Last Wednesday, our group met for the first time to kick off the cybernetics course. We were assigned the kombucha project, which entails the exploration of different usages of kombucha and the design of a system to implement the use of kombucha for regular prototyping for IO and IPO students.

#team2 #kombucha #kickoff

In the very first lesson of the cybernetics course, we came in touch with kombucha. It has a leathery appearance with quite a strong smell of vinegar. The slabs of kombucha are flexible and have a waxy feeling. These slabs are made by drying scoby (a mixture of bacteria and yeast) which is used to make a drink called kombucha.

#kombucha #research #biomaterials

To discover the properties of the kombucha, we experimented on small pieces and observed how these react to several conditions. We tried to heat it up which makes it soft at first but gives it a spongey appearance when heated further. The slabs can be flattened when heated and pressed. The kombucha deteriorates when it comes in touch with water. When pure alcohol is applied to the surface of the kombucha, the top layer gets bleached, but this effect disappears after a while.

#kombucha #biomaterials #experimenting

In the first week, we received a sheet of kombucha leather on which we experimented with water, heat, and alcohol. The remaining part was now used to check if it can be cut and engraved using a laser cutter. The experiment was successful.

#kombucha #experimenting #lasercutting

Last Wednesday, we started cooking some tea according to Jasper’s instructions. The tea is a suitable environment for the scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) to grow in. It must boil first so that it will be sterile but needs to cool down until below 30 °C or the scoby would die.

#kombucha #tea #experimenting

This week, we had an online meeting with Jasper Bloemen from Glimps. Jasper has experience working with kombucha and was eager to teach us the ins and outs of growing kombucha leather. Unfortunately, Jasper could not make it that week, but we have an appointment next Wednesday.

#kombucha #online

On Wednesday, Jasper came over at the IDC to explain the process of growing the scoby and harvesting it to produce the actual kombucha leather. We had the opportunity to ask questions about the process and he gave us some samples to experiment on.

#kombucha #experimenting

On Tuesday, we discovered that the tea we made the week before had grown mold on it. We contacted Jasper as soon as possible because we needed the tea the next day. He recommended making a new batch so that is what we did. We also salvaged one of the former batches to experiment if it would still work.

#kombucha #learning #unexpected

This week we learned about systems thinking so we tried to apply this theory to our project. We made the first version of a loop diagram of what we imagine our system looks like.

#systemsthinking #learing

Today we met up with Hermien, a fellow student who has a lot of experience working with kombucha. She was able to answer some of our questions and gave us some advice

#learning #networking

We learned about archetypes in this week’s lessons. These gave us some new ideas on how to look at a system and made it easier for us to represent our particular system by simplifying it.

#systemsthinking #learning

This week, we decided to make new batches of kombucha to test some parameters which can influence the growth of the scoby. One of these is the use of wastewater resulting from the growth of mycelium as a replacement for tap water to make tea.

#experimenting #kombucha

This week, we started the growth of a new piece of kombucha leather. This time we experimented with the use of teabags which were already used to make some tea for normal consumption.

#experimenting #kombucha

On Wednesday, we attended a lecture on biomaterials in which, among other things, the LCA or life cycle analysis was explained. After the lecture, we laid the first hand on the creation of the LCA for kombucha.

#LCA #biomaterials

We had a conversation with Yannick about the integration of the use of kombucha in the IO course. He seemed quite interested in the topic and said he would be willing to give a lecture to the first years to make them aware of biomaterials

#IO #systemsthinking

This week we harvested the 2 kombucha batches we made in week 3. We were pleasantly surprised by how good the scoby had grown, knowing the batches were moulded. We scraped off the excess of mould and put one on a plate of wood so it would soak up the water.

#unexpected #curious

The strongest and thickest sheet of scoby we left out to dry in a frame we made in wood. As the sheet would probably leak, Yannick suggested we hang it underneath the stairs next to the biolab so it would not bother anyone else. The space was small, so it took us some manoeuvring to place them there.

#kombucha #manoeuvring

We also tried to experiment further with the Kombucha we got from Jasper. We already know that we could use a laser cutter, so we made an easy design for a keychain. This way we can promote Kombucha already between students.

#lasercutting #designing

This week, we finally got the result from our first batches of kombucha leather. We made two setups to dry the sheets: one on a wooden board and the other suspended between a framework. The results showed that the framework gives a better result.

#kombucha #results

To introduce the use of kombucha in the IO and IPO course, we will make a DIY-kit which the students will be able to buy in the IDC. There will be a workshop to encourage the use of the kits and we will introduce a system to monitor the usage of SCOBY.

#systemsthinking

We took the first steps in creating the comparative LCA for kombucha leather. We identified the functional unit and the scope in which we will work. The material, which we will compare kombucha to, will be leather.

#LCA #kombuchaleather

During the Easter break, we worked on the material that is necessary to implement our system. We made a short video that depicts how to make kombucha by yourself step by step. The video will be linked to the site that complements it.

#DIY #systemsthinking

To make our fellow students aware of the DIY-kits that we will sell, posters were made that list the price and content of the kits. The poster has a QR-code which links the student to our site where they can find more information about the material.

#systemsthinking #IDC

The LCA was finalized during the Easter break. The materials that make up kombucha leather weren’t available in CES edupack so we searched and found papers that list the LCA’s of these materials. We compared them to leather and found that leather will only be more sustainable after 40 years of continuous use.

#LCA #sustainability

The SCOBY that we draped over a makeshift mold was finally dry. The material retained the form of the mold but it ripped when we tried to take it off. We shall need to find a way to remove the mold without ripping the material.

#DIY #testing

The complement the system of establishing the use of kombucha, we developed a system to control the work in progress of the SCOBY. When a student uses SCOBY, they take a card. When they bring back the SCOBY, they place the card back in the tray. We will need to control the system itself to see if the students use it.

#testing #systemsthinking

To make our fellow students aware of kombucha, we hung posters around the IDC. The poster mentions our website and our video. It also tells the people about our workshop that we will do every Wednesday afternoon.

#systemsthinking #IDC

We made DIY-kits so that students can learn how to make kombucha from the comfort of their home. The kit contains sugar, vinegar, tea, a container to grow the kombucha and a small bag to collect the SCOBY. The kits will be available for only 2 euros.

#DIY #kombucha

Last Wednesday, we started with handing out DIY-kits at the IDC. We were quite surprised with the amount of interest that was shown. We handed out 4 free kits and 3 for which the students paid 2 euros.

#DIY #kombucha

We started with developing the visual representation of our system using feedback loops. Our representation isn’t based on archetypes. It shows the influence of our system (website, poster, DIY-kit) on the use of kombucha.

#feedbackloops #cybernetics

Now that we are at the end of the semester it’s time to finish everything we were still planning to do but the further observing of our system will continue. Next to creating a system we are now focusing on the final deadlines.

#deadlines #observing #systemoptimalising

Since we are designing systems and feedback loops that are mainly focusing on sustainability, it is important not to be hypocrite when creating our DIY-packages! For packaging the cider vinegar we are reusing used small PET-bottles that are formerly used for conserving drinkable water.

#sustainability #reuse #DIY #kombucha

Last week Wednesday we have created a kind of improved mold to create a flowerpot out of kombucha. Flowerpots that are used to sell flowers are often made out of polyethylene. Replacing these by ecological options could be an important milestone in reducing the global wastestreams. As you can see there is a condom displayed next to the mold, this is because we have used one to prevent that the kombucha flowerpot sticks to the mold.

#flowerpot #eco-options #wastestreams