This is a 5V LED strip placed below the case. Tried a few different distances to see if the lighting would be diffused enough to not see the contours of the strips anymore, while still being strong enough to light the object.
This is around 5cm ish below the case. I think maybe with more strips this one could work. However the lighting is not that strong unfortunately.
LED strip from the side. It lights up the edges on the clear acrylic pretty good, however on the white acrylic it seems to barely pass through.
Piece of acrylic that is tightly fitted onto the bearing. I think this works pretty well, not sure if I still need a channel at the bottom to keep it from jumping off.
Went back and asked if he had any smaller glass bearings but he didn't. So I need to stick with the ones i currently have.
The frame will take up a lot of space inside the tank. Also the bearings are taking up too much space. I thought the frame itself would be able to work as a groove to thread the line around the bearing. However this will cause the bearing to be stuck as it doesn't have washer. With washers it creates a gap between the frame and the bearing for the thread to get stuck on. Tried to create a groove with line tape, but it doesn't stick to the bearing.
As there is a feedback loop, the inital object could be pretty simple (given that it has continuous distortion when someone is present).
With silicone thickener, maybe I can just brush on silicone around a model instead of making a mold? However, it will have a pretty rough surface this way. Alternatively, maybe i can brush on silicone inside the mold.
Another problem currently is how i will distort it in other directions than straight up. If i use a PVC tube like earlier, it obstructs the view from the side. I could maybe use strings instead, but even the tube is bent when the motor is pulling it. Also i guess when the string is wrapped around a tube, there will be more resistance / less distortion on the object. Maybe look into tension force?
Maybe i can use an acryl tube, similar to the aluminum one from the previous model?
Motor position. Ideally I would have as many motors as possible, not sure if eight is possible. At least four would be nice, one for each direction.
28x32 and 28x28 fish tank.
I prefer the taller one. For some reason the perfectly square one seems like its too short. With a acrylic aquarium thickness calculatur, it says i need a minimum thickness of 6mm with a tank that is 28x32.
Tried melting it over boiling water. This took so long, and it didn't even turn fully to liquid even after 30+ minutes over boiling water. It also solidified instantly when i took away from the boiling water. Result is super flexible, but not very durable.
The thinner the silicon is, the more flexible it becomes. But it also becomes a lot less durable.
The object that i use to displace the object also needs to be stronger. In some cases the thread simply cuts through the object. I tried with rolled up piece of latex, but the thread managed to untie itself.
The 0010 shore silicon is byfar the best option. However, maybe its just the current shape / the way its secured that allows it to be this flexible. E.g. if its modelled like a blob, will it have more endurance?
Thick latex is way too strong. It can't be displaced at all. Thin latex is pretty durable and stretchy, however it sticks to istself too much. Maybe try to put some powder on it before removing.
Shore A5 silicone is neither more durable or flexible than the shore 0010 one. Seems to crack more easily once it has some tear.
The moon gel is super flexible, but also very very weak. However, maybe I could try to melt it down and pour it into a mold to make a bigger piece.
The pendulum object ended up being too thin, i couldn't remove it from the paper without it tearing into pieces. I should try one more time, while letting the silicone cure for a bit first, and just with a bigger hole in the cup suspended by the pendulum. However, it is incredibly flat currently. I thought i could "model" it as a flat surface and simply twist and turn it around to create a "spiderweb" / network - like object. Not sure if this will be possible.
The black Fixate Gel Pad seems more flexible than the silicone. It has a little bit more initial resistance, but it can be stretched much more (4cm diameter can easily be stretched up to 25-ish cm.). 7x7cm silicon can also be stretched up to 25-ish cm but requires more strength and the object is also almost twice as big initially. However, it tears very easily once it has some wear.
However, when it is pulled like this, it seems that the silicon is more flexible, maybe because it has less resistance? Or it could be because of the shape? Neither of the objects are very durable.
Testing flexibility of the silicone objects. Setting up the object with the strings takes up a lot of time, so I wanted to make an object where I can more quickly make changes. The motor is pretty loose currently, I need to add something the keep it from moving. I thought I should try to make the "environment" as close as possible to the final object to see how flexible it will actually be. Two layers on the top to make it stronger. Thought maybe it could break / bend with the motor "pushing" it down.
Thought also it would be a nice opportunity to experiment with a different look than the previous experiment, using carabiner clips to hang the object up.
Testing two different objects. One with a "knob" that can be pulled and one with just a tiny "knob". The flexibility is pretty good on both objects, but maybe this is a result of the shape of the object and that they're better secured than my previous attempts. However, not sure how durable it is. Silicone square is 7x7 cm, 5mm ish thickness.
Going forward I think I should make a bunch of little squares in silicone / latex with different thickness. Then experiment with cutting different patterns into them and try to pull it to see which is more flexible.
Then when i have some idea about which is best, make another mold and make a full model.
Another attempt with silicone. This was done without a positive object inside, as a result it has some uneven thickness. Bottom right has pretty thin thickness. Top left has moderate thickness. With this attempt i tried to cut some little holes in the top left where the string is pulling it (living hinges). It definitely makes it more flexible, but not as flexible as i want it to be. Bottom right is pretty flexible, but also not very durable.
Experiment with slime. Material is super flexible, but dissolves quickly in water. Also would have to find another way to secure it. Maybe if water density is increased it wouldn't dissolve as quickly / float to the top.
Black slime, not the best choice for this experiment either. Hard to separate it from the background.
