Trajectories – BouncingBall
2023
kinetic sculpture
electronics, 3D prints, wood, steel
120 cm x 100 cm x 18 cm
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»Trajectories - Bouncing Ball« is a kinetic sculpture that continuously tests a mathematical model of the physical world.
The test object is a ball that moves according to a calculated trajectory. As soon as the ball comes to rest, the simulation process starts all over again: New parameters are determined and another unique trajectory is calculated.
The mathematical model used to compute the bouncing ball's trajectories is based on a simplified version of Newton's axioms - the fundamental laws of motion and the basics of classical mechanics. Newton's axioms follow the deterministic concept that the position of a body in space at a given time can be predicted if sufficient information about the acting forces is known.
The work is inspired by a basic programming exercise for animations in two-dimensional space. Various forces like gravity, friction and elasticity can be built into the program to dynamically influence the displayed motion. With simple means, a behavior is simulated that approximates human perception.
»Trajectories - Bouncing Ball« is a translation of these models and simulation techniques back into a physical form.
