Photographing Exploding Edibles

Isaac Skibinski writes "Remember gawking at photos of bullets going through apples (and the pretty fruit gibbage)? We've recently built an apparatus to capture similar results, using a BASIC controller stamp, a disposable camera flash, an air compressor, an electronic sprinkler valve and some pipe. Considering the cost of the device, it has allowed us to take suprisingly crisp photos of high-velocity objects."

Comments

"Images in science"

[MrSpiff]

there are similar highspeed captures and a lot more fantastic photography and articles in this book from the swedish Karolinska Institute (http://www.imagesinscience.com) sadly only available from http://kup.ki.se/publications/images_sciences_en.h tml

Re:"Images in science"

[aheath]

The photograph of the apple and the bullet is the work of Harold E. "Doc" Edgerton. "By synchronizing strobe flashes with the motion being examined (for example, the spinning of engine rotors), then taking a series of photos through an open shutter at the rate of many flashes per second, Edgerton invented ultra-high-speed and stop-action photography (1931)." See Exploring the Art and Science of Stopping Time for more information on Harold Edgerton's life and work.

Re:"Images in science"

[Cyclotron_Boy]

I also took a lot of pictures of Exploding Apples. However, where this kid used a pneumatic gun and a flash camera, we used large pulses of current. In peak shots, we exceeded 2GW through the apples. Needless to say, they didn't make it.
The biggest difference between our methods, though, is the flash. Nails hitting the apples didn't produce any light, so he wouldn't get an image. We sat with the shutter open in a dark room as well, but all of our shots were simply lit by the light from the explosion. Note how the apples seem to be lit from within... Spooky. Here's a gallery of the various experiments in our HV lab.
-F

Man....

[Em Emalb]

A button is hit, telling the micro-controller to open the valve, thus releasing the pressure and sending the waiting bolt hurdling forth at around 150 m/sec

His ping times suck!

Easy to do using a sound-trigger

[vijayiyer]

There is a lot of information on building a sound-triggered system at http://www.hiviz.com/, along with some photos.

Sounds like

[Orion442]

using a BASIC controller stamp, a disposable camera flash, an air compressor, an electronic sprinkler valve and some pipe

MacGyver got a new hobby....but where's the duct tape???

bringing extreme sports to the kitchen

[Arathrael]

This has potential - kebab-making for the extreme sports enthusiast.

More exploding fruit & stuff

[tylernt]

Only these guys used real guns, no some sissy PVC contraption: http://www.bitpress.com/dc/ The 7 cans is my favorite. :)