Panels

“

That's right. Drink it in. You could eat off those wall panels. Click to listen — GLaDOS

”

Panels are the building blocks of the Aperture Science facilities. With the ability to be placed anywhere and shifted at any angle and height, it is capable of nearly infinite design. This makes it an ideal choice when it comes to constructing test chambers, allowing those in charge to create tests on a whim. Panels come in a variety of forms and functions, from lifting the player to obstructing the player from completing their goal.

A panel found in Portal 2.

Function

Panels function to aid or impede the player from completing the task at hand. Sometimes panels can be activated via buttons, which will either remove or create panels. Panels can be applied to nearly every test, making it very useful for trapping a subject or blocking the player from a hazard. This mechanic becomes much more crucial during Co-op, as they're often used for blocking the partner from crashing into a hazard, or used to obstruct the duo from continuing.