Scientists at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed a system that turns spray-painted art into interactive graphics. Dubbed SprayableTech, the novel design uses sensors and displays to, say, control a TV via a sofa armrest or adjust lights and temperature through the walls.
As MIT News reports, researchers desire digital user interfaces that seamlessly integrate with physical objects and simply become a part of them. However, until now design and size constraints have prevented that dream from becoming a reality.
Want to paint a bright yellow sun on your wall to control ambient light in the room? Simply use a 3D editor to design and customize the symbol, choose between a fabricated stencil cut from cardboard or a projected stencil, then channel your inner Picasso and start painting. Attach a microcontroller and voila—your smart home just got even smarter.
The CSAIL team tested their system on various items, including a musical interface on a concrete pillar (pictured above) and a street post with a touchable display that provides audible information on subway stations and local attractions.
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"Since SprayableTech is so flexible in its application, you can imagine using this type of system beyond walls and surfaces to power larger-scale entities like interactive smart cities and interactive architecture in public places," according to Michael Wessely, lead author on a new paper about the technology. "We view this as a tool that will allow humans to interact with and use their environment in newfound ways."
Cutouts are currently created in advance using a digital editor, limiting the opportunity for what CSAIL called "spontaneous exploration." Moving forward, the team wants to explore "modular" stencils for creating different-sized buttons, as well as adjustable, shape-changing patterns.
"In the future, we aim to collaborate with graffiti artists and architects to explore the future potential for large-scale user interfaces in enabling the internet of things for smart cities and interactive homes," Wessely said.
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