PingPongPixel is a non luminescent interactive display that re-creates huge images using tennistable balls. The system is made of a display-unit and a cabinet where balls in 6 greytones are stored, sorted and dispensed. The display is about 2 by 3 meters. The picture created is 2,40 m by 1,80. And as one pixel is 38mm, 2700 balls are required to build each image. Last but no least, it takes 2,5 hours to have a full image.

“When an image is shown, the lowest line will fall away so that the whole image moves one row down. This row of balls is transported back, by air,to the storage cabinet and sorted back to their color specific basket.

By dispensing 45 new balls in the right order a new line is formed. This line is being blown to the top of the display screen, and dropped on the balls already visible. This goes on until a new picture is fully visible.

This image is then visible for a couple of minutes. Then the new image is built up as mentioned before.” Videos.

By Jonathan den Breejen and Marenka Deenstra. Part of the ars electronica programme this year.

Related: VSSTV – Very Slow Scan Television.