Animated Optical Illusion

thingiverse

This idea is for an optical illusion device featuring animated images. It consists of a foil and paper, with the latter displaying multiple layers representing each frame of the animation. A gridded foil allows only one frame to be visible at a time, creating an illusion of movement. The device involves two cylinders - paper on the inner one, and foil on the outer one, which can be moved against each other. This motion could be powered by hand or motor, while internal lighting creates a moving pattern lantern effect. Rotating the inner cylinder advances the animation, while rotating the outer keeps it static. The user hopes someone with 3D design skills will develop this device and has provided a Java program (Anoptillum.jar) for creating the foil and paper from JPG or PNG frames. Although created quickly, it has potential. A video demonstration can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5xtRdLOopU. Thanks!