Mechatronics
The Atlas Sand Table
A kinetic sand art table built in 4 weeks — mathematics made physical, hidden beneath decorative furniture.
4
Weeks to build
25×
Cheaper than alternatives
360°
Rotational freedom
36cm
Drawing radius
Overview
Made in 4 weeks, this robot utilizes every last drop of power available in a LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kit. Using its custom magnetic system, it acts as an engineering-themed kinetic art piece that draws meditative patterns "wirelessly," hiding underneath a piece of decorative furniture.
Features
- Custom LEGO EV3 robotics arm with magnetic attachment, dual motors and 360° rotational freedom across a 36 cm radius
- Entirely custom build and table, manufactured using power tools and CNC after 3D CAD modeling
- Extremely light C and C++ code — optimized for the EV3's constrained compute environment
- Fully autonomous contemplative drawings for hours without any human intervention
- Cost of manufacturing is 25× less than similar products available on the market
Engineering Notebook
A comprehensive manual covering the design process, tasks involved, and robot development — including detailed subsystem documentation for both hardware and software.
Download Notebook