I love Wired. The magazine. But now there’s another Wired that I may come to love just as much. The shape-shifting Wi-Fi router Wired.
As Fast Company puts it, “While the shape is friendly and unique, an additional innovation is in the function of the router itself. The router can morph, revealing a bright color in the interior rib of the knit, to signal that the device is connected or that there’s a weak signal. When the device connects to a Wi-Fi network or your laptop, the base expands into a bulbous protrusion to reveal yellow in the interior rib of the knit. When there’s a slow connection, the top of the device expands to show a red interior knit.”
This innovation reminds me of David Rose’s Enchanted Objects, such as an Ambient Orb that glows at at glance to let you know relevant information such as the current fluctuation of the stock market. Here’s what I had to say about them back in 2018:
“I’ve written in the past about Enchanted Objects, items that elicit an emotional response when we use them. There’s a pill bottle that glows when it’s time to take your medication, an umbrella that lets you know if it’s going to rain that day, and best of all, the proverbial wallet that gets harder to open as you approach your monthly budget.
On the one hand these objects are really just a part of the Internet of Things. Nothing special. But on the other hand, because of the way they make us feel, they’re so much more than that. They’re real life examples of the objects from Harry Potter. Whimsical every-day items that are seemingly imbued with magical properties.”
And now we can add the Wired router to that list. Formerly an ugly black box that was practical but boring. Now a unique conversation piece that’s practical AND cool.
I also wonder if this technology could be used to make other shape-shifting objects that would be infinitely more appealing than their basic counterparts? Perhaps an Echo speaker with actual lips that move when it speaks?! Or would that be creepy?
Leave a comment