Rube Goldberg Contraption

Want to smile? Then take a minute and watch this video. It is a real life Rube Goldberg machine in action.

Rube Goldberg although a sculptor, was most known for his cartoon drawings of impossible yet humorous contraptions. Every Sunday paper had one included the color funnies section when we were kids. The brilliance of this one is that it is believable although one never knows with video. 

This video (which has gone viral - over 3.4 million views to date) was created by Joseph Herschner of Brooklyn, NY and he was the subject of a fun New York Times article on Jan 6, 2012. According to the article he has another Rube-ish video called "Creme That Egg". This is a wonderful example of kinetic sculpture, video and performance art merging into one experience.  

If you are fascinated by this type of contraption, visit the official Rube Goldberg Website. There are contests scheduled. It could be fun to be in the audience and watch.

Enjoy.  

Imagine being IN a Rolling Ball Machine

Those of us that love kinetic sculpture always spend hours mesmerized by rolling ball machines.  If memory serves me correctly the first one I saw was the George Rhoads installation at Logan Airport in Boston. Imagine if you could view a rolling ball machine from ball's eye view! It was that thought that made me love this video shared by SwissMiss from Laughing Squid

The route of a bag from your hands at an airport and back into your hands at your destination is much like being the ball in a roling ball machine.  And Delta made a video of it using six cameras installed in a suitcase.  Fun to watch! 

Simple Harmonic Motion - Fascinating to watch

Here is a YouTube Video that could be the basis of an inspiring idea - or maybe it already was! Be patient and watch through the variations.

via Kottke.org

There is an informative site about this working model here.

I found a similar construction on YouTube but the video is taken from an different angle.  Still fascinating to watch.

David used the concept of viewing balls moving in three-dimensional space to create wave patterns in a kinetic sculpture piece back in 1990. The wave patterns emerged when you viewed it from one fixed spot. Symphony is from well before we had a website or video. We do have a still photograph so you'll have to use your imagination!

Symphony by David 1990

Magnet Machine with Fascinating Motion

A reader sent David a link to this youTube video showing a Magnet Machine by Dave Johnson. What fun!  

The motion and mechanism are fascinating but also pay attention to the sounds. People often inquire about the sounds David's sculptures make and it regularly affects buying decisions.  It is important to design for the auditory sensory experience as well as the visual.

If you haven't yet played with the Rare Earth magnets you might miss some of the excitement in this ingenious machine.  We have a set of the Bucky Balls and everyone enjoys fiddling with them. No one ever gets them back into the cube but creating chains like those used in Dave Johnson's machine is entertaining. 

 

Thanks to Dwight Souder for the link.  

Moiré Patterns in Kinetic Design

I have often created moiré patterns with the wheels in my kinetic sculptures. Shimmer and Illusion are two strong examples. Artist Jakob Bue of Denmark recently posted this video on YouTube which takes the creation of these interference patterns to an entirely new level.

Here is a link to an interactive website that allows you to experiment with variables in order to create different types of moiré patterns. By using the arrow keys and mouse along with the controls on the screen you can create incredible patterning effects. You probably can't stay at the website for long before your eyes and stomach start going wonky!