Enhancing everyday paper interactions with paper circuits

Abstract

Our interactions with paper are so habitual as to be subconscious. Paper is an inextricable component of our daily lives. In this paper we present the crafting of, and the reflections on, four prototypes; these prototypes explore how adding new functionality through paper circuits can enrich interactions with paper. We define paper circuits as circuits that have been made through the process of printing or applying conductive ink onto standard paper in order to form electronic or electric circuits. We will provide reflections on not just the benefits of paper circuitry, but also how the newly added affordances gained from paper circuitry effect the experience of paper interactions. This paper will illustrate how this new evolution of paper can be used to produce cheap lightweight ubiquitous electronic products, new art forms, and most importantly enhance the user experience of paper without losing the existing well-loved affordances that paper currently possesses.