3 ms·

A physical implementation could use magnets to hold to the specific spots. Once enough torque is built on trying to move the hand, it would snap out of place a

by shagie 4y ago

A physical implementation could use magnets to hold to the specific spots. Once enough torque is built on trying to move the hand, it would snap out of place and would then find the next magnet and 'hold' onto that spot. As an aside, I'm not sure that doing this for the hour hand is a "good" idea. The difference between 10:00 am and 11:00 am is significant and needing to check how much the bend is doesn't "feel" right. (late edit thought) If we're getting to the "this is controlled by some other system that doesn't need to be purely mechanical", having an electromagnet on at the right spot that then toggles off at one 5m increment and on at the next so that there's only one magnet active at a time could reduce possible issues of having the wiggle/snap attach to the wrong magnet.

inanutshellus 4y ago
Using magnets would definitely make for a cooler look, but this effect can be done using nails of varying heights.
- shagie 4y ago
  The thing that I wonder about (with nails) would be "what would happen if the the flexihand was able to wiggle past the peg when it moved from one peg to the next?" In that case, I believe, it would just be a regular clock style hand. It's possible that I've got the wrong mental model for how that would work.
  - inanutshellus 4y ago
    I think you'd put the nails at N+1 position, not N. (e.g. for the minute mark, you't put the nail at 6, 11, 16, etc. not 5, 10, 15). Then, the hand would press against the nail and progressively bend until it slipped past the nail entirely and jumped to the next 5 spot (and not yet be touching the next nail).
    - shagie 4y ago
      In exploring an idea on this a bit more... I found https://ferrolic.com https://ferrolic.com which... is interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PFgVtzsXHM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PFgVtzsXHM is another video on the idea.
Kaibeezy 4y ago
See also: It Shall All Be Mine, Gregory Bae, 2016. "Atomic clocks that are magnetized to tick in place." https://www.gregorybae.com/It-Shall-All-Be-Mine https://www.gregorybae.com/It-Shall-All-Be-Mine Currently on exhibit at Chicago MCA - https://visit.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/gregory-bae/ https://visit.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/gregory-bae/

by shagie 4y ago

inanutshellus 4y ago

Using magnets would definitely make for a cooler look, but this effect can be done using nails of varying heights.

shagie 4y ago
The thing that I wonder about (with nails) would be "what would happen if the the flexihand was able to wiggle past the peg when it moved from one peg to the next?" In that case, I believe, it would just be a regular clock style hand. It's possible that I've got the wrong mental model for how that would work.
- inanutshellus 4y ago
  I think you'd put the nails at N+1 position, not N. (e.g. for the minute mark, you't put the nail at 6, 11, 16, etc. not 5, 10, 15). Then, the hand would press against the nail and progressively bend until it slipped past the nail entirely and jumped to the next 5 spot (and not yet be touching the next nail).
  - shagie 4y ago
    In exploring an idea on this a bit more... I found https://ferrolic.com https://ferrolic.com which... is interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PFgVtzsXHM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PFgVtzsXHM is another video on the idea.

Kaibeezy 4y ago

See also: It Shall All Be Mine, Gregory Bae, 2016. "Atomic clocks that are magnetized to tick in place." https://www.gregorybae.com/It-Shall-All-Be-Mine https://www.gregorybae.com/It-Shall-All-Be-Mine Currently on exhibit at Chicago MCA - https://visit.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/gregory-bae/ https://visit.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/gregory-bae/