User:Cjcampo/ENES 100/Escher

Problem
Escher drawings can be made into 3D objects that if looked at in the right lighting, at the right angle, create an illusion ... typically of water going up hill or balls rolling up hill. These illusions make great demonstration devices that illustrate engineering and art to kids and start interesting conversations.

Conceive
Escher drawings can be drawn in 3D software and then physically modeled so their percularities become more exposed. Project doesn't have to include a water pump.
 * This project has to have a chin rest system so the eye lines create the illusion.
 * Videoing the illusion is a must
 * Lighting is going to be very important

Design
Link to the sketchup file


 * Waterfall in google Sketchup
 * Waterpump starting point
 * siphon and hoses option

Objective
Creating a visional illusion against people's common sense of gravity.

Background Design
Background design incorporated in the initial prototype

Second Background design Instead of tilting one side of the bottom, for the second background design, two sides of the bottom were tilted 15 degrees, which means there is a corner touching the ground.

Track Design
CAD on Autodesk Inventor

Friction
Implement:

Due to the fact that a marble is being used instead of water to create the gravity defying illusion, this project will be reliant on timing and the use of multiple marbles. It will consist of an initial marble that rolls from the beginning of the track to the end in the background, then when the marble reaches the end of the ground level track, a marble will be released on the top level track and roll forwards and fall down to the ground level track and start the cycle over again. As mentioned before, timing will be critical in this illusion, therefore initial bottom track tests trials were conducted to find an average time it takes for a marble to roll from the beginning to the end of the ground level track.

Trial 1: 3.63 seconds Trial 2: 3.67 seconds Trial 3: 3.59 seconds Trial 4: 3.63 seconds Trial 5: 3.65 seconds Trial 6: 3.71 seconds

Next Steps The next step to bring this illusion together is to design a mechanism that will launch balls from the top level of the structure and have them fall to the lower level and roll to the background. This is imperative to the illusion because it needs to seem like there is a perpetual cycle that the ball just continues to roll up and fall down non-stop and forever. However, this illusion will not work unless there is a way to eliminate the background, as well as the shadows which take away from the illusion. The proposed background will be a flat black and the track will end up being painted a flat black or dark grey color in order to eliminate shadows and anything else that will distract from the illusion.

Implement
Prototypes

Operate
Links to demo videos on Youtubeː

Initial Prototype Demo

Initial Prototype Demo with Dual Track and Two Same Size Marbles

Initial Prototype Demo with Dual Track and Two Different Size Marbles

Revelation of the Whole Design Structure

V-Shaped Track Overview

V-Shaped Track Initial Testing

Slider Track Demo

Unsuccessful Simulation of the Modified Slider Track

Demo
Updated & Revised PPT Presentation

Next Steps

 * Paint the track a dark color so it reduces shadows
 * Create a white background to show the illusion
 * Create a steady camera stand to film so it is not shaky
 * Complete the third tier to the design
 * Test the Track and refine the design and make a larger scale design
 * Determine whether to use a ball or water
 * Try different liquids to see if the illusion works better with slower flowing liquids or faster flowing liquids


 * Make video of 2 ramp
 * Create demo of the 2 ramp
 * Draw water fall
 * Make the four ramp
 * Create successful physics simulation using track variations