URCAD Sneak Peek: Kinetic Sculpture MC Hammerhead

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:27:30 -0400

John Motavalli, Tristan King, Susanna Abler

Mentor: Steven McAlpine, Individualized Study

MC Hammerhead: A Kinetic Sculpture Redesign Project

Originally planned as an interactive exhibit outside of the UC Ballroom, MC Hammerhead will go online for Virtual URCAD 2020! While we are disappointed that you won't be able to "touch this" kinetic sculpture, you will be able to see how the interdisciplinary team of researchers redesigned it to create a functional piece of art. This is the first URCAD kinetic sculpture exhibit in five years; previously the Kraken Upcycle was displayed at URCAD 2015.

Abstract:

UMBC kinetic sculpture team members will present an overview of their redesign efforts during the Fall semester of 2019: adding water propulsion, creating a more durable sharkskin out of recycled materials, and transforming pontoons into functional artwork. These design efforts were part of an interdisciplinary course, INDS 430 Kinetic Sculpture Project, which drew upon methods from sustainable design, project management, and biomimicry to build a new 20 foot shark sculpture named “MC Hammerhead.”

This work was funded, in part, by the Alex Brown Center for Entrepreneurship URA Award. For information on how to apply for an Undergraduate Research Award (URA) and get up to $1500 to support your research or creative work, go to: ur.umbc.edu/ura