Digital Life of Coffee
Location
Boston
Year
2028
A museum journey where a coffee bean’s path makes the hidden life of data visible.
An interactive exhibition for the Museum of Science, Boston that follows a coffee bean—and its data—from farm to cup.
Using coffee’s global, relatable supply chain, the show reveals how Digital Traceability Systems (DTS) record origin, movement, quality, and certification across continents. As a Living Labs project, it is delivered as a turnkey, research‑led product that blends exhibition design, content development, and implementation—connecting everyday experience to the invisible infrastructures that shape it.
Two journeys unfold in parallel: the bean’s physical route and its digital shadow.
Visitors trace coffee through farms, exporters, roasters, cafés—and simultaneously watch data flow from soil sensors and satellites to farm apps, ledgers, and cloud analytics. Interactive storytelling surfaces questions of governance, ownership, and trust as insights travel far beyond origin—sometimes returning to improve farming decisions. The exhibition doubles as a participatory research platform: prompts and on‑screen feedback capture public perspectives to inform better data‑sharing practices and policy. In line with Living Labs’ model, design is treated as an end‑to‑end product, uniting narrative, technology, and stakeholder engagement.
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