I'm honestly getting to this late, because the last week I was mostly consumed by my final for Physical Computing and ICM and working on that project right up until the deadline (which did involve some more fabricating and expanding on things I did earlier in Fabrication class, but not for this project). I was suggested by two people to play with something to do with light - which is something I have done in a live projection setting but have been meaning to play with in terms of building some things at ITP. However I think whatever happens today will have to be pared back a lot (!). A friend suggested making a Dream Machine, and I think with one of the things I have I will be able to make some kind of miniature version of it using a small servo motor.
Update 12/14:
The "dream machine" cutout was too heavy for the platform and motor I was able to get working (a DC motor, in the end.) So I created a prototype of something else inspired by it--the "lightning machine" -- which may look better through video than in person, but possibly could be fun in a large darkened room with a flashlight. Will try that out today in class and see how that works.
Materials:
DC motor
2 AA batteries
Solder
Hot glue
Piece of wood board
Gaffer's tape
Piece of mylar emergency blanket (gold and silver)
In progress
Update 12/16:
My friend ended up actually being inspired to use this contraption in a recording for an abstract dance piece. What I thought was a haphazard compromise ended up being a pretty cool musical instrument. It also actually looks beautiful and like an optical illusion sometimes when it spins without flopping on itself (unlike in the video below, where it is flopping, and I am also shining a flashlight on it while crouched in my closet). It is strangely relaxing to watch/listen to. Maybe I will document it more later as I never got a final photo or good video. I liked what my classmate said about how it reminded her of ASMR videos on YouTube. It's cool when things surprise you like that. In the future I would like to try making some motorized light and/or sound sculptures sculptures building off of ideas that came from this.