Thesis

28/03/2012

Project outline (in order to decide which elements in research to emphasise):

A zoetrope - a circular optical toy invented in 1830 - using displays instead of paper animation strips. Displays can change their contents and are therefore able to show moving images, but this capability won't be used. All movement comes forth out of the shutter mechanism of the zoetrope. A digital technology for displaying images is combined with a very much analogue means of showing motion.

The zoetrope is operated in the traditional manner of spinning the disc by hand. The computer inside detects in which direction it's spinning, and possibly also at what speed. Direction (and possibly speed) determine the content displayed.

Possible content:

A chain of events, scaling up. Starting for instance with a glass of water falling, ending with a tectonic plate shift. Influenceable by spinning the wheel clockwise or counterclockwise.

A maze, environments, the objective simply to get out. Clockwise for right, counterclockwise for left.

Random occurances, big ones and smaller ones, playing with the idea of reversibility and irrevirsibility (both by turning the wheel first clockwise, then counterclockwise) as well as with loops / non-loops. Eating an apple is irreversible. Tying a shoe is reversible. Falling of a cliff is irreversible.