A team at the University of Bristol has developed a way to spray an interactive display onto almost any shape. The team were inspired by the work of graffiti artists to develop the technique — ProtoSpray — which creates displays on a wide variety of surfaces. The ProtoSpray technique works by using a novel combination of sprayable electronics and 3D printing. Objects are 3D-printed with conductive plastic, then sprayed with electroluminescent paint. The lead researcher, PhD student Ollie Hanton, has said that the process should allow people to build interactive objects of any shape, “even if they don’t have expertise in these materials”. The ProtoSpray process was developed in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab. According to Hanton, his team’s work takes 3D printing one step further, printing “not only plastic but also other materials that are essential for creating displays."