Dynamic route climbing system for Walltopia
E-walls is a climbing system that gives you the oprtunity to select a climbing route, by lighting up the holds in the correspondong difficulty level. The system is used in climbing gyms and outdoor climbing walls. All the walls around the globe are connected and you can compete on the same route with someone from the other side of the world.
The Story Behind E-Walls
In 2014, while serving as a pilot in the Bulgarian Air Force, I developed a flight simulator for our training aircraft and needed funding for the project. A friend at Walltopia suggested that the owner, Ivaylo Penchev, might be interested. I presented my idea to him, and not only did he fund the simulator, but he also invited me to help develop Walltopia's new E-Walls climbing system.
Initially, the system's early versions were overly complex — difficult to install, maintain, and especially challenging for route setters. I came out a simple solution that addressed these issues while also reducing costs.
Proof of Concept
Of course, no investor would risk money on an unproven idea. I developed a prototype featuring innovative hardware and a groundbreaking algorithm. The very first E-Wall was compact and tested as a music equalizer, just to demonstrate the speed of the new communication protocol.
Going to Production
Coming from the heavy regulations of the aviation industry, I was able to bring a new level of automated quality control to the production process. Delivering a quality product, and thanks to the great skills of the sales team, Walltopia made the product a hit on the climbing market.
What is so special about E-Walls?
Many systems light up climbing holds, but only E-Walls features custom, individually addressable LED lights that are extremely bright and visible in direct sunlight.
While other systems use fixed diode patterns or illuminated entire sections, E-Walls lights up each LED individually, giving route setters complete creative freedom.
E-Walls is favored by top climbing gyms worldwide for its unique algorithm, which lets route setters create routes in minutes using their smart phones as a cursor.
Just imagine how difficult it would be to set a route on a wall whitout being able to move the cursor freely along the complex volume and irregular shapes.
E-Walls for buildings?
The product is not limited to climbing gyms. The system can be installed on any wall, indoors or outdoors, and can be used for climbing, fitness, or even as a decorative element. The special algorithm can be used to create interactive light shows or even interactive art installations.
For this reason, I had to develop a special version of the system that could be installed on buildings. The development included putting the hardware in a waterproof and UV-resistant silicone strip and developing software that made animations and light shows possible.
E-Walls for gamification
My next big project was again for Walltopia. It was a gamification system that could be used in climbing gyms and active entertainment centers.
E-Walls were a fundament for augmenting visual feedback, achieving eye-candy attractions, and simulating immediate gratification.
E-Walls today
The product is still selling well and is used in climbing gyms all around the world. The system is constantly being updated with new features and improvements.
Check out the latest news about E-Walls on Walltopia`s website:
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