Wow! Kinetic Sculpture....

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:13 pm

This is just incredible stuff!

http://www.glumbert.com/media/kineticsculpture

Edited to add: The creator is Theo Jansen http://strandbeest.com/index.html

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:20 pm

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Fantastic!!

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:32 am

Good heavens.

Extraordinary.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:39 am

Makes me want to see the machinery up close.
Phenomenal effect.

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:57 am

Way cool. I agree with emm, I just want to run up and stick my head inside to watch all those pieces moving. Its like clockworks.

djm

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:21 am

I saw shorter videos of these a few months ago on the Interwebs.
I hadn't realized they were wind powered, though. That explains
why they're always shown walking on the beach. They're like ...
land kites!

Here's the main webpage for the artist:

http://www.strandbeest.com/

It's tough to navigate, but there are lots of still pictures of some
of the machines. Apparantly, in the 80's, the artist also created a
Flying Saucer, which he actually flew over Delft.

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:42 am

fearfaoin wrote:I saw shorter videos of these a few months ago on the Interwebs.
I hadn't realized they were wind powered, though. That explains
why they're always shown walking on the beach. They're like ...
land kites!

Here's the main webpage for the artist:

http://www.strandbeest.com/

It's tough to navigate, but there are lots of still pictures of some
of the machines. Apparantly, in the 80's, the artist also created a
Flying Saucer, which he actually flew over Delft.

I had just edited to add that...

... yes, the site is a bit difficult, but so interesting. I can't seem to locate the video of the UFO, though it is suggested to view it. Did you find it?

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:37 am

I have ordered the DVD. Hopefully it is a little more coherent.

djm

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:30 am

anniemcu wrote:I can't seem to locate the video of the UFO, though it is suggested to view it. Did you find it?

No, I haven't found it, either. Maybe djm can tell us if it's on the DVD.

Scott McCallister · Post by **Scott McCallister** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:21 am

Those are cool!

Though, a bit creepy to see something with no head have such a natural fluid walking motion. I wonder if you could make one big enough to ride in. You could "sail" across the desert or other terrain that is inhospitable to rubber tires.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:31 am

Now, if the technology can be developed to work in any direction whatever the wind, you'd have some super cool transportation possibilities, there. I imagine that like a sailboat, you'd probably have to tack when going into the wind.

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:16 pm

Trouble is, he's using those thin plastic tubes used as conduit for electrical circuits. I'm not sure, but I would imagine that he had to engineer down to such a light weight material to manage the exisitng size and weight of the contraptions on their own, let alone carry the weight of a passenger.

Also, they seem to be unidirectional - no way to steer. That's some pretty cold looking water in the North Sea.

djm

Jumper · Post by **Jumper** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:27 pm

emmline wrote:Makes me want to see the machinery up close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CufN43By79s&NR=1

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:51 pm

djm wrote:Trouble is, he's using those thin plastic tubes used as conduit for electrical circuits. I'm not sure, but I would imagine that he had to engineer down to such a light weight material to manage the exisitng size and weight of the contraptions on their own, let alone carry the weight of a passenger.

Not all of 'em:

"The Animaris Rhinoceros Transport is a type of animal with a steel skeleton and a polyester skin. It looks as if there is a thick layer of sand coating the animal. It weighes 2. tons, but can be set into motion by one person. It stands 4.70 meters tall. Because of its height it catches enough wind to start moving."

Rhinoceros? Reminds me more of a wolf spider. But maybe that could carry a person or two.

djm wrote:Also, they seem to be unidirectional - no way to steer. That's some pretty cold looking water in the North Sea.

There's that. But considering the brilliant mind of the engineer, something tells me he's working on steering.

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:05 pm

I think I need to spend some time by the North Sea... maybe something in that environment will inspire a creative epiphany for me too.

Although I'm not sure if Theo Jensen is too interested in the transportation possibilities of his creation.

http://www.strandbeest.com/ wrote:He makes skeletons which are able to walk on the wind. Eventualy he wants to put these animals out in herds on the beaches, so they will live their own lives.

Some other more engineering, less art oriented designer might have to work on that.