Theo Jansen - Strandbeest

Theo Jansen

Born in MARCH 14, 1948, in The Hague, Netherlands. He is a Dutch artist and kinetic sculptor. For the past fifteen years, Theo Jansen has been creating 'beach beast' or better known as STRANDBEEST. Here a little movie:

From on the video, what do you think?Unbelievable? Believe It.

What is Strandbeest?
As I mentioned Strandbeests, which means "beach beasts," are a type of kinetic sculpture made by Theo Jansen. They are made from commonly available tools like plastic tubing, cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, hose, tape, and all sorts of other stuff.
These sculptures walk by flapping wings in response to the wind, discerning obstacles in their path through feelers and what so interesting is that it can hammering themselves into the sand on sensing an approaching storm.
The designs grow more complex over time,

• have legs,
• muscles (pneumatic pistons within the plastic tubing),
• have artificial stomachs (plastic bottles for storing air), and
  
• nerves (collections of on/off values that work pretty much like logic gates).

The walking mechanism. How does it work?
For you information, strandbeest use Klann Linkage system to function. What is Klann Linkage? Klann Linkage is a planar mechanism created to imitate the gait of legged animal and work as a wheel replacement. The linkage consists of the frame, a crank, two grounded rockers, and two couplers all connected by pivot joints.

The proportions of each of the links in the mechanism are characterize to optimize the linearity of the foot for one-half of the rotation of the crank. The remaining rotation of the crank allows the foot to be raised to a predetermined height before returning to the starting position and repeating the cycle. Two of these linkages coupled together at the crank and one-half cycle out of phase with each other will allow the frame of a vehicle to travel parallel to the ground. Here is a little movie showing the walking mechanism:

Klann linkage preserve many of the advantages of more advanced walking vehicles without some of their limitations. It can step over curbs, climb stairs, or travel into areas that are currently not accessible with wheels but does not require microprocessor control or multitudes of actuator mechanisms. It fits into the technological space between these walking devices and axle-driven wheels.


Furthermore it is also quite special that the trajectories of the feet are shaped like an airfoil, created by such a simple construction of triangles.

Legs instead of wheel. Why?

The proportion of the tube are very important for the walking. There are 11 numbers which are called the 11 holy numbers. The distances of the tube which makes it walk that way. Affect this is a new invention of the wheel. Legs is better than a wheel because when you try to drive a bicycle on the beach, you will notice that it is very difficult to do. In conclusion, legs function better than wheel on the beach.

A little movie of Theo Jansen sculpture function.

Movie include sculptures walk by flapping wings in response to the wind, discerning obstacles in their path through feelers and hammering themselves into the sand on sensing an approaching storm:

Impact that Theo Jansen hope will have both in practical and artistic terms?
What Jansen see now, a lot of people seem to recognize what he do in their own imagination and follow him in his fairytale and become sort of partners or participants. Obviously they don't work with him but stand behind him, support him and really talk with him as if they are part of his project. That of course is something for an artist is very nice when people seem to understand your work.

In the future Jansen hope that these animals will develop in the end that they can live on their own and Jansen don't have to cure them any more and at the end of his life that they will live for a long time after He's done.

Where is Theo Jansen make his beast?

Theo Jansen's workshop in Ypenburg, Holland

The lab consists of a sandpit measuring 30x15 meter, a cabin, a large sea container and lots willow trees. There is the bone yard as well.The sandpit is the pre-heaven for the beach animals.

WEBCAM:
Click HERE to see work going on inside the cabin. If Jansen is not there, He might be outside doing some experiments.