Art has been created and recreated through numerous mediums: clay tablets, stone walls, marble statues, ceramic plates, and painted canvases to name just a few. As we go deeper into the 21st century, the rise of computers and the Internet has led to the adoption of electronics as a viable medium for artworks.

Here are 5 of some of the most unique applications of digital art.

1. Sleep Art by Hotel Ibis: Ibis is the largest hotel brand in Europe, with over 1,200 establishments across the continent. Not too long ago, Ibis decided to feature a digital art project known as Sleep Art. Guests would be invited to sleep on a sensor-equipped mattress. As they slept, an associated computer would run algorithms to translate their sleeping habits into brush strokes on a black canvas, creating a beautiful abstract painting. Although the art event is over, the program that Ibis used is still available as an iPhone app.

2. Public Face II by Richard Wilhelmer: Also known as The Fühlometer, this 8-meter-high wire sculpture is a large Smiley face constructed from steel and neon tubes. It's installed on top of a lighthouse in the city of Lindau, Germany. Using an algorithm taken from digital scans of passerby on the street below, the neon lights change the expression of the face to match the mood of the people, with options for a smile, frown, or neutral expression.

3. Nervous Structure (field) by Annica Cuppetelli and Cristobal Mendoza: Cuppetelli and Mendoza have been partners since 2010, bringing American and Venezuelan sensibilities together through digital art. They're best known for their Nervous Structure series. One particular installation consists of movable strings and a software-controlled video display. As viewers approach or interact with the installation, the strings react, creating vibrations and wavy patterns to evoke a sense of fluid dynamics.

4. The Nature of the Golden Age by Adam Martinakis: Polish artist Adam Martinakis has been drawn toward a blend of photorealism and surrealistic imagery. With the help of CG art programs, he has been able to create a series of very striking sculptures and images. The Nature of the Golden Age depicts a man and a woman kneeling before each other, with a golden apple hanging between their mouths and a snake curled up at their knees. The entire image is overlaid with black-and-white concentric circles, raising the surreal factor even higher.

5. Peg Mirror by Daniel Rozin: The mirror designed by Rozin isn't simply reflecting an image through a shiny surface. Using an array of 650 rotating mechanical pegs, the artist has set up a video camera to capture the likeness of the work's viewer. Computer software tied to the camera is then used to recreate a rough reflection of the image, using software to tie together mechanics and human perception.

Image by Simon Roberts on Flickr