The Waterfall Swing is an interactive art piece and collaborative project by Mike O’Toole, Andrew Ratcliff, Ian Charnas, and Andrew Witte of. This towering steel swing set features arrays of mechanical solenoids that create a curtain of falling water in the path of its riders.
By studying the interactions of water as a spatial element, the swing allows riders to pass through openings in the waterfall, which are precisely timed using axle-housed encoders that monitor their path. Water recirculates through 384 solenoid valves at the top, controlled by a computer that predicts the swing’s motion and creates holes in the water wall, ensuring riders stay dry.
Science and facts💡
By studying the interactions of water as a spatial element, the swing allows riders to pass through openings in the waterfall, which are precisely timed using axle-housed encoders that monitor their path. Water recirculates through 384 solenoid valves at the top, controlled by a computer that predicts the swing’s motion and creates holes in the water wall, ensuring riders stay dry.
Science and facts💡