The information curtain: creating digital patterns with dynamic textiles

We are exploring ways to bridge the gap between traditional interior-design materials and digital media. At a time when computers become ubiquitous we think it is important to explore alternative display materials that can be better integrated in the human environment. The information curtain is a seemingly ordinary textile that can change color and pattern dynamically according to some input data. This was achieved by creating a special textile based on fibers that change color according to the amount of ultra-violet (UV) light. A color will appear on the surface when exposed to UV light and then slowly fade away when the light is turned off. By connecting the fabric to a computer-controlled UV light we will be able to use textiles as an output for digital media.