The art of Wi-Fi signals (photos)

Oslo designers visualize their city's invisible Wi-Fi signal patterns with stunning paintings made of light.

Christopher MacManus

March 11, 2011 4:59 a.m. PT

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Timo Arnall

Wi-Fi signals at night

Timo Arnall, Jorn Knutsen, and Einar Sneve Martinussen, Ph.D. candidates from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, have found a unique way to visualize invisible Wi-Fi signals in their Norwegian city by light painting signal strength in long-exposure photographs.

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Timo Arnall

Wall of light

To create the mesmerizing visuals, the artists placed a camera nearby as they took a Wi-Fi-equipped rod with 80 LEDs to various locations at nighttime in the Oslo borough of Grunerlokka. The lights illuminate at varying levels depending on signal reach.

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Timo Arnall

AHO network

A dense network in the forecourt of the Oslo School of Architecture and Design.

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Timo Arnall

Floating fence

This light painting almost looks like a transparent floating electric fence around the brick building.

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Timo Arnall

Hidden topography

This shot, a combination of five separate photos, reveals the hidden topography of wireless networks in Oslo.

"The strength, consistency, and reach of the network says something about the built environment where it is set up, as well as reflecting the size and status of the host," according to Martinussen.