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The Whirlydoodle Project Makes Fun, Spinning Things (Video)

Posted by Roblimo on from the round-and-round-she-goes dept.

There you were, one evening in Ann Arbor, MI, looking at a bunch of crazy spinning pinwheel-type things on light poles that seemed to change speed, colors, and light patterns with each minor wind shift. You were seeing Whirlydoodles. Slashdot met Whirlydoodle creator Timothy Jones at the 2012 Ann Arbor Mini Maker Faire and shot a quick video of him and his colorful "micro-electric wind turbine" in action.

34 comments

  1. FLEETWOOD MAC ALREADY DID IT !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Loosers !!

  2. Oh Slashdot how far we've fallen together. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is lame.

    1. Re:Oh Slashdot how far we've fallen together. by mindwhip · · Score: 1

      The end is coming. /. has jumped the shark.

      Slashdot just got dropped from one of my select array of home tabs.

      --
      [The Universe] has gone offline.
  3. editors, please by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 1

    Is it possible to have a more broken link? Yes.
    Is it likely? No.

    1. Re:editors, please by fm6 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Broken isn't a comparative concept. Stupid and sloppy, on the other hand.... I mean httpio:wwwannarborcomentertainmentwhirlydoodle-projectUGI3U41lTnh, that doesn't pass even the most basic sanity test.

      What do editors do? They clearly don't edit!

      Hey, underemployed technical writer here! Gimme a call.

    2. Re:editors, please by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      Broken isn't a comparative concept. Stupid and sloppy, on the other hand.... I mean httpio:wwwannarborcomentertainmentwhirlydoodle-projectUGI3U41lTnh, that doesn't pass even the most basic sanity test.

      Hell, that's something that can be tested by computers! A basic sanity test could just run curl or wget on every link to verify that it's correct and that there's something there (it oculd be completely wrong, but at least you know it's reachable.).

      You'd think they could test it using slashcode or something.

    3. Re:editors, please by mcgrew · · Score: 2

      This may (MAY!!) be the correct link. Gees, I've never seen such a botched URL. Does the submitter not know how to copy a URL from the address bar and paste it in the submission? And why did it get past the "editor"?

      --
      Free Martian Whores!
    4. Re:editors, please by fm6 · · Score: 1

      Huh, you're completely right.

      I sometimes have jobs that require me to edit HTML by hand. (Once my team wrote a whole goddamn book that way; yes, I know it's lame, we inherited the workflow from a simpler age). For obvious reasons, I used a Firefox plugin that color coded all my links based on the HTTP codes they returned. Anyone know a Chrome plugin that does the same thing?

      But all that requires planning and motivation.

    5. Re:editors, please by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does the submitter not know how to copy a URL from the address bar and paste it in the submission? And why did it get past the "editor"?

      In this case, it looks like submitter and editor are one and the same, which means there's even less excuse for such a fuck up.

    6. Re:editors, please by rastos1 · · Score: 1

      What do editors do? They clearly don't edit!

      They've been replaced by a script. Broken script to be exact.

  4. The first link looks malformatted by Duhfus · · Score: 1

    I know we have a reputation for not R-ingTFA, but that is no reason to completely botch a URL.

  5. Obligatory XKCD... by Jahava · · Score: 1

    Obligatory XKCD

  6. Look Maa..... by abhi2012 · · Score: 1

    Look Maa, a whirly circle of light!

  7. It's very likely I'm stupid by aglider · · Score: 1

    But my Linux box refuses to show me the marvels at "httpio:wwwannarborcomentertainmentwhirlydoodle-projectUGI3U41lTnh"!
    Any chance to have a real URL?

    --
    Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
    1. Re:It's very likely I'm stupid by fredrated · · Score: 1

      This message has been sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field.

      So you are the one sending the ripples, stop it now, I am getting sea sick!

    2. Re:It's very likely I'm stupid by aglider · · Score: 1

      This message has been sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field.

      So you are the one sending the ripples, stop it now, I am getting sea sick!

      Magnetic sea sick, you mean!

      --
      Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
  8. ... and by the way by aglider · · Score: 1

    It looks so insignificant ...

    --
    Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
  9. Inventor? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seems a bit of a stretch to call that an invention. I hope he has a patent on it!

    1. Re:Inventor? by skids · · Score: 1

      Hopefully not, but you never know given the patent laws these days.

      I used to build these things when I got bored. There were others before me, and I suspect they have existed ever since the first appliances containing a stepper motor got old enough to be scavenged for components.

      That said, I don't know if the claim that the pattern changes with windspeed is just based on the different voltages of different color LEDs. Once I put an independent timer that ran at an entirely different rate than the coils in there -- now that was an interesting display.

      --
      Someone had to do it.
  10. Supposed to be educational... by fm6 · · Score: 1

    ... but it's just a silly, useless toy.

    I am so getting one!

  11. Correct Link by MrYingster · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/whirlydoodle-project/#.UGXXtuewdvw

    1. Re:Correct Link by justthinkit · · Score: 1
      The buy link is just as broken, in its own way. Doesn't show in the status line where it is taking you. Displays nothing on my 750k hosts file machine. Apparently destination is wazala.com. And a mere $50. Think I'll buy six for each of my mansions.
      .

      And how bout them spiffy _pictures_?! Must suck pretty bad for them to not have video.

      --
      I come here for the love
  12. Could the first link actually be... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... something like
    http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/whirlydoodle-project/
    ?

  13. So what do we have here? by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    Spirogragh? On a computer? Has it already been patented?

    By the way, it there a picture or something to see what the story is about?

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  14. Did not meet expectations. by Roobles · · Score: 1

    I found this to be generally uninspired. You can do a lot more with wind if you're reasonably gifted in math and imagination.

    1. Re:Did not meet expectations. by Kazoo+the+Clown · · Score: 1

      That was my first take on it too-- and he's charging $50 for what is essentially a pinwheel with LEDs, that if made in China would come free in your Rice Crispys. It really needs some more interesting motion paths, and/or some interesting means of strobing the LEDs...

  15. Impact on insects? Birds? by Al+Al+Cool+J · · Score: 1

    Transparent spinning blades with lights on them attached to light poles. I wonder if moths and other insects end up getting attracted to the light and then get whacked by the blades. Hopefully birds are smart enough to stay clear.

    1. Re:Impact on insects? Birds? by skids · · Score: 2

      If this were the case (it isn't, mine had no guts on them), then this would constitute a renewable powered bug zapper.

      --
      Someone had to do it.
    2. Re:Impact on insects? Birds? by Al+Al+Cool+J · · Score: 1

      Sure, a zapper that might indiscriminately spray bug guts onto the people walking below =)

  16. And the real link is ... by aglider · · Score: 1

    ... http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/whirlydoodle-project/

    --
    Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
  17. I Like It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sort of a neat item. It is colorful and slightly mesmerizing. However, not at a $50 price point. I thought my partner would get a kick out of a few of these down at the ranch. If they drop in price, maybe, just maybe I'd proceed.

  18. Looks like a fun weekend project. Trick is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How does the electricity get out to the lights on the blades? You could have brushes on the rotor that carry it out to the lights, or you could have the coil on the rotor. Simpler design, very few parts to go bad. But unconventional.

    Doesn't seem that complicated to build, but its been years since I took an electromagnetic courses. Anyone know of a link to some plans for building one?

    1. Re:Looks like a fun weekend project. Trick is... by stokessd · · Score: 1

      permanent magnet is fixed, coils rotate with LEDs. easy peasy. Think of it this way with a common DC motor: The shaft is clamped to the pole, and the body of the motor is attached to the propeller. So the wiring all lives on the propeller.

      This is the sort of stuff you make in elementary or jr. high school.

      Sheldon

  19. Dear Slashdot editor... by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

    Dear Slashdot editor,

    What exactly do you do? You clearly don't check hyperlinks in summaries, which are just about the most important concept on Slashdot (and the entire internet).

    And no, for once, I'm actually not being facetious. I'd appreciate an answer.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.