On Sunday 19 and Monday 20, students of the Interactive Telecommunications Program (Tisch School of the Arts in New York) will present their work at the Winter Show.

I spotted Teresa Almeida’s Hot Spot Poof that inflates or deflates on the basis of the WiFi network signal strength|ratio. On the poof, a WiFi detector connected to a PIC microcontroller triggers an air pump while communicating with the WLAN to inflate and deflate the shape.

If the signal is strong the form will be inflated and turn into a comfortable seat for those using their laptop in public space. If the WiFi network is down or the signal is weak the form will deflate and seating won’t be available (and wireless enabled devices usage limited.)

See also Spoke’n light.