Group Member: Tom and Harry

1. Our interest

Perpetual motion machine

2. Research and Biography

1. Perpetual motion machine

A perpetual motion machine is a hypothetical machine that can do work indefinitely without an energy source. It is an idea that came from middle age and people tend to realize its impossibility with the development of physics and especially the conservation of energy. However, in the past hundred years, there are so many conceptual models of the perpetual motion machine. Though they are fake, they are one of the classical symbols of physics, showing people’s pursue in history.

Here are the relevant resources:

1. 1. 1. 1. Journal article, A Perpetual Motion Machine, Scientific American, Vol. 57, No. 5 (JULY 30, 1887), p. 69 (1 page)

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26087776

This article was an old print in the 19th century showing people’s research on a perpetual motion machine. Like Aether, this is also a concept proved to be wrong. However, we can still find out their original thoughts in this article.

2. Five Perpetual Motion Machines, and Why None of Them Work:

https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2018/12/03/six_perpetual_motion_machines_and_why_none_of_them_work.html

This article introduces some famous design of perpetual motion machines in history and explained why they don’t work. These designs are so classical and could bring some ideas to our work.

2. Motor and generator

Electric motors and generators are key components of industrial society. They are also a key link in the mutual conversion of kinetic and electrical energy. While their principles and internal structure are similar, they function in opposite ways. With generators, we can convert kinetic energy into electricity; with an electric motor, we can convert electricity into kinetic energy. Together, electric motors and generators form a closed loop between electrical and kinetic energy, making it easy for us to convert one energy into another.
Here is a relevant resource:
https://www.animations.physics.unsw.edu.au/jw/electricmotors.html
This webpage explains the principle of motor and generator with animations.

3. Avenues of Dissemination

1. Sky wheel

1. As a spinning object, sky wheels are something that involves both art and science. By learning about the sky wheels, we could understand how art is combined with science. Here is a collection of the world’s coolest sky wheels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT_F5rBcoKM

Since the London Eye is one of the most famous sky wheels, through this journal article, we learnt about the structure of the

2. London Eye: Mathematics in the London Eye. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5951/mathteacher.106.3.0172

2. LED fan display

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEa7R7BRUj4
Using a motor that spins at high speed, we can make fans. Fans promote air circulation. And by adding LEDs to the blades of the fan, we can turn the fan into a display. Although the fan blade is very thin, when it rotates at high speed, it only needs to precisely control the LED light and off, coupled with the human eye’s visual tentative effect, it can show a complete pattern. And in this video, the fan is improved to be a 3D hologram.

4. Three of our ideas.

1. 1. 1. Sky wheel model: In the project, we are going to combine the design of the sky wheel with our existing knowledge of the circuit. We are going to build a sky wheel with a motor, decorating it with shining LED lights, also, we could combine a music box. If possible, I think it would be good for us to make the light in each cell on the sky wheel to change the color gradually corresponding to the hight of the cell.
      2. LED fan display: in this project, we are going to combine our knowledge about the motor, LED, and IC to build a LED fan display. It will be a fan essentially. However, LEDs will be integrated into its blades. And when it spins, a certain pattern will appear on the blades. To build this project, we need to utilize basic electrical components such as motors and LEDs, as well as some advanced ones such as microcontrollers.
      3. Art of a perpetual motion machine. With respect to the classical perpetual motion machine, we want to design an art piece to memorize this period of time in which people tried their best to work on something that is proved to be wrong. With a comprehensive understanding of sound, light, and motor, we could build up a machine that can be powered by electricity and looks like a machine that works continuously.