Untitled
This is a work that I created, inspired by my interest in microscale deformable mirrors. It is modeled after the hexagonal deformable mirror made by the company I co-founded, Boston Micromachines Corporation. It also drew upon the subjects that I teach in my "introduction to Engineering Design" class, where teams of students use Arduinos and motors to develop new products. Finally, I attribute some of the motivation for this project to the art of Danny Rozin.
The sculpture is comprised of 37 hexagonal mirror segments in an array, supported by servo controllers. A 64 pixel infrared-sensitive camera monitors the space in front of the sculpture. When the camera detects the warmth of a passing person, it actuates the mirror segments so that the person will see themselves in the reflection from the mirror array. The mirrors follow the person's motion, always keeping them centered in the field of view.
Many people are startled by the noisy and sudden slewing of the mirrors.