BioLIG: Functionalizing Biocomposites with Laser-induced Graphene for Bio-Rapid Prototyping of Electronics. Published at UIST25

BioLIG introduces a novel hybrid compostable substrate material designed to enable the creation of circuits and sensors that biodegrade within human-observable timescales. Using cellulose-based materials and laser-induced graphene (LIG) fabrication, BioLIG bridges material accessibility with functional electronic properties, creating transient electronics suitable for interaction design.

With a conventional CO2 laser to create highly conductive traces for sensors and circuits. To illustrate the framework, we first contribute five bio-based materials: three sheets (paper-like, fabric-like, plastic-like) and two paints (lignin-ink, chitosan-stain).

BioLIG contributes to a growing discourse on unmaking in HCI, inviting designers to rethink material agency and to envision objects whose lifecycles embrace natural decay as a core design element.

3 ways of decomposing the material