Dichroic Incidence : Two Waves

Two grids of dichroic glass tiles illuminated by LED strips controlled by a potentiometer (knob). The space between and around the tiles is a canvas for an animation created by refracted light. LED strips which ring each grid and are controlled by a potentiometer (knob) on the side of each piece. Turning the knob causes the light source to move around the edge of the tiles projecting color. The lights can go from a standstill creating a stationary image to slowly moving creating a stop motion animation effect to a speed so fast that it causes discomfort. Dichroic filters selectively allow certain colors to pass through and reflect other colors. This effect is due to a phenomena called thin film interference; when light passes through a film, some waves are reflected by the film boundaries causing some wavelengths to be amplified and others to be cancelled out. These color interact with each other in mesmerizing ways, creating the appearance of waves of color inside the center of each pice.

This piece was created for my Physical Computing final with Danny Rozin at NYU TISCH Interactive Telecommunications Program.