Ceramic tile changes design, shows videos

Ceramic tiles are going digital. A new type of wall or flooring material called Lumentile has emerged, and this one can switch colors and images, and display videos.

Inventors used photonics for the said digital tile that can be controlled by a tap of a finger. Each touchscreen A3-sized piece serves as a part of an image, much like how pixels work. With this product installed on a wall, one might not need wallpapers that are replaced often when they do not match anymore changes in interior design. On floors, being activated by contact, it can serve as a way to alert for presence; therefore, it can be a security product. For entertainment, owners can save space at home allotted for bulky appliances like video or media players.

The product is set to be mass produced by 2020. By that time, if smart tiles, whether display-changing, energy-generating or motion-sensing become widely adopted, one could see smart homes fully innovated from appliances and devices down to fixtures and building materials.