Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
Ferrofluid clock:

Available from Ferrolic.com. To be fair: this stuff does look cool, and it could make a neat science project for kids. And perhaps there is some legitimate niche application for ferrofluids.

However - it looks like we are approaching maximum ferrofluid pseudoscience gimmickiness. Check out this gem of a description. Not only do you get some popular scientific terms enclosed in double quotes, but he's also named the blobs (Ferrolics!) and imbued them with human-like characteristics. Surprise, surprise, those characteristics don't include skills like critical thinking, but instead - the ability to tell a story!

More: http://isea2015.org/proceeding/submi...ission_246.pdf
Definitely an "Interesting" read and you are right about the flowery pseudoscience verbiage with double quotes to invoke mystery and learning, but that is his intent as near as I could tell plus maybe a little difference in language. It does have a fascinating artfulness to it, like watching the flames of a fire...there is a beauty to the forms reminiscent of sacred geometry, yet dynamic and draws out the imagination like cloud forms. Sachiko Kodama ferrofluid art exhibit is Interactive and he even tied it to sound and voice similar to Hans Jenny's Cymatics which evolved from Robert Hook (1680's) and Chaldini's (1800's) work. (I did a paper and several talks for IONS back when) Perhaps these science/art forms will also evolve.

I've been a card carrying member of the Cloud Appreciation Society since 09', mainly because I treasure of the shapes and the invoked imagination but also because of the science behind them. It's interesting that this man and group pursue that imagination through technology based on Janet Murray's principals of Digital Media. I've always thought there should be a more fluid dynamic (pun intended) between science and art through simplicity or Simple Elegance in terms of design and appearance.

As for his build, I can see that this took some pretty serious engineering to get the proper carrier for the fluid, sealing the container as well as engineering the specific flux with the electromagnets and associated software/electronics for the manipulation (the blob kiss is a good example). My interest in Ferrofluid is primarily scientific based on an undisclosed brain fart I had a few years ago of how it might be used in perhaps a spectacular and useful manor...and perhaps today gave me an idea of how to pump the fluid without pulsations...

Thanks for the post and lighting a candle again, Jon.

PJ