Towering steel swing set holding arrays of mechanical solenoids that create a water plane falling in the path of its riders. Formed from a tangent of ideas raised from the study of interactions of water as space, the swing is the first in a series that play with interaction in rides and installations. Riders pass through openings in a waterfall created by precisely monitoring their path via axel-housed encoders, creating the thrill of narrowly escaping obstacles. The swing is an interactive art piece and a collaborative project between Mike O'Toole, Andrew Ratcliff, Ian Charnas and Andrew Witte and a project of Dash 7 Design. The Waterfall Swing has traveled the world with installations across the United States, Austria, The Netherlands, and Australia.
The essence of the trick are the 273 solenoids valves on the top bar of the swing. Not only do they pour the water, but their computerized mechanisms keep track of the speed and the movement of the swing, in order to stop the water just when the people are going right under the bar. That way the wall of water forms a gap for the swing to go through. The thrill of getting caught in the rain must keep the adrenaline high! In designing their interactive installation, the team behind Waterfall Swing needed a highly reliable industrial computer to orchestrate the interplay between rider and waterfall. The swing would be set up at exhibits and festivals around the world and dependability was paramount. While the application may be unique, their desire for a computer that they could count on, no matter where it might be installed, is a requirement that we’ve become adept at accommodating.
Credits:
https://www.waterfallswing.com/about
No comments:
Post a Comment