Vortex: Kinetic Prototype

Vortex: Fabrication, micro-controllers, Grasshopper

Kinetic module design

This project was inspired by the geometry of the Morning Glory flower. The flower opens and closes every morning with the appearance of the sun.

The model is an exploration of elastic tension, micro-controllers, light filtration and interactive installation. Maintaining translucency in the model as well as structural integrity, produced an interesting set of issues to solve with materiality and construction.

Final prototype

The final model was made fully functional with a motion-sensing micro-controller, and turns on the custom built acrylic sheet gears. It successfully responds to motion as a hand or object is inserted. As the prototype progressed, the use of the acrylic sheet allowed us opportunities to experiment with adding other shading elements such as elastic string, perforations in the frame, and tint, to add layers within the module that might affect the turning motion, and also filter light differently.

Several prototypes were made, testing fabric, tensions, structure, apertures

Pen and archival ink on drawing paper Pen and archival ink on drawing paper

Thank you.