Discovered in a lab at Vanderbilt University, white light quantum dots are micro-scaled fluorescent beads of cadmium selenide that convert LED-emitted blue light into a warm white similar to the color temperature of incandescent bulbs. This white color is distinct from that produced by white light LEDs, which simulate white light from a combination of monochromatic colors.

Although there were initial concerns over the low efficiency of quantum dots, researchers have since made the technology much more efficient—up to a 45 percent efficiency. “Forty-five percent is as high as the efficiency of some commercial phosphors which suggests that white-light quantum dots can now be used in some special lighting applications,” says lead Vanderbilt chemist Sandra Rosenthal. “The fact that we have successfully boosted their efficiency by more than 10 times also means that it should be possible to improve their efficiency even further.”

Contact: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.

According to Wake Forest researcher Corey Hewitt, “We waste a lot of energy in the form of heat. For example, recapturing a car’s energy waste could help improve fuel mileage and power the radio, air conditioning or navigation system. Generally thermoelectrics are an underdeveloped technology for harvesting energy, yet there is so much opportunity.”

The first prototypes of Power Felt yielded 140 nanowatts of power from 72 layers of nanofabric, and the researchers are currently attempting to increase the output of the technology.

“I imagine being able to make a jacket with a completely thermoelectric inside liner that gathers warmth from body heat, while the exterior remains cold from the outside temperature,” says Hewitt. “If the Power Felt is efficient enough, you could potentially power an iPod, which would be great for distance runners. It’s definitely within reach.”

Contact: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.

Contact: Traffic Design Gallery, Dubai, UAE.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

The project captures live data about weather such as wind speed and direction, temperature and relative humidity, and other measurable environmental phenomena such as seismic activity, from around the world and translates it through full-color LED lighting embedded within semi-translucent HDPE. The installation communicates this information to museum visitors via custom processing scripts that display the information in illuminated flows of varying color, intensity, and direction which respond to the unique geometry of the wall’s overall form. According to the manufacturer, the assembly is designed to create an inspiring and informative user experience that imparts to its visitors this ethos of 21st century sustainability, seeking to transcend conventional applications of green techniques with something alive and integrated with the environment, connecting people to place through a synthesis of information, material, and architecture.

Contact: SoftRigid, Portland, OR, USA.

Designed by Maggie Orth, IFM’s Fuzzy Light Switches are woven and embroidered touch sensors for dimming lights or controlling electronic devices with the touch of a hand. IFM’s interactive textiles can cover a wall, control the lights in the room, or become part of the furniture.

Contact: International Fashion Machines, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Wingfield intended Digital Dawn to emulate the process of photosynthesis using electroluminescent printing technology. Light-dependent sensors monitor the changing light levels within a space, triggering the growth of the organic foliage on the blind. A natural environment will appear to grow on the window surface, exploring how changing light levels within a space can have profound and physiological impact on our sense of well-being.

Contact: Loop.pH Ltd & Elumin8, London, UK.
Find more information in Transmaterial.

Contact: Studio Roosegaarde, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Papermaking allows for an inclusion process, where a physical object can be permanently embedded in between two individual paper sheets which are then compressed, drained and set to dry. By silk screening and encapsulating electrically active inks, conductive threads, and smart materials in between sheets, it is possible to create an electronic paper “sandwich” that is resilient and inseparable from its embedded object. This process allows for the fabrication of paper speakers, emissive displays, as well as bend-and-touch sensors.

While electronic paper technologies usually overlook the material qualities that are at the core of paper’s versatility, Pulp-Based Computing produces electronic paper composites that can be folded, shredded, recycled, stapled and written on while preserving the electrical reliability and resilience of traditional electronic components.

Contact: Marcelo Coelho/MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

The panels can be used to create stunning media effects on very large building envelopes that are viewable from both inside and outside a building. The photovoltaic system does not need to be in direct sunlight to work, and will generate electricity even on cloudy days. The panels have a power warranty of twenty years and are expected to generate power for fifty years.

SolPix allows daylight into the building while reducing its exposure to direct sunlight. The sunshading elements provide unobstructed outside views from the building interior, while lending a contemporary texture to the building exterior. The horizontal or vertical panels can be mounted at a preferred angle or can be rotated in order to maximize exposure to direct sunlight.

Contact: Simone Giostra and Partners, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Contact: Electro-LuminX Lighting Corporation, Chester, VA, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.