Robots paint hotel guests’ sleep patterns

Global hotel chain Ibis is transforming the nightly tosses and turns of its guests into works of modern art, painted by robots.

"Our masterpiece is to make your sleep a true work of art," the promotional video gushes, after putting a far more interesting point to viewers: "What does sleep look like?" To find out, the budget chain is installing thin grids covered in 80 heat, pressure and sound sensors on mattresses in select guestrooms, kicking off on 13 October in Paris. Data gathered by the sensors will be fed wirelessly throughout the night to the studio, where it is then fed through an algorithm that converts information on a guest’s movement, sound and temperature into colour and movement.

This video shows the robot, much like an assembly line arm, reacting in sequence, tracing acrylic paints onto a black canvas in a visual and physical interpretation of sleep cycles and patterns.

Only 40 participants can take part — anyone who wants to try it out can enter a competition on the Ibis Facebook page. When the project is wrapped up in Novemeber there will be an online gallery of the artworks and guests will get an original to take home.