Swell by Light (TEI ’25)

Swell by Light is a flexible, approachable method for creating freeform raised textures on paper and other materials.

Sosuke Ichihashi, Noura Howell, and HyunJoo Oh. 2025.
Swell by Light: An Approachable Technique for Freeform Raised Textures.
In Proceedings of the Nineteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (TEI ’25). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 45, 1–16.
https://doi.org/10.1145/3689050.3704420

Paper  Easy Tutorial  Advanced Tutorial  Video(tba)  日本語

Fabrication process
One side of the paper has printed dark pattern on light-colored paper. The reverse side of the paper has a thinly spread layer of paste that swells in response to heat. When the paper is heated by a strong light, the darker pattern regions of paper absorb heating light and swell, creating a raised texture.


Optimization algorithm
We developed an algorithm to optimize the print pattern, so that the swollen raised texture most closely follows the desired printed pattern. To compensate for the way heat dissipates, the algorithm makes thinner lines of the pattern darker so they will swell enough, and makes larger block areas of the pattern lighter so that they do not swell too much.


Design Parameters

We walk through some of the design parameters of Swell by Light.

Multi-level swelling
By using a certain light and print color combination, you can achieve multiple swell levels. In this example, we made a simple European topography map.


Combining visuals
You can also put a visual layer on top of the texture layer to superimpose visual and tactile designs.


Materials
By sticking paper with a print pattern, you can make textures on various materials other than paper. In this example, we put the wooden pattern on denim.


Micro-texture design
You can customize micro-textures by mixing additives to the paste.


Applications

We showcase application examples that illustrate the design space and broader vision of Swell by Light.


Tactile picture book
The simplicity and playfulness of the method make it perfect for children. The engaging, touch-friendly results are great for educational contexts.


Interactive Tactile
The textures become sensors, such as discrete sliders and pressure sensor, when painted with conductive ink. In our example, house lights turn on and birds vibrate based on touches.


Textured Origami & Sticker
Now you can put textures on your favorite origami. As shown in the teaser figure, we put embellishment on the crane’s wings and body. You can also put textures on any objects using textured stickers. In our example, the geometrical texture adds a soft grip and thermal insulation to the metal tumbler.


Publications

Sosuke Ichihashi, Noura Howell, HyunJoo Oh. 2025. Swell by Light: An Approachable Technique for Freeform Raised Textures. Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (TEI ’25).

Contribution

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