Bioscope
My college years were defined by two strong passions: Engineering and Theatre. Engineering sharpened my technical skills and inspired me to solve problems, while theatre allowed me to express myself and contribute to a surreal spectacle. The Bioscope is a project I made to signify the overlap of engineering and theatre. It’s a wooden box that invites the user to come look into it, and what they see is a puppet levitating above the ground.
The Prompt:
As part of my Master’s program orientation at Northwestern, I was assigned the task of designing something under the theme ‘Wildest Dreams’. The aim was to utilize the design tools at our disposal to make the project as personal as I could.
The Brainstorming:
Since it was my wildest dream to have a career in both acting and tech, I decided to design a tribute to the two. I took the opportunity and resources available to make something poetic and open to interpretation, so I conceptualized different ideas. I considered making a hologram theatre set, a mechanized silhouette show, and even a robotic model of Shakespeare. But ultimately, I found the most suitable idea to express my intention: a puppet levitating on a stage.
The Ideating:
Now that I had the idea in place, I had to flesh out the nitty gritty. A levitating puppet is intriguing on its own, but to really sell the poetry of this idea I had to make it into a spectacle.
I decided to place the puppet in a box, and have two holes for the audience to view the puppet. The walls of the box could thus be used to put a spotlight on the puppet, and applause and cheers could surround the stage. I named the project, Bioscope.
The Prototyping:
As part of the design process, I prioritized the components of the projects and divided my time accordingly. The main components of the project in order of importance were 1. The Puppet, 2. The Box, and 3. The Electronics.
1. PUPPET
The puppet’s limbs, core, and head were carved individually out of balsa wood. They were sanded to the appropriate definition and proportion, and then connected together with wire mesh so its posture could be fixed. The puppet was then spray-painted black, and strings were attached to its hands to hang loose instead of suspend it.
2. BOX
The walls of the box were cut using a band saw, and coated with a mahogany stain. Two eye-holes and a side decoration ‘Bioscope’ label were laser cut. A spring mechanism was fixed to the corner of the box to hold the door of the Bioscope shut. A small stage was also laser cut for the puppet to levitate over.
3. ELECTRONICS
I broke down an electromagnet and placed it under the stage. I found a simple flat magnet and placed it around the center of the electromagnet for it to levitate. The wire in the puppet was attracted to the flat magnet, and allowed the puppet to stand straight. I used a set of NeoPixel LEDs to act as a spotlight that faded in and out. Finally, I installed a speaker to play an applause music file from an SD card.
The Final Solution:
This was a passion project.
For the first time in years, I stepped away from electronics and attempted to test my raw hand skills. Over the course of the design process, I refined my strength at sawing, drilling, sanding, and staining. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn wood carving skills and refine my prototyping ability.
Through this project, I was able to revisit my love for theater by merging it with my passion for design. Imparting this poetic statement onto my peers was a meaningful experience I plan to recreate in my future design projects.
