PORTFOLIO

Today, interaction with technology is largely dominated by screens, glass and plastic components. At the same time, the smart home sector is rapidly growing, increasing the need for more sustainable and design-integrated interfaces.
Sensational Wood rethinks how we interact with technology: not through screens and buttons, but through natural materials and the gestures we already use intuitively.
Using a technology developed called IC-LIG at ETH Zurich by Dr. Christopher Dreimol (Prof. Ingo Burgert, Wood Materials Science Group), conductive sensor patterns are embedded directly into wood, enabling touch, proximity and humidity sensing without visible electronics.

In the Proof Phase we developed our first prototype: a wall-mounted wooden control element for light, tested over two weeks in a real architectural setting at HSLU. It controlled smart lamps reliably and without any visible technology, confirming that wood itself can act as a precise, screenless interface.
In the Validate Phase, we will translate this first prototype into a market-ready, scalable product and validate the business model through first pilot projects with architecture studios, hospitality and institutional partners. Alongside product development, we will deepen our IP position and prepare patent filings, sharpen the customer profile through real-world feedback, and strengthen brand and market presence. Follow-up funding is planned through programmes such as BRIDGE, Innosuisse and the ETH Pioneer Fellowship, working toward company foundation and market entry.
In the long term, Sensational Wood develops natural materials into a platform for screenless interfaces, contributing to more resource-efficient, repairable and human-centered interaction with technology.