Making interactive ferrofluid installation: Digital fabrication presenting the ferrotank
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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
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Date
2023
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Master's Programme in New Media
Language
en
Pages
52 + 14
Series
Abstract
Scientific research and technological innovation have infused new opportunities in the field of art. The development of digital fabrication provides the technological foundation for the maker movement and equips artists with tech-related skills to explore creative forms of artistic expression. During the maker movement, Fablab emerged, which is a standardized lab with digital fabrication equipment for rapid prototyping. This thesis investigates the process to design an interactive ferrofluid installation with digital fabrication tools. It adapts the action research methodology and produces an installation – Ferrotank in an iterative process at Aalto Fablab. In this installation, the audience can control the movement of a special liquid – ferrofluids through a capacitive touch controller, which triggers the electromagnets. The study starts with theoretical research on three topics, including ferrofluid properties, electromagnetism, and electronics design. Then, it reflects on other artists’ projects to gather inspiration for interactive methods with ferrofluids. Next, it documents an iterative design and production method of two versions of Ferrotank. The outcome of the first iteration consists of a grid of nine electromagnets in the back of a glass bottle and a transparent multitouch layer in the front. Following that, the second iteration is developed to solve the issues in the previous prototype. It contains three parts, including a glass bottle filled with ferrofluids and suspension liquid, a control system of two electromagnets, and a remote capacitive sensing controller. Lastly, it analyzes the drawbacks of the second iteration and suggests possible solutions. It also proposes possibilities for future applications.Description
Supervisor
Reunanen, MarkkuThesis advisor
Reunanen, MarkkuRijnieks, Krisjanis
Keywords
interactive art, electromagnet, capacitive touch, ferrofluid, digital fabrication, electronics