‘A wall to bring people together’ sound likes a strange concept, but that is exactly what the developers of a new interactive display surface hope to achieve.

High-tech window shopping, transparent display screens and exciting new social gaming possibilities are all within the reach of TransWall.

TransWall was launched this week at the 2014 Conference on Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) in Canada.

It is a two-sided, touchable, transparent display wall that appears to create new interpersonal experiences through technology.

With an surface transducer, TransWall offers audio and vibration feedback to the users. In this way, people can collaborate using a shared see-through display and communicate with one another by talking or even touching one another through the wall.

An almost completely transparent ‘holographic screen’ is sandwiched between two sheets of plexiglass, with projectors on each side to create a set of images.

The wall is touch-sensitive on both sides, meaning two users can stand face-to-face on either side and touch the same spot at the same time without any physical interference.

This allows TransWall to provide users with specific visual, acoustic, and vibrotactile experiences, letting them feel as if they are touching and interacting with one another.

“TransWall can be installed inside buildings, such as shopping centres, museums, and theme parks, for people to have an opportunity to collaborate even with strangers in a natural way,” says developer Woohun Lee, a professor of Industrial Design at KAIST.

“TransWall will be useful in places that require physical isolation for high security and safety, germ-free rooms in hospitals, for example,” he said, adding that it may allow patients to interact with family and friends without compromising medical safety.

A demonstration is available in the following video.