!and yet it moves

a project-based class
exploring motion
through the interplay between
mathematics, physics, engineering and art Course Description
Instructor Bios

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Course Materials

Current Project
Distributed Flight Array

Past Projects
Balancing Cube (2007/08)
objective | videos | design documents 2007/2008 Project: Balancing Cube Objective

Inspired by a Cirque du Soleil performance in which two dancers use their muscles to balance about an unstable equilibrium, the goal of the 2007/2008 !and yet it moves project was to design a cube that could balance on any one of its corners.


Videos


CAD model of the Balancing Cube


Dynamic simulation of the Balancing Cube



This video shows a single balancing mechanism at work: notice that the inverted pendulum is kept balanced
even when pushed. In the final project, six of these mechanisms will be assembled to form the self-balancing cube.

Design Documents

Concept Design Document - 09/2007 (2,485 KB PDF)
Preliminary Design Document - 12/2007 (3,871 KB PDF)
Final Design Document - 05/2007 (5,285 KB PDF)