Thanks to Jonathan Odom, a clever designer and builder who’s created everything from animatronics for films to museum exhibits, the fidget spinner has just taken a giant leap forward. Odom created One Spinner To Rule Them All: one with an animated cat video that comes to life when you flick it.
https://gizmodo.com/youre-not-on-mushrooms-this-animated-fidget-spinner-br-1795686029
Based on an old-timey device called a Zoetrope, Odom designed his fidget spinner using modeling software, and then printed it out using a MakerBot 3D printer. The simple animation of a cat running inside was actually based on a motion study of felines created by photographer Eadweard Muybridge back in the 19th century. And unlike that Super Mario fidget spinner that requires a camera to see its animation, the thin slits encircling Odom’s fidget spinner means the running cat effect can be seen with the naked eye.
Sure, there are other cat-themed spinners out there. But are they basically a YouTube video within a child’s toy? We didn’t think so.
[Instructables via Notcot]
