How I Made “The Shy Machine”: An Interactive Kinetic Light Sculpture That Moves, Learns, & Reacts
by Daric Gill
{Time-Lapse Video of Process Above}
The Shy Machine is a motion activated, sound reactive, environmentally adaptive, kinetic light sculpture. As its name would suggest, this robot is shy. The two halves of this 12-sided geometric form open and close depending on the noise levels in the environment. Vibrant lights pulse from within according to volume in the room. The insides are packed with electronic brains, lights, and sensors to make this happen. In this article, you can explore the build process from start-to-finish.
“The Shy Machine”: Interactive Kinetic Light Sculpture that Moves, Lights, Learns, & Reacts
by Daric Gill
“The Shy Machine”: Fully opened in the Soft Volume Position. Slow undulations of rainbow light.
The Shy Machine: a motion-activated, sound-reactive, environmentally adaptive, kinetic light sculpture.
Taking over a year to complete (time split with other projects), this piece has been the most ambitious artwork I’ve created to date. It’s been my goal to create a piece with the specific aim of pushing myself beyond any previous personal limitations regarding engineering, finance, complexity, and conceptual meaning.
A project this involved earned a proportionate amount of planning and quiet contemplation before any work could even begin. At this point in my career, I view this particular piece as the combination of my childhood interests mingled with my adult potential. In this article, I’ll discuss how I came to the idea, how it works, and how I relate to it on a very personal level.
“The Living Orb” Motion-Sensing Light Sculpture Traveling to Artlink Contemporary Gallery, Indiana
by Daric Gill
The Living Orb at night (glowing)
In its first debut since being completely rebuilt for new action, The Living Orb has been accepted into the Artlink Contemporary Gallery, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Living Orb is a motion-sensing sculpture that when presented with movement, wakes up and slowly pulses a white light. The wooden sphere is made from hand-bent poplar laminations. Inside the sphere is a small brain; a circuit board called an Arduino that can be reprogrammed to do multiple tasks at once. A motion sensor picks up activity and tells white LED strips to ‘breathe’ with life. Artlink Regional Exhibition is juried by Danielle Riede.
The brain of The Living Orb, a re-programmable Arduino micro-controller
Exhibition Dates: January 5, 2018 – Feb 9, 2018
Opening Reception: Friday, January 5, 2018, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m
Location: ARTLINK 300 E Main Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802 Driving Directions (courtesy of Google Maps)
Checking In At The OAL Spring Exhibit, Urban Arts Space
By Daric Gill
Exhibition duration: May 24 – July 9, 2016
After absorbing some sunshine for a bit at the Scioto Mile Riverside Park, I decided to take some time to absorb some culture at the OAL’s Spring Exhibition held at the OSU Urban Arts Space. Walking into the massive air-conditioned transformative space, I saw that my selected painting, “Absolute: Ignition” happens to greet patrons on their way in. It’s a relatively small painting, but prominently displayed and I was happy to see that it’s among the first pieces one sees upon entering.
The show is one of the best OAL exhibitions I’ve seen in years. Viewers can gaze upon sculptures, paintings, photos, ceramics, video & electronics work, among others. Below are a few handfuls of images that represents what the show has to offer. There are a few gallery shots that didn’t make this article, for that I apologize. If you have the chance, I strongly urge you to visit the show by July, 9 ’16. Greatness can be seen!
Absolute: Ignition at the Ohio Art League Exhibition, OSU Urban Arts Space
OSU Urban Arts Space
(50 W. Town St. Columbus, OH 43215) Directions here
Daric Gill 
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