Disney Research and Carnegie Mellon University scientists found a way to turn ordinary walls into smart, interactive surfaces. At relatively low cost of $20 per square meter, their invention called W++ can detect human touch, gestures, and which appliance is being used.
“Walls are usually the largest surface area in a room, yet we don’t make much use of them other than to separate spaces, and perhaps hold up pictures and shelves,” says Chris Harrison, assistant professor in CMU’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII). “As the Internet of Things and ubiquitous computing become reality, it is tempting to think that walls can become active parts of our living and work environments.”
The team used conductive paint to create a series of electrodes across a wall’s surface, which gave it two distinct capabilities. First, it could act as an electromagnetic sensor to identify and monitor electrical devices and appliances. It could also function as a touch pad that can register human touch.
Since walls aren’t small, they aimed for a low-cost design that was easy to apply with basic skills and simple tools.
“Walls are large, so we knew that whatever technique we invented for smart walls would have to be low cost,” says Yang Zhang, Ph.D. student in the HCII.
To apply the electrodes, the researchers created a cross-hatched pattern with painter’s tape, which was found to be the most effective arrangement. After rolling on two coats of conductive paint, they carefully removed the tape and connected the electrodes. To increase durability and to hide the electrodes, a top coat of standard latex paint was applied.
Watch the video below to witness the smart walls in action.