Awesome Stuff: Ferrofluid

from the make-it-dance dept

Sat, Apr 13th 2013 9:00am — Mike Masnick

Last week you got to see four projects, so hopefully you banked that extra one, because this week we're going with just two. However, they're both projects involving ferrofluid that are perhaps competing with each other. I could only find two live ferrofluid projects, and that made it easy to figure out what was on the list this week....

First up is the well-named Ferrocious, which not only shows you ferrofluid in action, but it also responds to music and dances around within the device. I've gone back and forth on whether or not I really like this project. The device is cool... but it seems a bit bulky, considering how small the space is where the ferrofluid is. It has that mad scientist vibe, but at over $100, seems a bit steep. They're also selling a simpler version that is just a more standard ferrofluid display with a magnet, rather than the whole "bounces to music" thing. The project is ways past its rather low goal, but it also hasn't taken the Kickstarter community by wildfire yet either.
The second one is also a ferrofluid display, but the NeoDrop interactive display definitely has a much more polished look to it, even though it (like the simplified Ferrocious device) relies on hand held magnets to make the liquid do its thing. This device is also way overfunded based on a modest initial target. It's worth noting that this device seems a lot cooler looking if you're going for that modernist aesthetic -- plus it's a lot cheaper than the Ferrocious device. Either way, lots of people seem to be snapping up the devices to great fanfare.

Anyway, that's it this week: short and sweet, and letting the ferrofluid do the talking... Until next time, enjoy thinking about ferrofluid.

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Filed Under: awesome stuff, ferrofluid, innovation

13 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 13 Apr 2013 @ 9:53am

Really? Looks a bit "school-boyish" to me!
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Apr 2013 @ 9:55am

The latter impresses me as an electronic version (of sorts) of Wollywilly...
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ike, 13 Apr 2013 @ 11:05am

NeoDrop video's music
The song used in the NeoDrop video was written and performed by the incredibly talented Yuki Kajiura. The song in question is "BT" from the ".hack//Sign Original Soundtrack".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuki_Kajiura
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_.hac k//Sign_original_soundtracks
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xenomancer (profile), 13 Apr 2013 @ 1:25pm

Hmmm...
I seem to have two more gadgets on the way to my door.
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Spaceman Spiff (profile), 13 Apr 2013 @ 1:42pm

Lava Lamp!
This is the 21st Century Lava Lamp! :-) I'm sure someone will come out with one that is polished in appearance, and sophisticated in its visual behavior before long. Anyone around here (besides me) remember the "Pet Rock"? So, it just goes to prove that people will buy ANYTHING that is sufficiently novel and intriguing. :-)
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2013 @ 4:21am

"Awesome Stuff"
yes,,,, really AWESOME !!!!!

To me they are quite a yawn..
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2013 @ 4:37am

I count only three projects last week: 1 each of laser tag game, laser lamp, and 3D scanner.
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ike, 14 Apr 2013 @ 5:59am

Re: Lava Lamp!
people will buy anything BECAUSE it is sufficiently novel and intriguing.
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Reality Check (profile), 14 Apr 2013 @ 10:36am

Re: Lava Lamp!
Pretty sure the Pet Rock was a gag gift, nobody I know remembers it as anything but a joke... The lava lamp on the other hand, was interesting to watch and can be used as a night light. If anyone spent much time watching their pet rock, then I hope they got the help they needed.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2013 @ 10:43am

Ferrofluids seem like more of a niche thing now, but as time goes on, they're going to become vital to 3D printers. Instead of just squirting on material and hoping that it sets in the right order, a ferrofluid would be able to arrange an entire layer of hot material and even fix imperfections as the design was being printed.

But once again, all that is in the future.
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Ninja (profile), 15 Apr 2013 @ 3:26am

Re: NeoDrop video's music
Plain awesome soundtrack I tell you. That's one of the aspects I love the most in animation: the music. Check out Aria The Animation (and the sequels) soundtracks. It's one thing I'd give a good money to have the originals =/
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Ninja (profile), 15 Apr 2013 @ 3:29am

Personally it didn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside willing to buy. The first is kind of.. ugly. The second COULD be nice if there could be automated ways of building images and patterns with the fluid.

Maybe if you join the idea of the first one with the second you'd have a very interesting product. Alone they don't stick (at least in my opinion).
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dallas, 12 Jul 2013 @ 9:38am

idea
Why dont they place a small electromagnet with fluctuating power at the bottom of the neodrop powered by a rechargeable batery, with a switch to turn it on and off, along with the two hand held neodymium magnets at the top.if that is done I wil buy it in a heartbeat!!!
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