We present physical interfaces that change their appearance through controlled transparency. These transparency-controlled physical interfaces are well suited for applications where communication through optical appearance is sufficient, such as ambient display scenarios. They transition between perceived shapes within milliseconds, require no mechanically moving parts and consume little energy. We build 3D physical interfaces with individually controllable parts by laser cutting and folding a single sheet of transparency-controlled material. We explore the benefits of transparency-controlled physical interfaces by characterizing their design space and showcase four physical prototypes.
Please see our project page for more details.
Our work was featured on Fast Company Co.Design, Vice Motherboard and Futurism.