Gallery: Watch: A Gizmo That Makes 49 Rubber Duckies Sway in Perfect Harmony
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Faced with an impending trade show, marketers at motor manufacturer Faz Elektrik needed a demo to get designers excited about their relatively boring black boxes, so they turned to British artist David Cranmer for help. *Photo: David Cranmer*
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Cranmer suggested an unorthodox solution—a programmable matrix of 49 ducks that appear to float gracefully on invisible swells. "I was hoping they wouldn't think it was too frivolous for a reputable industrial manufacturer," says Cranmer, "But they went for it right away and sent me a big box of motors." *Photo: David Cranmer*
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"I had encountered most of the processes in this project before, but it's always good to approach them in an order where the most uncertain parts are ticked off first," says Cranmer. Each electronic element was tested on his bench to prove the principle. Structural elements were added individually until Cranmer had a perfectly functioning prototype of a single complete mechanism. Kinks in communication between elements were worked out until he literally had all of his ducks in a row. *Photo: David Cranmer*
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Mechanically, the simple structure is comprised of laser-cut cams driven by the motors, which propel flexible carbon fiber shafts through guide holes into the underside of each duck. *Photo: David Cranmer*
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The works of artists like Jean Tinguely, Nicolas Schöffer, and Arthur Ganson, electronic music, tool catalogs, and surfing Adafruit.com are all important influences on Cranmer. *Photo: David Cranmer*
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The flexible rods, sturdy plastic enclosures, and well-engineered motors ensured that the exotic exhibit could survive many seasons of trade shows. *Photo: David Cranmer*
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Cranmer simulated the various animations that would be possible with his structure in CAD models before committing the movements to code. *Image: David Cranmer*
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The code driving this animal automaton has been [open sourced](http://www.nervoussquirrel.com/duckmachinemakingof.html). *Photo: David Cranmer*
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An Arduino Uno, two Arduino Mega boards, and an array of 14 quad H-bridge drivers transform the 49 ducks into pixels, giving the duckies the ability to ride hidden waves or reveal ripples in an impalpable pool.*Photo: David Cranmer*
