Right now, staring at the walls is synonymous with boredom, but what if technology could transform them into more than just load-bearing structures?
A patent awarded to Google on April 21 suggests that day is coming. The search-engine giant has outlined a projection system that can display images on a painted wall, using photo-reactive paint, according to Quartz. It may not sound remarkable at first, but when you consider the fact that a standard wall could be turned into a digital display, it all becomes a bit futuristic.
The projector would emit a beam of light that produces a “theme,” according to Google’s patent. When the light hits the wall, the paint would change into something similar to a screensaver or desktop wallpaper. A computer or smartphone would be used to control the technology. The wall itself would work like “e-ink,” changing only when the user projects a new image.
According to the patent, a user could project numerous themes onto a photo-reactive wall. For instance, scenes of the outdoors can mimic nature and weather. If sports are more of your thing, you can project live scores onto the wall. In October, your wall could become a “creepy” Halloween scene, according to the patent. The spider web would even display so it wouldn’t encroach on the farmed photo of the family’s last vacation that’s hanging on the wall.
Another highlight of the patent suggests that the technology would be able to update images frequently enough to support video. However, there’s no telling if the projector would have this feature, or any of these abilities for that matter. In fact, Google said in a statement to Quartz, “Prospective product announcements should not necessarily be inferred from our patents.”
The company went onto say that it holds onto patents for a variety of ideas, but not all of them turn into products for the retail market. Does this mean that we will never see a futuristic wall from Google? Not necessarily, but you never can tell with that company.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.