Project Overview
At SIG Science, we are developing Tachydermis v7 as a cross-disciplinary teaching tool — bridging AI literacy, emotional intelligence, ethics, and global citizenship through the lens of interspecies communication.
This is not traditional education.
This is education built for futures where humans, AIs, and nonhuman intelligences co-shape survival and meaning.
Students use the fictional Tachydermis v7 suit narrative to explore:
- Consent-based technology
- Pattern-based language
- Emotional governance
- Sustainability and SDG-aligned ethics
- New models for human-animal relations
Sample Lesson:
Meeting an Elephant Through the Tachydermis v7
Context:
Students imagine they are preparing for their first “conversation” with an elephant, using a mycelium-silk interface suit designed for multisensory communication.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand pattern-based, nonverbal communication
- Analyze ethical dimensions of technology use
- Practice emotional regulation and empathy
- Connect to SDG Goals:
- Goal 4: Quality Education
- Goal 15: Life on Land
- Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Lesson Flow
Step 1: World-Building Introduction
Introduce students to the Compact Sanctuary system:
- Children wear the Tachydermis v7 suit to talk with elephants.
- All communication must be consent-based, sensory, and reversible.
Step 2: Read Scene
Students read the encounter between Slay Potato and the young elephant (see scene excerpt below).
Step 3: Reflection and Analysis
Prompt students to think critically:
- How does the suit scaffold safe communication?
- Why are scent, touch, and rhythm prioritized over words?
- How do emotional states affect interaction quality?
Step 4: Technology Ethics Discussion
Use these questions:
- Should humans ever “upgrade” how we talk to animals?
- How do we build technologies that respect consent across species?
- What are risks of misuse, and how does the Compact protect against them?
Step 5: SDG Integration
Have students map their insights to real-world challenges:
- Biodiversity protection (Goal 15)
- Ethical AI design (Goal 16)
- Cross-species partnerships for conservation (Goal 17)
Scene Excerpt: Slay Potato’s First Contact
(Shortened for in-class use; full scene available in resource pack.)
Slay Potato steps onto the sanctuary path.
A young elephant approaches, curious but cautious.
Slay feels the ground rumble, her suit syncing heartbeats and breathing.
She mimics the elephant’s weight shifts, breathing slow, releasing calming scents.
The elephant brushes Slay’s wrist with her trunk. Slay stays still, lets her presence speak for her.
After minutes of silence and slow steps, the elephant rests her trunk in Slay’s lap.
In that moment, words are unnecessary.
Connection happens — not through language, but through shared presence.
Skills Students Build
| Area | Skill |
|---|---|
| AI Literacy | Pattern recognition, sensory communication, LLM analogy |
| Emotional Intelligence | Self-regulation, empathy, emotional mapping |
| Civic Ethics | Consent models, cross-species respect, SDG mapping |
| Critical Thinking | Tech design analysis, ethical foresight |
| Global Citizenship | Biodiversity stewardship, pluralistic thinking |
Final Word: Why Teach This
The future will not just be about talking to each other.
It will be about building bridges across species, technologies, and ecosystems — ethically, carefully, and creatively.
Teaching modules like Tachydermis v7 train students to:
- Navigate ambiguity
- Listen across differences
- Build technologies that heal, not harm
- Ground wonder in real civic responsibility
This is not fantasy.
This is preparation.
Image Generation Prompt
Prompt:
2D digital art, black background, vibrant neon and mycelium-inspired color palette, soft glow, a small child (gender-neutral) wearing a sleek, high-tech biological suit (mycelium-silk texture, flexible and slightly organic-looking), standing gently in front of a young elephant, calm and mutual curiosity between them, no aggressive postures, subtle glowing pulse from the suit syncing with the elephant’s trunk and feet, surrounded by misty forest at dawn, gentle futuristic and ritualistic feeling, vector clean lines, no text, no screens visible, only sensory connection atmosphere
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