SWARM is an art project consisting of 6 autonomous spherical robots, which are guided by GPS and inertial sensors to create motion evocative of swarming behavior in nature. SWARM was originated by Ideal Mechanism principal Michael Prados, who did the majority of the mechanical design and control systems design. Along with a collaborative […]

Ben Cohen, cofounder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, founded True Majority in order to promote making issues like education, the environment, and health care bigger spending priorities for the federal government. In order to draw attention to these causes, True Majority and its companion organization, Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, have used creative […]

The model makers at Gemmiti Model Art are experts at their craft, but sometimes scale architectural models require special illumination and electronics. The model of the Northern Terrace housing development for Meritage Homes required 1,000 L.E.D.s, which had to be controlled in different sectors from an attractive and intuitive control panel. Ideal Mechanism […]

The Serpent Mother is a large scale kinetic fire sculpture built by the Flaming Lotus Girls, a San Francisco based art group. Ideal Mechanism principal Michael Prados was primarily responsible for the 5 degree of freedom, hydraulically actuated head and neck, and for the geometry of the 160 foot long, complexly curved spine.