Infinity: an Eternal Domino

An infinitely falling loop of dominos, achieved by using right-angled pieces arranged in a Mobius strip formation. Simple, and quite beautiful. The infinite domino adds to the ever-growing uses of this sublime shape.

The physics and video were rendered entirely using the Crysis engine. Enjoy!

A higher rez version is available at Stage6:
http://www.stage6.com/user/RedAlert22/video/2002431/

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• video
• games
• crysis
• mod
• domino
• strauss
• blue
• danube
• mobius
• moebius
• strip
• dominos
• dominoes
• johann
• math
• infinity
• enternal

[TehSkeh]

Ah, that's a shame... Though I can't really imagine how it would've worked otherwise.

[99of99]

It's a fair approximation - I *think* it should work just as well with a force acting that's always perpendicular to the surface of the mobius strip. In which case it would be mimicing normal dominos as its a generalisation of the 2d line of dominos in the 'real' world.

[99of99]

The double spring system (ie. two spring forces counterbalancing the rotation, so as to provide the domino two positions at rest into which it naturally 'snaps') is a simple approximation of that - and might even work in the real world, providing there was sufficiently little friction.

[99of99]

It's done in zero gravity. Each domino is 'spring loaded' using a flowgraph script.

[FlowerVector]

Even if there is no gravitational influence, doesn't the friction stop the cycle and transform all the momentum to move the whole system instead of just keeping the cycle?

[JustAnotherGaian]

true, but then that would also result in the rig spinning in a circle like a wheel

[KaedeYume]

As you will notice, it takes place in space. One little tap of any percievable force will send them all going, forever. It will never stop, because there is no air nor anything for that matter. If all the material is the same, then the friction should be evenly distributed, thus making it an endless cycle.

[cypheir]

tribute to 2001, well done, kudos

[SantizClaus]

ty 4 callin me a genius :)

[kamalmichael]

amazing idea

[CrdBrdProjects]

beautiful

[TehSkeh]

The only problem I could see with it is in a true space environment the force of each Domino tipping and hitting the frame would exert a force on the strip itself, possibly moving the strip, but I'm not sure if that'd have any detrimental effects or not (short of it being knocked into something).