Inspired by printed circuit boards, the building block of all electronics, a Dutch designer has created an LED-based light installation that draws upon the familiar etching pattern inside most devices.
Created by Lonneke Gordijn, co-founder of the Netherlands based design firm Design Drift, the idea combines electronics and plant based material.
Fragile future as Gordijn calls it is about the "amalgamation of nature and technology." "The printed circuit board here is off the board and 3D," she says.
The installation consists of modules that can be connected to each other to create unique compositions depending on the space available.
With help from a sensor, the composition also "protects itself" by shutting down when someone comes too close. Distance sensors and a programmable chip make that possible, she says.
"Electronics here is driven by the natural survival instincts," says Gordijn. "This is the same mechanism as a poppy that drops its petal when you pick it or a ladybird that acts as dead in your hand."
The entire composition will be on display at the Design Miami exhibition in December.
Fragile Future started as Gordijn’s graduation project from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2005.Since then she has improved the system to make it easier to install quickly.
The modules don’t come cheap though. They can cost up to 145 Euros (approx $190) each though Gordijn told Wired.com she’s working with some retailers to make it more affordable.
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