Motion Tracker

Motion Tracker

Rowan McLear and Ryland Mattoon

Motion Tracker - Ryland Mattoon

A box that utilizes the force of gravity to map bodily motion with ink and a marble.

In 1990, Americans took, on average, 20 vacation days every year. In 2018, Americans left more than half of their vacation days unclaimed. The world is a busy place, and it isn't going quiet anytime soon. On any given day, the majority of people are not aware of the extent to which they move their bodies. For someone who is experiencing high levels of stress, it is important to take a step back to examine and understand their lifestyle in a deeper, more meaningful way. There are many significant mental health benefits of doing so. The Motion Tracker makes this possible by creating a new way to visualize human movement so that people can gauge how active they are in day to day life.

The machine consists of a box, a marble, and a strap. Although simple in concept, it harnesses the complex laws of physics in a beautiful way. The device is meant to be tied around one's waist so that the box is positioned on the torso/stomach area. Once an ink-covered marble is carefully placed on the paper plate located inside of the box, there are no additional instructions; just live! As the user engages in any physical or non-physical activity, the marble rolls freely on the paper plate. Even acute movements are detected by the marble, given its small size and sensitivity to gravity. By the end of a "session", the user is left with an abstract map of the actions that they just performed. The hope is that the Motion Tracker will help people further realize the level of physical activity that they carry out and remind them that it is ok to sit back and relax every once in a while. 


Motion Tracker - Rowan McLear

A contraption that creates an abstract map of the user's balance, as ink-covered marbles track on a paper plate how the user's body adjusts its weight while engaging in certain motions. 

The Marble Tracker allows people to become aware of and visualize how their body shifts and leans to maintain its balance during everyday activities while getting a special art piece. The user attaches the eleven-by-eleven inch box to their torso using a rope or belt. They then place a paper plate in the plate holder and place the marble or marbles covered in ink in the center of the plate. As certain motions are performed, the Marble Tracker will make a unique abstract map of the movement. From the pattern on the plate, the user can become aware of how their bodily movements are weighted in one direction or another. This could be useful to create the map you never knew you needed. This will give you a movement map to enhance your visions different actions.