Kinetic Sculpture Pushes Gravity’s Envelope:
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u0KfE5tpJ0QvI33tmHP96FjNvBErc8daIEca2GPOaEjaw5uYrzHPKWOLlamTyskh7LqBkqZE8lA8fuJMSXdofy_mH74tAD02ywGjBI3acJA5oFBfgWSrY9T5k-KB0Q0cSf2knXu_oRKlABEY-Ww4VLhfyoDIyU7_hxWi37JWjQp_Tp2uUcrmArulDkx2D1yUeN=s0-d)
Ben Light displayed Kinetic Sculpture 5 at the ITP Winter Show last month. When the user waves his/her hand over a photoresistor, a push solenoid is triggered, causing a rod to decouple and swing to the other side. Whatever losses are sustained due to conservation of energy are then recovered by a strong magnet that gives the rod that extra pull it needs to couple to an identical solenoid on the opposite end.
A row of five rods lets the user play with sequencing the movement, which alludes to classic demonstrations of harmonic motion. A maker with a nuttier sensibility would think this project is on track to be a perpetual motion machine, but I think Ben knows better.
More:
- Kinetic Sculpture Manipuates Rare Earth Magnets
- Jeri Ellsworth Talks Solenoids
- Ternary Kinetic Sculpture
Comments