• HOME
  • WORK
  • ART BASEL MIAMI
  • VENICE
  • SMITHSONIAN
  • ABOUT

samuel stubblefield

  • HOME
  • WORK
  • ART BASEL MIAMI
  • VENICE
  • SMITHSONIAN
  • ABOUT
 

INVERTED PENDULUM 00001 by Samuel Stubblefield and OPEN Studio

The inverted pendulum is an inherently unstable system used as a classic illustration of control theory and control of nonlinear systems.

This work is part of a larger body of work by the artist that uses technology to create a deep sense of awe and appreciation for the complexities of broader nature.

In this interactive sculptural installation, the studio has created an illustration of a control system in the form of a Furuta inverted pendulum. The inverted pendulum models an unstable, nonlinear system. With the application of control theory, the entire system is modelled and linearized.

The free-swinging carbon fibre arm is held up by horizontal movement. The computer controlling the horizontal movement observes and corrects relentlessly.

The sculpture uses computer vision to add another degree of complexity that is not part of traditional inverted pendulum experiments. As a viewer arrives at the piece, they are detected by the system. The pendulum responds by presenting the carbon fibre arm to the viewer. The system releases the sound of indigenous birds each time a new person is detected.

The form and material of the sculpture take from science fiction and the industries born of the literary and film genre. One might find elements from Flight of the Navigator, La Jetée, Saga, Short Circuit, Snow Crash, Star Trek, THX 1138, WALL-E, War of the Worlds, and many others.

The pendulum observes and corrects 86,400,000 times per day.


Project Assistants:

Amirpasha Javid - Engineering Assistance, Quanser

Arman Molki - Engineering Assistance, Quanser

Brian Douglas - Control Theory Consultation

Charna Parkey - Mathematics and Control Theory Assistance

Jason Jeffcoat - Industrial Design Assistance, CamTec

Joe Clark - Fabrication Assistance, Architectural Elements

Joshua Borsman - Technical Assistance and Ongoing Operational Reliability

Sellen Construction - Construction Management

Interested in learning more about control theory? Brian Douglas is one of the leading educators on the topic and has a number of entry points for learning how to make complex ideas intuitive and easy to understand. If you are curious and want to jump in, Brian and his extended resources can be found here: https://engineeringmedia.com/resources


All images ©2020 Samuel Stubblefield, LLC

 
Inverted Pendulum 00001 by Samuel Stubblefield. Thanks to Amirpasha Javid, Charna Parkey, Jason Jeffcoat, Joe Clark, and Joshua Borsman
inverted pendulum samuel stubblefield IMG_20200609_115451.jpg
amazon inverted pendulum 2019 instagram.jpg
IMG_5410.jpg
IMG_9860.JPG
IMG_20200603_104203.jpg
 Inverted Pendulum 00001 by Samuel Stubblefield. Thanks to Amirpasha Javid, Charna Parkey, Jason Jeffcoat, Joe Clark, and Joshua Borsman.
IMG_20200531_140103.jpg
Samuel Stubblefield - Studio 003 IMG_20220530_183202.jpg
IMG_20200616_071816_01.jpg
 Inverted Pendulum 00001 by Samuel Stubblefield. Thanks to Amirpasha Javid, Charna Parkey, Jason Jeffcoat, Joe Clark, and Joshua Borsman for technical assistance.
IMG_20200522_114152.jpg
IMG_20200611_115018.jpg
IMG_20200530_161756.jpg
inverted pendulum samuel stubblefield IMG_20200620_114137.jpg
IMG_9860.JPG
inverted pendulum samuel stubblefield joshua bosrman IMG_1687.JPG
IMG_9893.JPG
IMG_20200530_162240.jpg

See more work that uses technology to connect us to nature…

WWW.SAMUELSTUBBLEFIELD.COM | ©2025 SAMUEL STUBBLEFIELD, LLC | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.