Message-ID: <Pine.NEB.4.61.0411012341590.1043@panix3.panix.com>
From: Alan Sondheim <sondheim@panix.com>
To: Cyb <cybermind@listserv.aol.com>,
"WRYTING-L : Writing and Theory across Disciplines" <WRYTING-L@LISTSERV.UTORONTO.CA>
Subject: netbehaviour: Why Knot? (fwd)
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2004 23:42:05 -0500 (EST)
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 01 Nov 2004 23:37:10 +0000 From: marc <marc.garrett@furtherfield.org> Reply-To: list@www.netbehaviour.org To: list@www.netbehaviour.org Subject: netbehaviour: Why Knot? *Why Knot?* The sculpture consists of a necktie hung from a platform located above an array of ten electric motors placed at strategic locations in the space near the tie. Different actuators, e.g. levers, pulleys, sliders, bicycle crank/sprocket/chain, winch, each attached to a motor shaft, move and manipulate the necktie to tie the knot providing graphic examples of mechanical devices in action. A computer outputs a sequence of numbers to electronic circuits that convert these numbers into voltages that control the ten motors. Both the circuitry and a monitor displaying the control numbers are visually prominent. The "brains" of the machine consists of the sequence of number pairs that determines which motor moves how far, and in what order to finish he task. After the necktie is tied, the knot is pulled apart so it can begin again. The video contains an especially amusing part in which the cycle is filmed at ten times normal speed. http://www.asme.org/education/precollege/whyknot/