WIAnode Wireless Interactive Art Node (Compatible with TouchDesigner / Unity / Unreal / Max)

WIAnode Wireless Interactive Art Node - Bring the Physical World into Live Visuals. WIAnode is a wireless interaction tool for media art, creative coding, interactive installations, classrooms, and live visual projects. It connects physical inputs—such as touch, motion, distance, light, temperature, and buttons—to TouchDesigner and other creative software over Wi-Fi. Sensor data can become animation, sound, lighting, movement, or real-time visual effects without building an Arduino or ESP32 system first.

No microcontroller coding, external MQTT server, driver installation, or dedicated setup application is required. Network settings are added by editing a text file, while the built-in screen shows the connection address needed by the software. With two plug-and-play I2C sensor ports, four configurable input/output ports, two servo ports, wireless multi-node deployment, and shared live-data access, WIAnode turns physical interaction into a more direct part of the creative process.

Less Setup, More Making

Traditional interactive projects often begin with a long technical chain:

Sensor → Arduino / ESP32 → Code → Wi-Fi Setup → MQTT Server → Data Parsing → Software

Every additional step introduces another tool to learn, another connection to test, and another place where a project can stop working.

WIAnode reduces that workflow to:

Sensor → WIAnode → Software

Wireless communication, sensor data handling, local MQTT communication, and standardized data output are already built into the device.

Supported sensors can begin sending data in minutes, allowing more time for visual experimentation, interaction design, teaching, prototyping, and installation development.

Wi-Fi Setup Like Editing a File - No Tools. No Drivers. No Pairing Apps.

WIAnode is configured through a simple text file. When connected to a computer with a USB Type-C cable, the device appears as a USB drive. The Wi-Fi name and password are entered into the included config.txt file and saved like an ordinary document.

After restarting, WIAnode connects to the local 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. Its IP address appears on the built-in OLED screen, ready to be entered into the TouchDesigner plugin or another compatible workflow.

A side status light makes the connection state easy to understand:

No command line, programming environment, driver package, or separate configuration utility is needed.

Built for Creative Coding Workflows, Live Sensor Data for Real-Time Interaction

WIAnode is designed for software-centered creative work rather than conventional electronics development.

A dedicated TouchDesigner plugin brings live sensor values directly into a TouchDesigner project. Incoming data can be connected to visual parameters, animation systems, audio-reactive structures, lighting controls, projection mapping, generative graphics, or interactive environments.

Physical outputs can also be controlled from TouchDesigner. Servo movement and addressable LED effects can respond to the same visual logic used inside the project.

Beyond TouchDesigner, WIAnode uses MQTT and structured JSON data, making it suitable for workflows involving:

The same physical input can therefore move between different software environments without rebuilding the hardware layer for every project.

One Project, Multiple Wireless Interaction Points

Interactive experiences often extend beyond a single desk or controller. Multiple WIAnode units can operate on the same Wi-Fi network, allowing sensors and physical controls to be placed throughout an installation.

One node might sit beside a projection surface.

Another might be hidden inside an object.

A third might collect audience movement from across the room.

Each WIAnode works as an independent wireless interaction point with its own IP address. USB Type-C power also allows operation from a compatible power bank, supporting flexible placement without long data cables running across the space.

This makes WIAnode suitable for:

Multi-Device Access to the Same Live Data

A single WIAnode can share its live data with multiple software clients on the same network. The same touch, motion, distance, or environmental data can be viewed and used by more than one computer or software instance at the same time.

This allows different parts of a project to develop in parallel:

One physical setup can support collaborative development without repeatedly reconnecting or duplicating the sensors.

Open Sensor Ecosystem

WIAnode supports a growing range of common interaction sensors and selected DFRobot Gravity modules. Two I2C ports provide plug-and-play auto-detection for supported I2C sensors. When a compatible sensor is connected, its address and connection status can be viewed on the built-in screen.

Four additional input/output ports support common creative-project functions such as:

Two dedicated 5V servo ports support 180°, 300°, and continuous-rotation servos, making it possible to add movement to an installation without a separate motor-control board. Together, these ports support both sides of an interactive experience: Physical input into software and Software output back into the physical world

Sensor compatibility depends on the current WIAnode firmware and supported-device list.

From Installation to Experience

Interactive Art

Touch, movement, proximity, and environmental changes can become part of an artwork rather than remaining separate technical inputs. WIAnode can connect audience behavior with visuals, sound, light, and motion in galleries, museums, public spaces, and experimental installations.

Live Visuals and Performance

Physical controls can influence projection mapping, generative graphics, stage visuals, lighting, or animated content during a performance. Wireless placement helps keep interaction points close to performers, props, instruments, or audience areas.

Media Art Education

Students can explore sensor-based interaction without beginning with microcontroller programming. Classes can focus on creative concepts such as input, response, participation, space, timing, and experience while still working with real physical data.

Rapid Creative Prototyping

Interaction ideas can be tested before committing to a custom electronics system. Sensors can be moved, replaced, or distributed across different areas while the software concept continues to evolve.

Made for the Creative Process

WIAnode removes much of the technical preparation between an interaction idea and a working prototype. It does not replace creative software, visual design, or interaction thinking. It makes physical data easier to bring into those processes. From a single touch-controlled visual to a multi-node interactive environment, WIAnode provides a simpler path from sensing to experience.