Zoetrope

Brief & Challenge

The project required designing and building a functional object using laser cutting, 3D printing, and microcontroller integration. The core challenge was to reinvent a historical optical toy, the zoetrope, transforming it into an interactive device that seamlessly blends analog mechanics, digital fabrication, and modern electronics.

Process

The process began with rough cardboard prototyping to study the mechanical connections before committing to final materials. Extensive laser-cutting tests followed to perfect the outer cylinder's proportions and slit spacing. The entire system was modeled in Fusion 360, building outward from the rotating cylinder and inner mechanisms to the final outer casing. Through iterative testing, hardware was optimized: initially 3D-printed bearings were replaced with purchased hardware to guarantee a perfectly stable rotation.

Construction

The base, internal mechanics, and side control wheel were 3D printed for structural precision and repeatability. The outer cylinder was laser-cut, its slits calibrated to the animation's frame count and the motor's RPM range. A full-black finish was chosen across all surfaces to maximize visual contrast, ensuring the internal animation strip reads cleanly during rotation without light bleed or surface reflection competing with the illusion.

Outcome

The final device is powered by a Raspberry Pi Pico connected to a potentiometer and speakers, synchronizing the optical illusion with an audio component, animation and sound locked together. Users engage via a mechanical side wheel for manual rotation speed control and a front button panel to manage multimedia functions: volume, track selection, and playback. The object exists simultaneously as a precision-engineered mechanism and a kinetic sculpture.