Ferrofluid is something wonderful and surprising. In the past we've explained how to make a homemade variant, and how to use it to visualize electromagnetic fields, but this time we're sharing a concept that should be on every desk. The Ferrolic is a clock that generates different patterns and numbers from ferrofluid, applying precise magnetic control to its surface. However, the best explanation is to see it in action...
Almost any basic, low-cost device can tell time these days, but for some people, that process requires watches transformed into works of art. At the end of 2017, we learned the differences between a $5,000 watch and one of $85,000, with details that definitely escape the casual eye, and in early 2014 we talked about the Midnight Planétarium, a portable planetarium of $245,000. The world of horology is much more complex than we imagine, and it's not limited to mechanics.
Meet Ferrolic
If you want an example, then you have to make room for the Ferrolic. This project by Zelf Koelman took the web by storm a couple of years ago, but it keeps coming back to our feeds because the result is extraordinary. In simple terms, Ferrolic is a ferrofluid clock. A layer of this liquid is trapped in a glass panel, and it tends to settle at the base. The real magic begins with the activation of hidden magnets in the back. Ferrolic creates different patterns and "creatures" of ferrofluid, finally presenting the time.
https://old.neoteo.com/el-asombroso-calzado-con-ferrofluido-de-nike/Not the Only One
Ferrolic is not the only ferrofluid clock we've found. Perhaps some of our readers remember the Rhei prototype by Damjan Stanković, which left us speechless by revealing the complexity of its magnetic control. The problem is that none of them advanced to a "second phase" so to speak. Rhei never became a commercial product, and if the available information doesn't fail me, only 24 Ferrolics were made, at a price of $8,300 each. Our only hope is to follow the DIY route, and some online projects use Arduino hardware. If you're good with electronics, why not...?
Official site: Click here
