Alluring HoverArt Aloft

The Challenge: To create a HoverArt that stays within the wind tube.

A simple objective that constructively occupied the time of numerous students who participated in the wind tube interactive space in the SIC this March. Buoyancy, upthrust, wind speed, drag, air resistance, angle of attack were words thrown around as students engaged in this open learning activity.

The Action

Students were free to create their HoverArt with material provided. Different sets of material were presented each week to keep people coming back for more exploration.

First, the design process is executed.

Actualizing the design takes up most part of the time.

Of course, the satisfaction is in finally launching the end-product.

It doesn't always work. Most start off too light and simply fly out of the wind tube. Others just won't float up at all. So there is a lot of pondering and discussion and going back to the workbench to improve designs.

After a few days, there were lots of successful HoverArts on display for students to try out.

These HoverArts are capable of a whole range of dancing patterns; floating gracefully, bobbing about, spinning like tops, spiraling madly, swirling and twirling in unexpected ways. It is rather entertaining to just watch.

The middle-schoolers leapt in on this opportunity to discover buoyancy for themselves. Seniors tended to be more apprehensive and thoughtful, mostly preferring to comment from a distance. A few were courageous enough to let their inner playfulness loose and resulted in some clever HoverArts. One committed senior came back on literally every of his free time in the day to improve his design. That is the kind of spirit an inventor/researcher/scientist should have!

When the wind tube space is opened, crowds normally gather.

Although students were encouraged to take pictures and videos of their HoverArt in action, the engrossing act of making and testing their HoverArt often take the focus off that. Here are a just a couple that did managed to be videoed.

This wind tube interactive space is the first Science related event. If you missed out on it, you should really smack yourself silly!

Behind the Scenes

Initial concepts of the wind tube was tested out. Retort stands, clamps and even the library book trolley were used.

Finally a topless table frame was decided to be the most ideal support.

Thanks to the our ever-helpful college property management team, a proper switch was installed to allow for safe and easy switching of the high velocity fan for the wind tube. A mesh was added to prevent small items from entering the fan. Concealed wires lay beneath secured mats. This wind tube was as professional a set-up as a school library could achieve!

As everything had to be installed in parts over a few days, suspense simmered with this space-aged message...

When instructions were up, the space officially opened.

Here's a shot of initial attempts to create publicity material for the event... It turned out to be a photography challenge that ended with some experimentation with black background in the dark!