2019
2.5 Weeks
Solo Project
What if light is something that we can not only see but also physically touch? What form would it take and how might we be able to manipulate it? These questions seeded a playful exploration into different ‘light capturing’ contraptions. Elastic Light assumes light has air-like properties and uses a familiar yet unassuming archetype to house it – a balloon.
The ball closes the circuit when air is pumped. This turns the LED on. The ball then falls back down to seal the chamber, preventing air from escaping. The LED brightens with each successive pump.
The LED gradually dims as the rod pushes the ball to close the circuit. As long as the circuit remains closed, this phenomenon continues until the LED is switched off.
Creating That Magic Moment
Different vessels were considered but the humble balloon is the best fit because the lighting effect complements an expanding or deflating balloon. Various sensors, e.g. force sensitive resistor, were tested to achieve the illusion. However, a bespoke sensor was eventually built from scratch to work with the unique valve design.  
Special Thanks
Mr. Jeff Gough
Director, Design Engineer
Monad
Mr. Peter Krige
Founder
Studio Peter Krige
Exhibition
RCA Gizmo Showcase 2019

Project Status
In development for production.
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