Harry Potter Automata

The purpose of this exploration was to Create a mechanism that drives a whimsical behavior, in the hopes that this interesting behavior will lead the user to want to investigate the mechanism responsible for it. I was inspired by the funny automaton created by Bernie Lubell and wanted to create one of my own.

The box had Harry spinning in a circle, and the dragon moving side to side. I had a great amount of difficulty getting the prototype to its current stage, and realized that even a seemingly simple mechanism is incredibly difficult to pull of successfully. 

The ideal user interaction would involve turning an appropriately sized crank to move the mechanism.

There are a number of things that can be improved with this exhibit. Firstly, I would make the box out of clear acrylic so that the user can see the mechanism. I would then reduce the friction by making the circumference of the track that Harry slides on much smaller. I would also use the laser cutter to create parts that fit well together.  The scale of the project is also important to consider, I probably would make it something that could sit on a table.