Final Design

Pictures of Skin Progress

Peg Electromagnets

Electromagnetic Hexagon

The mesh idea was a failure because we could not get the mesh to become magnetized so instead of creating a grid with a mesh, we created a grid with individual electromagnets that will be able to be turned on and off in order to change shape and opacity through the attraction of metal shavings.

Idea.

This idea is using 3 different "planes" (mesh) that could each be turned into electromagnets which could be turned on and off to attract "particles" (metal shavings) which would create a moving surface.

Electromagnetic Model

This model is a different take on the first "self building" model which was fed each unit in order to grow. The same idea is used in this second model, using paperclips as the building units which allow it to keep growing.





Video coming soon.

Electromagnet Trials

The first using a single a 1.5V "C" battery to a metal ring:



This electromagnet did not work completely, because even though the metal ring became magnetized, the metal ring became so magnetized, that after disconnecting the current, the paperclips were attracted to the metal ring:




Trial two:

In order to make the electromagnet successful, an iron rod was used, instead of the ring, which is harder to magnetize.



Trial two was successful, here the current is connected and the paperclips are attracted to the rod:



because the rod was harder to magnetize, the paperclips came off when it was turned off.



This video shows the electromagnet picking up paperclips when it's on and not attracting anything when it is disconnected from the battery.