ENERGY EXHIBITS

ENERGY - PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE - Part of a series of exhibits explaining and demonstrating energy and energy conservation concepts. This central exhibit and the close-up above, act as a whimsical introduction and a conversation piece to the topic of energy. The wheel at the center of the clear box spins slowly for months without any apparent source of energy input. Yet we all know that the concept of "perpetual motion" is false. The visitor is asked to explain how the machine works and the correct guess wins the visitor a small prize. See also the Center Wheel of another machine for Porto Alegre, Chile.

Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

ENERGY BIKE - Part of the same series as above, the visitor pedals hard to generate electricity which is used to power an elevator that raises a small ball to the top of the tower. As it does, lights, bells and whistles reward the visitor for the spent energy.

Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

WATER TURBINE - Part of the same series is this human activated water turbine requiring one or two people to pump about 20 gallons of water to the top reservoir and to release it. When the water gushes down in turns a turbine attached to a generator to power lights.

Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

SOLAR CELL PANELS - Part of the Energy series above, these solar panels power little pumps that squirt water inside the grid. As the visitor tries to grab or disturb the water fountain, the shadow that is cast from the reaching arm is sufficient to stop the pump from squirting the water.

Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

RADIOMETER SCULPTURE - Another in the Energy series, this column of hundreds of radiometers spans several floors. The windows facing south, cause the radiometers to spin in this dynamic sculpture.

Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

All exhibits on this page were designed and produced at Levy Design Studios in Portland, Oregon, USA.