Interactivation was created by a group called Lightning Temple, who want to use sound vibrations to promote holistic healing or something like that. Great. But it's the tech I'm more interested in.

The music component of Interactivation works by running each of the six stations through a sequencing program on a laptop. Each station has an array arcade-y buttons connected to a circuit board that triggers audio samples and/or loops, which wash over each other in a lovely mess of sonic slop. To keep everything sounding cohesive, the loops fire in time with the selected time signature, so all the samples are in rhythm.

The Tesla Coil wasn't up and running during the day, so it's uncertain to what extent it functions. But I'm not sure I'd want to be noodling with sitar loops anywhere near Interactivation when it is working. [Lightning Temple]

The scary thing about the Puppy Monorail is that it has managed to evolve over the years. The project started out as a modest 3 car train, but now has expanded to a WHOPPING five cars (FIVE!!!). Still, until I see some real puppies moving 10 feet down that squiggly track, I'm not sold. Also, one of the train cars should really be a milk bowl. [Puppy Mover Monorail]

The actual tech behind Mech Virus, on display at Maker Faire 2009, is pretty simple, it's just a motor and a power supply that allows Mech Virus to waddle and spit out a Norton Anti-Virus CD every 30 seconds or so. The actual motherboard components don't work at all, making Mech Virus more about appearance, and less about action. But still I love it. [Maker Faire 2009]

Creator Alan Rorie says that the concept behind the Neuron Chamber is that there are alien brains inside the chamber that are under observation, and we're watching the cerebral process at work. In this case, it's an reaction moving from the Soma down the Axon of the neuron.

In actual terms, this is an arc puller causing an atmospheric reaction that looks like a flame moving down the rail. Rorie likens the design to a horizontal Jacob's Ladder. Throw in some steampunky elements for good measure and you get a pretty neat art exhibit. [Almost Scientific]