Interactive Wallpaper: The Living Wall Project

The Living Wall Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is aimed at creating electronically enhanced wallpaper that will be able to turn on and control devices.

Magnetic and conductive paint on the surface of the wallpaper combined with touch sensors, LED’s and Bluetooth technology will allow users to touch decorative elements of the wall to turn on lamps, adjust heating or activate a stereo.

New Scientist talks with Leah Buechley, head of the Living Wall Project:

“Our goal is to make technologies that users can build on and change without needing a lot of technical skill,” says Buechley.

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 form 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,” Buechley says.

Having exposed circuitry on your wall might sound dangerous, but Buechley says 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 says.

New Scientist: “Living wallpaper that devices can relate to”