Mobilephone Interactive Wallpaper

Not-so-white-walls is the thesis design project by Dario Buzzini from the Insteraction design institute.

Idea/problem/context The age of switches, knobs and remote controls in the home is nearly over. New, inviting, responsive interactions with our homes are possible; one way to add them in a fun way without being unduly invasive is to embed them into wallpaper, which now becomes not only decorative but engaging and useful. While this project tested interactive wallpaper for home use, there are clear implications for what might be possible in the public realm.

What it is Here, the surface and patterns of what appears to be ordinary wallpaper are actually interfaces that act as switches or displays. The physical interaction allows the home dweller to dim lights, turn on or off home appliances, or see messages and images displayed on the wall. You can read your email on the wall, for example, or view pictures taken with your mobile phone camera. Exploiting the conductive properties of graphite, you can pencil in the controls for your household appliances and erase them to turn them off. Another version of the wallpaper acts as a barometer, changing colour according to the level of humidity detected in the atmosphere.

How it works Though it can be applied to walls in the same manner as conventional wallpaper, the back of this interactive wallpaper is covered with a grid of sensors, conductive materials and resistors. These elements allow the person at home to interact with the wallpaper by touch, caress or, in some cases, by just by observing the reactive qualities embedded in the wall.

Value/Potential Imagine wall coverings we've traditionally used to decorate rooms inside our house-but with a world of difference. Imagine that you can interact with this surface in a way that makes the relationship with your house more sensual and engaging. Imagine interactive behaviours of wallpaper that not only give us access to control, communication and comfort, but also decorate our home interiors in ways that are completely novel, always changing. And beyond the home, there are countless possibilities for using interactive walls in public buildings and shared spaces.

From we-make-money-not-art.com