| contact name | William Tremblay |
| artists' names | William Tremblay, Rob Gonsalves |
| artists' locations | Allston, MA USA |
| art name | Wave Puppet |
| art media | Acrylic, aluminum, steel, EPDM rubber, servo motors,
computer, custom software |
| art dimensions | 3*3*3 feet |
| art date | 2005 |
| art description | Translating powerful physical forces to an
anthropomorphically comprehensible and safely inanimate form, Wave
Puppet is a marionette of the ocean's surface directed by the math
that underlies all waves. Wave Puppet is an open-framed cube
containing a flexible sheet suspended horizontally. The sheet hangs
from 36 vertical steel rods, evenly spaced in a grid pattern. Each rod
is attached to a computer-controlled servo motor through a mechanical
linkage. When a motor actuates, the point on the surface of the sheet
connected to the rod rises or falls, deforming the sheet. When this
motion is coordinated by computer, complex wave patterns are
generated, capturing the dynamics of liquid in a purely mechanical
form. Additional complexity arises from the inherent imprecision of
the motors, at once enhancing the puppet's similarity to water and
calling attention to its simulated nature. A motion detector signals
the approach of a viewer, beginning the puppet show. |
| art proposal | Wave Puppet is an open-framed cube containing a flexible
sheet suspended horizontally. The sheet hangs from a large number of
small cables, evenly spaced in a grid pattern. Each cable is attached
to a computer-controlled winch motor. When the winch retracts a cable,
the point on the surface of the sheet connected to the given cable
rises, deforming the sheet. Multiple cables will pull
simultaneously. When this motion is coordinated by a small computer,
complex wave patterns are generated. The program will run set wave
patterns and also random patterns. In its installed form, a motion
detector will signal the approach of a viewer and signal the computer
to increase the amount of randomness in the wave
pattern. Additionally, the lighting of the piece will alter as the
wave pattern changes. |
| art placard | Translating powerful physical forces to an anthropomorphically
comprehensible and safely inanimate form, Wave Puppet is a marionette of
the ocean's surface directed by the math that underlies all waves. |