Amex Digital Canvas

We began by creating a virtual paint palette on the iPad, and built a brush with thermal IR LED and conductive thread.

The Challenge

Amex had an idea. In order to generate buzz for an existing campaign, they wanted to create a public showcase of live, user-generated art. The idea involved letting visitors “paint” a digital screen with a virtual paintbrush. Sounds easy right? The problem lies in the fact that iPad is designed to read fingers, not a brushes. So how did we overcome our quandary?

Our Solution

We scienced the crap out of the idea. We began by creating a virtual paint palette on the iPad. Next, we built a brush with thermal IR LED and conductive thread, then used a remote sensor from a Nintendo Wii to capture the motion. Visitors to the installation could then paint an image onscreen and print it, effectively creating a customizable ad for American Express. The virtual brush generated so much excitement, a strap had to be created to stop people from accidentally tossing it around. In the end, the installation was so successful, it quickly came to be used by Amex at events around the world.