Matty Benedetto of Unnecessary Inventions has created a smart coffee table that can transform everyday items into switches for lighting, music, and warmth. The surface has a large grid of colorful dots in red, blue, yellow, and green, laid out similarly to the old classic Twister mat you used to play with as a child. There is a tiny NFC tag stuck under each of these dots behind an acrylic disc, and whatever you place on that point, the tag will trigger the action linked with that area.
The table itself has no wires visible across the surface and no screens blazing from within the wood. He created the foundation out of wood, drilling holes with a laser to fit the movable discs flat. The discs pop up from underneath for rearranging, allowing the layout to adapt as needed. The entire structure remains stable on the floor thanks to some hairpin legs that keep it low to the ground. To build this complete thing, he utilized a strong laser cutter that can cleanly cut through both wood and acrylic, and he dyed the top and painted the underside to hide the insides.
- Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk for Comfortable Work - Switch effortlessly between sitting and standing with this electric standing desk. The...
- Powerful Motor with Memory Presets - Equipped with a quiet, powerful lift motor, this sit stand desk allows seamless adjustments at the touch of a...
- Exceptional Stability Steel Frame - Built with a heavy-duty alloy steel frame and aerospace-grade lifting columns, this adjustable desk remains stable...
Each accessory contains a tiny NFC reader that can read the tag on the dot below, indicating where it has been placed. That NFC scanner is linked to a little computer (he uses his own bespoke Matty32 board or, in some situations, an Arduino UNO R4 WiFi to determine what to do next). It can easily read the tags through the acrylic and does so swiftly and precisely, even when there are several tags near together.
One of the accessories he created is a lamp made from an old IKEA glass lampshade. The circuits that operate the RGB LEDs are located in the lamp’s base. Put the lamp on a red dot and it will light up deep crimson; move it to a blue dot for a cool blue glow; or place it on a yellow dot for a pleasant soft amber light. Other areas produce distinct effects, such as delayed breathing, quick flashing, or even cycling rainbows. And as soon as you pick up the lamp from a dot, it simply goes out.
Another piece keeps beverages warm, as Benedetto used 3D printed parts together with a small heating element salvaged from an old 3D printer bed and a mosfet for control. Simply place it on a pair of front row LED indicators, and the surface will heat to approximately 210 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a coffee cup on top, and it will remain at a comfortable 120 degrees. Those rear dots are really heat-kill switches. He also put heat-resistant filament on the lid to avoid burning your fingertips.
The third piece of the puzzle is the one that makes music. A tiny 3D printed enclosure houses a module that plays sound files, namely a DFPlayer module. Each dot starts a new track, so you’ll hear classical strings on one, steady rain on another, and disco on the third. Yes, you guessed it: simply set the speaker down and music begins to play. But only while it is sitting there; once it moves, stillness returns. Slide the unit to a new color to adjust the volume and style.
[Source]
