Slow Water Kaleida Windermere


Slow Water, Ether Fish & Kaleida Cupboards

Created for the inaugural Windermere Science Festival reacting to the theme of water.

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The Cupboard Kaleida

The original Kaleidoscope was invented way back in 1817 and became a massively successful gadget the following year. We reckon it’s still as magical today as it ever was! Instead of angled mirrors in a tube, we’ve used a webcam and Raspberry Pi computer to create a rotating triangular section reflecting into loads of hexagons.

Doing things this way means everyone can enjoy their mesmerising creations together on a large screen.

People - especially kids loved trying out different petri dishes, or put something else under the scope to see what patterns they could conjure! We cut out circles of paper at the suggestion of one visitors and people had a great time seeing the images their drawings made.

Slow Water & Ether Fish

Step up and gaze upon your reflection. Step from side to side. Turn yourself around. Give yourself a wobbly wave. Take a picture of your watery twin.

These body-warping waters use Slit Scanning, an old film effect that builds static images from thin slices taken from each video frame.

It’s been coded to life using Javascript, a webcam and a Raspberry Pi (an inexpensive mini-computer).

The Ether Fish below has been captured in its jar using an angled reflective surface on a screen, an update on a Victorian theatre trick called Pepper’s Ghost.

Science + tech + creative coding = a weird watery wonder.

Machine hanging from chains against wood

Obligatory shot of our friendly shed robot cutting some shapes for us!

Incredibly messy room, tools and machines everywhere.

Mid project chaos in the “office”!

TV screens on a desk and in a corner cabinet

Some lush second hand furniture gave us the basic structures

Screen displaying blue tinted webcam footage in cabinet

Added the Raspberry Pi with a dash of code for my first test - and a few odds and ends to set the right tone!

White cabinet containing tv screen

How about we paint it white?

White cabinet with TV screen with floating goldfish in bell jar below.

And add an “Ether Fish” with the help of a hidden screen and the Pepper’s Ghost technique.

TV in white cabinet on the left, portrait tv in corner cabinet on the right.

Added in a sneaking Kaleidoscope in the corner cabinet too!

Two screens with in  a grey cabinet and a tall corner cabinet.

How about we paint the cabinet grey and use put a jar of water under the kaleidoscope! Hmm, I like it!

Two screens, the one on the left showing reflected hexagons of pond weed

Yes I love these pond weed kaleidoscope images!

Kaleidoscope image on a tv screen above a petri dish of weed.

Hmm, I wonder if a petri dish would be better? Yes I think it is. Oooh and people could swap different dishes in and out! YES!

3 petri dishes

Like some pebbles, some weed and some thread.

Corner screen on left next to wide screen on desk with signs and and chair

All set up at the Windermere Jetty - looking good on an amazingly sunny Cumbrian day!

Sign saying: Slow Water: Step up and gaze upon your reflection.

Jennie made some pro signs so we look totes legit!

Collection of different sized jars with labels (e.g. Gillyweed)

It’s all about the details - Jennie made some potion jars!

Chris and Jennie with screens behind

Quick double selfie before the doors open!

Man, woman and child.

And we’re off - first they try to figure out what’s going on!

Girl jumping, mothing smiling

And then the dancing starts!

Girl looking into distorted picture on screen.

Because everything is very, very wibbly!

young girl turning arm in arm with older boy

Spinning around a friend was a good move to try…

Girl and boy laughing

And then stopping to laugh at yourself as you create a combined tornado on screen!

Boy looking intro screen

Putting your head sideways and looking left and right makes your eyes go all weird!

Two boys, two women and Chris all looking into the screen

Grown-ups being dragged into a shimmy by the kids!

Man and two boys dancing with arms aloft!

Epic family dance routines ensued!

Crown children and adults at the back

Absolutely everyone started grooving after a few demo moves - even the woman who just popped in to find the toilet!

Young boy and girl in cardboard hats

What lovely brain hats from the Science Grrl stand!

Distorted face of baby and mother in blue tinted screen

What a wibbly baby!

Chris standing next to exhibits

Phew! What a busy and brilliant day!