Back in my undergraduate engineering days, the SODA Constructor was set as the homepage on a bunch of the PCs in the computer lab. It let you create ‘machines’ driven by a periodic motion. I’m using machines loosely, because the creations are eerily organic. The default one that first comes up looks like a crab. Others look like millipedes and daddies longlegs (is that the plural?). You can adjust the strength and elasticity of the rods connecting the moving points, as well as the amplitude and speed of the driven motion. It sounds more complicated than it really is. You could use it just to doodle, or see how it behaved in gravity. It was a great way to procrastinate, but still feel like you were ‘experimenting’ in the lab.
The makers of SODA have created a similar app/tool/game called Moovl, this time with kids in mind. You get to sketch things with the mouse, MS Paint style, and use “springs” for movement. It’s like bringing your crayon drawings to life! They basically simplified SODA’s interface and added color to make it more engaging.
[via We Make Money Not Art]
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