Static electricity-tracing surface
B.lab Italia’s “Metal Series” surfaces contain liquids infused with metal particles that are trapped within resilient a polymer shell. The result is an interactive floor tile or horizontal surface that responds to pressure as well as electric charge. Building occupants’ footsteps are temporarily recorded by the movement of fluids, and a high-level static charge will actually allow a prolonged “drawing” within the surface.
According to designers Gianfranco Barban and Gregg Brodarick, B-Surfaces Metal Surfaces are intended to transform movement into memory, appropriating the floor as a tool for creative expression. The liquids contained within B-Surfaces are non-toxic, and tiles should be laid on smooth horizontal surfaces for best effect.
Contact: B.lab Italia, Gallarate, Italy.
For more information, see Transmaterial 3: A Catalog of Materials that Redefine our Physical Environment
