We will be giving two workshops during the 2010 01SJ Biennal in San Jose, California with the Eyebeam Roadshow in September.  Check our news section to sign up!

We are working on v3.0 of the personal powerPlant - this time we will be able to charge any USB device!  It will also work with rechargeable AA NiMH batteries, which are easy to find.  Below are some photos of the process: trying to get the circuit to work properly using new batteries, testing out different motors to get one that can output enough power…

Testing different motors...

Trying to test a "full wave" layout for the diodes

Up close with 6 wire motor and full wave configuration

Getting the batteries to charge an iTouch using a voltage regulator and resistors

Fluxxlab with Mouna Andraos taught a workshop on Alternative Energy at Eyebeam on 04.05.08 in conjunction with the FEEDBACK exhibition, where participants were shown how to make a new and improved version of the personal powerPlant.  Eyebeam will have the first edition of the kits for sale in the bookshop after 04.19.08 - more venues are soon to come.

Preparing for the workshop.

Our demo version of the personal powerPlant for reference.  The new design incorporates a cardboard box and masonite gears instead of acrylic.

Setting up the kits before the workshop.

The kits contain similar parts to the original PPP, but we have switched out the 7.2 V NiMH battery for a standard 9V.  We will post updated instructions on Instructables and electroniccrafts.org once we have the kits finalized.

Paricipants of the Alternative Energy Workshop in coordination with the FEEDBACK Exhibition.

Soldering the circuitboard.

Testing out the visual multimeter with the stepper motor.  It works!

Video: Testing out the visual multimeter

We added the donated, reclaimed panels from 3form.  They look really beautiful.  In the near future we will install all four door panels, but for now it is just two.  We also made some adjustments to the mechanism, since the large sprocket was slipping from the central shaft.

 
Four different types of reclaimed 3form with embedded materials such as - copper wires, shell, tree branches, glass.

Detail of the panels with copper wire and shell.

Here are some images from our first succesful attempt with Prototype C!!!  We are very excited to finally get this working properly and are impressed with the output so far.  We will be tweaking the Prototype to see if we can get better results as time goes on.

Adjusting the screws holding the wire coils in place on the armature.

See how bright the LED’s are.  The amperage at this point are are so high that we are blowing them out - this will need to be adjusted.

Video: Prototype C in motion, successfully lighting an array of LEDs

Thanks everyone for coming and making this such a fantastic night.  It was very exciting to see the whole show together and all of our work come to fruition.  Here are some images from the show…

The Revolution Door as the entrance to the FEEDBACK show.

People walking through the door.

The output from the door is used to power an LED sign that we made for the FEEDBACK show.

Here we are testing out the door…

Carmen discussing the door as she gives a demo.

I am explaining the custom alternator that we created - there are still a few kinks that need to be worked out.

Previewing the website/blog at the show, next to the screen is the custom alternator.

I am explaining the mechanics of the door to some friends.

Giving it a test run!

Entrance signage for the show…

Fluxxlab helped design the exhibition, which turned out really lovely due to everyone’s hard work.  Thanks again to Forever Green for donating the turf!

Brooke Singer’s Superfund 365 project and Mouna Andraos’ Power Cart at the exhibition.

Everyone hanging out on the “Green”

Up close you can see the configuration of the walls that seperate each artists work.

Our little sign… we utilized hand crank flashlights as an additional lighting source for the show. 

Fluxxlab on the big screen… Eyebeam filmed the process of each artists work in the show.  Here is our segment…

Our finale picture by the Revolution Door - now for some rest!

The following are images from work over the weekend - we are on the last stretch until the Feedback Exhibition opening at Eyebeam on March 13th.

Laser cutting the spools/armature for the wire coil stator.

Gluing all of the peices for the spools and the base for the stator.

Painting the entry sign for the exhibition that has been laser cut out of masonite.

Soldering together all of the leads from the LED’s for the Feedback entry sign that will be powered by the Revolution Door.

Detail of solder connections.

Gluing together the layers of masonite for the armature of the wire coil stator.

Winding the coils with an electric drill on spools and with the help of a jig to make the process a bit less painful :)  - it takes a while to wind 24 copper coils!  We are using 16 gauge wire.

Painting the armature Fluxxlab purple.

Inserting the coils in place on the armature and mounting securely with screws through the center spool.

All of the coils in place on the armature.

Wiring and soldering the coil stator in series and taping down the leads to avoid crisscrossing of wires.

Among a few different parts that we were preparing this week, here are some images of the magnet rotor being attached onto the door jig with the sprockets.

Here the magnet rotor is in place and we are turning the door to light up an array of LED’s that are powered by the alternator.  The coil stator needs to be made to accompany the magnet rotor in order to produce its own energy.  More on that to come…

These are some images from work over the weekend.  We are trying to use sprockets to increase the RPM and power output from the alternator.

Attaching a wood frame to the steel armature so that the bearings/shafts can be mounted for the sprockets.

Finished wood frame.

Attaching bearings and shafts with different size sprockets to gear up for higher RPM. 

Alignment of sprockets with central shaft, secondary shaft and alternator

Close up of alternator.

After another long weekend, we have had quite a few ups and downs - so it goes.  We will be testing throughout the week and into the next to improve the output. 

Simple AutoCAD drawings for spool winders.

Kamal is helping out by winding a test coil.

Testing some of the coils out - unfortunately the results were not going as planned.

The next day we decided to try out Option B, using an alternator to test.  More news on that front later…

Here are some images from the Sustainable Project Review at Eyebeam.  Presenters included Michael Mandiberg, Jeff Feddersen and Fluxxlab with selected jury reviews pertaining to sustainable furniture design and material explorations.

FEEDBACK Preview images.

Michael Mandiberg presenting the Real Costs and related works.

Fluxxlab presenting the Revolution Door.

Jeff Feddersen presenting earthSpeaker and related work.