MachinePix Weekly #56
The most popular post this week was an aircraft stunt. Next week: Andrew Zolty of designs studio BREAKFAST 🍳
Next week I’ll be interviewing Andrew Zolty of BREAKFAST, the studio behind some amazing kinetic sculptures. One of my favorites remains their 13’ display that used 6,400 spools of thread as pixels:
The most popular post this week was a butt-clenching aircraft situation. Many followers pointed out that 1) this was almost certainly an intentional stunt and 2) the rope around the pilot’s waist is probably worse than useless for safety. As a result I feel compelled to provide actual protocol for a power off stall recovery, complete with 90s educational video narrator voice.
I’m always looking for interesting people to interview, have anyone in mind?
—Kane
The Week in Review
This was designed in partnership with Disney Imagineering to replace actual animals in theme parks. An admirable goal, but I can’t help draw the comparison to PK Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep where real animals become luxury status symbols. Related, Disney Research publishes incredible work that has been featured on @machinepix multiple times.
This week has an unintentional nautical theme. Assuming median weight and length for a great white shark, and assuming its center of mass is in the middle of its length, this shark needs to breach with ~49 kilojoules of kinetic energy to make this jump—all generated from muscle.
The whole sequence is nuts. The trials also triggered a 3.9 magnitude earthquake.
Nothing quite as soothing as a CNC bender. Even more soothing: CNC footage set to trance music.
Postscript
Humans developed composites 1,600 years before steel (which first appeared in 1,800 BC).
If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it to friends (and interesting enemies). I am always looking to connect with interesting people and learn about interesting machines—reach out.
—Kane