GIF Film Card Lenticular II
New tech lenticular cards available here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Next Gen Lenticular Motion Card
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GIF Film Card II: Next generation lenticular motion that can stack many images to produce two seconds of video motion on a physical semitransparent card. Classic lenticular motion is produced by tiny cylindrical lens arrayed in such a way that allows for one of multiple images (usually fewer than 5) to show depending on the angle of view. This multiple image high resolution lenticular features three scenes from a famous series about a fictional and infamous Heisenberg.
Kolormondo CMYK Color Globe
Get this fun and educational color globe kit from these sources:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Kolormondo Color Globe
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Kolormondo Color Globe
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Kolormondo Color Globe: an exploration of CMYK color along three dimensions. Latitude is the value dimension with the top poll white and the bottom black, longitude is hue dimension and the standard cyan-magenta-yellow color wheel flows around the equator, and chroma is the radial dimension with gray at the center. Assembly of this quality paper kit is a fun way to learn about aspects of the psychophysics and physics of color vision.
Fixed-Center Kinetic Sculpture
Get the print files here:
From Makerworld,con: Download NOW: Fixed Center Fidget
or buy one printed here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Fixed Center Fidget
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Fixed-Center Kinetic Sculpture: a blue sphere is connected to the base by a series of linkages- interestingly, no matter how the links are manipulated the ball stays centered above the base. Key design principle: every hinge in the linkage assembly has an axis that passes through the center of the sphere. An amazing 3D print creation by Big Sky Design on makerworld.
Double Ring Chaotic Pendulum
Get a similar pendulum from the same maker here:
From ETSY: BUY NOW: Double Ring Chaotic Pendulum
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Chaotic Double Ring Pendulum: a new design on the chaotic double pendulum. Interesting and intricate motion arises from a simple assembly of two physical pendulums (one attached to the end of the other) with the kinetic energy of the system moving back and forth between the two rings until friction damps away the energy. Chaotic motion is characterized by extreme sensitivity to initial starting conditions, tiny differences in how the system is released leads to dramatically different outcomes each time. This exceptional design by Jason of Milieu Tech Design seems engineered to maximize the exchange of energy between the rings.
Slinky on an Escalator Phonotrope Spinner
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From Etsy: BUY NOW: Animated Slinky Spinner
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3D Phonotrope Spinner: slinky on an escalator! When the rate of rotation matches the rate of the smartphone video process (wait for it) 12 animated 3D-printed slinkys “spring” into motion. The 3D printed and precisely placed depictions of the famous toy is specifically designed to interact with the video process, similar to the animation effect of a flip book, but in a repeating cycle like that of the phenakistiscope, the 1833 invention that started moving media animation that lead to the development of movies and video.
Roman Dodecahedron
Nice replicas can be found from these sources:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Roman Dodecahedron Replicas
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Roman Dodecahedron Replicas
Wikipedia has more details on these enigmatic mathematical forms
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Roman Dodecahedron: these mysterious forms were made between 200 to 400 AD and more than 120 of these hollow bronze objects have been found in the northern regions of the Roman Empire. Not a single one is marked with letters or numbers, but all have holes of varying sizes and all feature knob like protrusions at each of the vertices as shown in this 3D printed replica. What was the purpose of these dodecahedrons? No one knows! Despite more than 50 published proposals there is no academic consensus.
Tensegrity Icosahedraon Ornament Kit
Get this well engineered and affordable kit here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Tensegrity Ornament Kit (makes 6)
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Tensegrity Icosahedron Ornament Kit: make the famous tensegrity icosahedron inverted by the architect Buckminster Fuller out of gold paper straws and specially designed 3D printed elastic connectors. Six struts (three parallel pairs) float isolated from each other but held in a stable configuration by a net of 24 connecting tendons. A fun DIY design by Tensegrity Adventures (kit makes six ornaments)
Warped Spiral Kinetic Art
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From Etsy: BUY NOW: Stainless Steel Kinetic Spinners
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Warped Spiral Kinetic Art: a slight breeze will set this stainless steel sculpture into graceful and mesmerizing action. When spinning the rotation creates translational motion along the vertical- and each helix in this version has a slight asymmetry that adds to the complexity of the perceived motion.
3D Phonotrope Spinner
Get this and other amazing phonotrope spinners here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Phototrope Animation Spinners
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3D Phonotrope Spinner: spiders on a treadmill! When the rate of rotation matches the rate of the smartphone video process (wait for it) six animated 3D-printed spiders spring into motion. The laser cut acrylic, with precisely placed spiders, is specifically designed to interact with the video process, similar to the animation effect of a flip book, but in a repeating cycle like that of the phenakistiscope, the 1833 invention that started moving media animation that lead to the development of movies and video. Another fantastic design by Travis at aPyroDesign.
Transforming Tetrahedron
Get one printed here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Transforming Tetrahedra
or print it yourself:
From Thanks: Download Now: Transformign Tetrahedra
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Transforming Tetrahedron: clever gear linkages allows this tetrahedron to transform to its Platonic solid dual- another tetrahedron it turns out. Halfway through the transformation the object becomes a symmetric 12 pointed star with the tip of each point indicating a vertices of a cuboctahedron. Another fun 3D print creation of maker designer RuvenBals
Phenakistiscope Spinner Set
Get these amazing spinners from aPyroDesign;
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Animation Spinners
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Phénakisticope Spinner Set: two spinners- one a laser cut and printed acrylic with a set of images similar to the animation design of a flip book (but in a repeating cycle)- and the second a black disk with thin slit openings. Spin them in opposite directions and then look through the black disk at the first to reveal an animated image, in this case a running stick person. The effect looks better in person in that the frame rate of the video capture process adds some artifacts. Using the second black disk like this turns the spinners into a phenakistiscope, the 1833 invention that started moving media animation that lead to the development of movies and video. Under very bright light the animation can also be seen using a smartphone camera in video mode, but the black disk allows one to see the animation without such technology.
Floating Rings Illusion
Get this affordable illusion object here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: 3D Floating Rings Illusion
Or print it yourself:
From Thingverse: Download Now: 3D Floating Rings Illusion
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Floating Rings Illusion: three rings seemingly roll/spin like a coin on top of each other, edge to edge, when in reality they are connected rigidly into an assembly and rotated. This fun 3D print used glow-in-the-dark filament which adds new aspects to the illusion- what do you see? A 3D print designed for any turn table/record player by Ryan Leathers.
Flummoxagon: Polyhex Puzzle
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From Etsy: BUY NOW: Flummoxagon
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Polyhex Puzzle: when geometrical objects conspire into a fun assembly. This puzzle involves all the ways 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 small hexagons can be connected by a side. There are 33 ways 5 hexagons can be connected, 10 ways to connect 4, just 3 ways to connect 3, and of course just one way to connect 2. Including the single hexagon, the total number of hexagons is 217 which can be assembled into one big hexagon, and so far only 10 solutions have been found- here is one! How many solutions exist is an open question.
Reactive Vortex Marble
A number of artists now offer vortex marble art on Etsy
From Etsy: BUY NOW Vortex Marbles
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Reactive Vortex Marble: the latest addition to my physics inspired glass art collection which combines bright fluorescent inclusions (which pop at 395nm), a chunk of opalescent iridescence, and the spherical lensing effect that produces the spiral depth illusion of these vortex marbles. An orb of lampwork magic by Paul Katherman @paulietwofingers
Pyrite Cubic Crystal
Get a natural pyrite crystal here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Natural Pyrite Crystal
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Pyrite Cubic Crystal: FeS2 iron sulfide “cube” from La Rioja, Spain. Note the sharp edges produced by the crystal lattice structure of this mineral. Amazing that these blocks of dense mineral just grow naturally. This one is 2.56 x 2.50 x 2.34 cm.
Iridescent Dual Spinner
Get this spinner print here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Twister Dual Spiral
or print it yourself:
from Makerworld: Download Now: Twister Spinner stl files
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Iridescent Dual Spiral: another fun 3D print with dual spiraling motion this time using tricolor iridescent silk filament that produces a color changing effect. More kinetic art from RJ Design.
Möbius Flip Coaster
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From Etsy: BUY NOW: Möbius Flip Coaster
Or print it yourself:
From MakerWorld: Download NOW: Möbius Flip Coaster
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Möbius Flip Coaster: on the geometry of a Möbius strip the car train flips after one trip around, a second trip restores the original orientation. A delightful physics toy by designer and maker Alex Browrman.
Magnetic Repulsion Fidget
Get this well made toy here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Magnetic Repulsion Fidget
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Magnetic Repulsion Fidget: a strong dipole magnet is suspended between two more dipole magnets, one fixed to each end. When the center magnet is displaced it rapidly oscillates in an oddly satisfying way until the slight friction present dissipates the energy. This fidget toy provides a very tactile experience of invisible magnetic fields and forces.