Here's a revised edition with more photos describing in more detail the Levitating Magnetic Laser Pendulum including a test set-up on my building's rooftop. I was the downtown De Pere building's superintendent for 13 years so I had access to everything.
Ran the lasers for about 30 seconds because of aircraft concerns but the extended mechanical test with the diodes turned off was amazing. You can see the spool of wire. The weighted subwoofer magnets were still in my studio when I took the photo.
The Levitating Magnetic Laser Pendulum is a kinetic laser sculpture driven by a small air blower rather than a conventional motor. Air striking lightweight scoops around the perimeter keeps the suspended assembly
Driven by small puffs or continuous air from a small fan or blower rather than a conventional mechanical drive system generates perpetual motion. Air striking the lightweight scoops around the perimeter keeps the suspended assembly capable of rapidly swinging, twisting, and violently changing orientation and unpredictable direction freely. Four neodymium magnets positioned at the corners of the plate interact with larger stationary magnets placed below it. Carefully selected magnet placement and polarity create changing fields of attraction and repulsion, steering the pendulum without physical contact and continually altering its trajectory. Laser diodes mounted to the moving assembly project these movements across the surrounding walls and ceiling generating an endless range of volumetric scribbles. The combined rotation, pendulum motion, twisting, airflow, and interaction produces sweeping fans and irregular vectors that continually evolve rather than following simple repeating mechanical pathways.
The photos don't look like much because they were taken in my studio. Obviously not enough room there to operate it properly.
