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Animated Temporary Flying Sculpture

Balls launched into the air in sequence that creates a 3D sculpture that hovers for a second before falling back into the launch tube matrix.
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100 or so tubes with pneumatic or solenoid powered ball launchers, each of which can launch any number of balls into the air to fill a particular space for a second before they fall back.

When this series of launched balls reach their apex, they would all do so in an arrangement that formed a sculpture. This sculpture could be a human figure, words or abstract forms.

This is sort of an inverted version of those water fountains that spell words and form shapes as they fall.

Wonder if there's a water version of this.

doctorremulac3, Dec 11 2022

This in 3D but with solid pieces instead of water and coming upwards instead of falling down. https://www.youtube...watch?v=d9HNaeS9N0A
[doctorremulac3, Dec 11 2022]

Like this only in 3D. https://www.youtube...watch?v=94NOfOjr1Gc
[doctorremulac3, Dec 11 2022]

Takes balls... https://www.youtube...watch?v=PQmbmjNPmqU
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 12 2022]

Strobing & Falling https://www.google....BAQ&sclient=gws-wiz
Using strobe lights with water = magic! [neutrinos_shadow, Dec 12 2022]

1st step... https://www.aliexpr.../4000538298319.html
Hack this to start, perhaps? [neutrinos_shadow, Dec 13 2022]

[link]






       I was going to mention the "waterfall" version, but you bet me to it. I had a quick Google for "fountain" (instead of fall) versions but couldn't find any. I'm surprised Las Vegas or Dubai aren't on it.
You're going to need multiple balls per launcher, so the mechanism with-in might get a little tricky.
neutrinos_shadow, Dec 11 2022
  

       Yea, that’s why I’m thinking a water fountain version. At least at first.
doctorremulac3, Dec 11 2022
  

       Reminds me of this [link].   

       You/re limited to certain shapes unless the balls can maneuver on their own. If they can you'll have the already baked drone swarm shapes.
Voice, Dec 12 2022
  

       Great!   

       If you could fire balls out fast and accurately enough, you could light with a strobe synchronised to the launch frequency, and the balls would appear to hang in the air.
By being having only near-matching frequencies, the balls could appear to move slowly, either forward or back.
Loris, Dec 12 2022
  

       It's a nice commonplace idea amongst those who create systems controlled kinetic sculpture pieces, so hardly original. However, were they were to burst into flames or consist of hand grenades then you might really have something (8th would naturally have proposed airborn kittens) but I don't approve of animal cruelty.
xenzag, Dec 12 2022
  

       Are their kinetic sculptures that throw things in the air like this? That's cool, love to see them.   

       Hey Loris, how about strobe lights in the actual balls themselves? Could trigger them in flight to make 3d animations eh? Could even have them adjustable to fade in and out for cool light shows, especially at night.
doctorremulac3, Dec 12 2022
  

       Hey, just occurred to me, taking Loris' adding light idea, just simplify the entire thing.   

       Semi clear balls with battery powered lights in the middle that are simply blown up at random via a blower. Have the lights inside pulse at various times and you'd get a nighttime light fountain thing.   

       Could even have flight paths shaped like a Christmas tree. Strobe them properly and you could even give the effect of them flying backwards.
doctorremulac3, Dec 12 2022
  

       It's a beautiful idea. Hold that thought...
blissmiss, Dec 12 2022
  

       And to make it even SIMPLER, shoot them out of a tube, they rain down and make a shape like a Christmas tree.   

       Much simpler and you could get them higher.
doctorremulac3, Dec 12 2022
  

       Gimbal the single cannon to get a good spatial distribution, a little smarts (accelerometers etc) in each ball so it only flashes "on" when & where it is supposed to, sloped ground underneath for a collection system to recirculate the balls. This is getting disturbingly feasible!
neutrinos_shadow, Dec 12 2022
  

       And I'm loving how the price has dropped by like... 99% from the original design. Started with hundreds of digitally controlled railguns now we're talking about one computer controlled tube with basically a glorified leaf blower powering it.
doctorremulac3, Dec 12 2022
  

       Just occurred to me looking at the touch activated balls. (link)   

       Shoot two streams of these together where they hit at the top and you've got a light show with off the shelf stuff.
doctorremulac3, Dec 13 2022
  
      
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