'Living wallpaper' can activate lamps, control music systems just by a touch!
29 Oct 2009, 1225 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

London, Oct 29 It's time to say goodbye to switchboards, for now you just have to touch a flower on your wallpaper to activate lamps and heaters - and even control music systems.

The Living Wall project, led by Leah Buechley at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab, uses magnetic and conductive paints to create circuitry in attractive designs to make your walls as interactive as possible.

When combined with cheap temperature, brightness and touch sensors, LEDs and Bluetooth, the wall becomes a control surface able to "talk" to nearby devices.

In fact, one can touch a flower to turn on a lamp, for example, or set heaters to fire up when the room gets cold.

"Our goal is to make technologies that users can build on and change without needing a lot of technical skill," New Scientist quoted Buechley as saying.

To create the wallpaper, the team started with steel foil sandwiched between layers of paper that are coated with magnetic paint - acrylic paint infused with iron particles.

Over this base they paint motifs such as flowers and vines using conductive paint, which uses copper particles rather than iron.

The designs make up circuits to which sensors, lights and other elements can be attached.

"It really is just a sheet of paper, and could be produced with existing printing and construction methods," said Buechley.

But using exposed circuitry on your wall is not at all risky, says Buechley, explaining that the system runs at 20 volts, drawing around 2.5 amps when fully loaded with devices.

"You can go up and touch the wall and not even feel a tingle," she said. (ANI)

Related Latest

Flax and yellow flowers can produce bioethanol Referee's blunder can cost Man U Premier League title: Ferguson Particles from car brakes can harm your lungs Radiation therapy can boost longevity in rare pancreatic cancer patients Visually impaired family forms orchestra group to earn living in Orissa Rs.9.2 bn to promote Indian systems of medicine Laser therapy can worsen skin cancer Bottling up negativity can lead to ill health Maternal depression can worsen asthma in kids Rajya Sabha adjourned twice over sugarcane prices

Related Latest

US to give crucial information on Headley-Rana accomplice's 26/11 role to India Restoration of Mughal road in J-K heads towards completion China wants a Chinese version of Tibetan Buddhism, says Dalai Lama Cultural heritage of Manipur showcased in Sikkim Green Park stadium's scoreboard, the only manually operated scoreboard in India Dalai Lama hopes PM will discuss Tibet issue with the U.S. leadership 3 injured in fire at Jodhpur's handloom showroom White House prepares for first state visit by Manmohan Singh Bamboo fencing on Nainital's hillside roads to prevent mishaps Indian Navy vessel on solo circumnavigation of world reaches New Zealand

• US to give crucial information on Headley-Rana accomplice's 26/11 role to India
• Restoration of Mughal road in J-K heads towards completion
• Cultural heritage of Manipur showcased in Sikkim
• Green Park stadium's scoreboard, the only manually operated scoreboard in India
• White House prepares for first state visit by Manmohan Singh

• भारतीय क्रिकेट की मजबूत दीवार
• कंगारूओं के आगे ढेर, चीतों से कैसे मुकाबला करेंगें शेर
• Reducing greenhouse gases may not be enough to slow global warming
• बीकानेर महापौर चुनावः एक विश्लेषण
• Deepawali: The Festival Of Lights