date. Instead, the laboratory should be understood in a broader sense as a hub for creativity, technology, society, and science. It is a multifaceted place that allows us to discover and design the world and reach our full potential.
But what is particularly vital for innovative progress in the economic, scientific, or social realms is interdisciplinary cooperation. Today, research is driven by lively exchange among researchers and beyond the scientific field. It is often only when different forms of knowledge interact that we are able to see new possibilities. What would science be, for example, without its instruments? Producing them requires a wide range of technical skills. We will be best equipped to overcome the challenges of our time when our common potential is being developed to the best extent possible.
CitizenLab
At the CitizenLab, we examine the question of what it means to participate as a citizen in our societal context and become active in designing a smart and sustainable way of life.
SecondBodyLab
The SecondBodyLab offers insights into the world of prosthetics, a field that combines craftsmanship, technology, and science, and has a history stretching from ancient Egypt to the cutting-edge prosthetics of today. It also explores technological body extensions such as brain-computer interfaces.
MaterialLab
The MaterialLab is a space for innovative experimentation with all kinds of materials. Who would have thought that an alternative to leather can be produced from pineapple leaves? Visitors can delve into the world of material research and experiment with different production methods.
BioLab
In the BioLab, the focus is on the human organism and the processes of life taking place on the cellular and molecular levels. Current scientific methods allow us not only to observe biological processes and make them visible, but also to intervene in them in many ways.
Artists, Creators, Engineers
Artists, Creators, Engineers – these are artists at the interface of technology and society, who understand the computer as a tool, medium and content at the same time, who combine artistic vision with high technical know-how and who provide important impulses for the design of our modern media society.