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Foucault's Bed-ulum

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Your bed is suspended by a set of long cables connected to a pivot point high in the ceiling (yes, you need a special tower bedroom for this). When you get into bed at night, you pull your bed to a specific point on the wall and give a slight push-off to start the oscillation. Now your bed is the pendulum's bob, swinging in a direction that rotates with the spin of the earth (see link A if you are not familiar with a Foucault Pendulum). Unlike common museum displays of the Foucault Pendulum (link B), this one only knocks things over at a specific point, calibrated to be the point your bed has reached when it is time for you to wake up. It might knock over some bells. There is no snooze button however. This form of bed is also an alternative to a fan for keeping the flies off of you at night.
swimswim, Jun 01 2010

A http://en.wikipedia...i/Foucault_pendulum
[swimswim, Jun 01 2010]

B http://www.youtube....watch?v=nB2SXLYwKkM
[swimswim, Jun 02 2010]

the bob http://www.foundshi...ircle-bed-swing.jpg
But hanging from a much higher pivot point, and in a cylindrical room of larger diameter. [swimswim, Jun 02 2010]

Foucault's Pendulum http://en.wikipedia...Foucault's_Pendulum
The book [8th of 7, Jun 02 2010]

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       This I would love. [+] You'd need to tuck the sheets in quite well, to avoid them being blown away by the movement.
MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 01 2010
  

       [+]
8th of 7, Jun 01 2010
  

       I always knew the earth rotated around me.
RayfordSteele, Jun 01 2010
  

       Oooh! I want it I want it! [+]
mouseposture, Jun 01 2010
  

       How about: Your bed is underneath but off to one side from a large pointed weight suspended by a set of long cables connected to a pivot point high in the ceiling. When you get into bed at night, you pull the weight to a specific point on the wall and give a slight push-off to start the oscillation. Now sleep easily, as the pendulum's bob swings in a direction that rotates with the spin of the earth. You know when it is time to get up, as the sharp point starts slicing your toes.
pocmloc, Jun 02 2010
  

       [pocmloc] You should post that as an alarm clock for people who have a *really* hard time getting out of bed in the morning. Could call it "The Pit and the Foucault's Pendulum"
mouseposture, Jun 02 2010
  

       I want the hammock tent version.   

       [(1/8)*7]: I betwixtered the name of the book with the pendulum itself. Good catch. And good book, if anyone is looking to read something outside the HB's own text.
swimswim, Jun 03 2010
  

       Ah yes. In the book version, you are awoken by imaginary Illuminists trying to kill you.
BunsenHoneydew, Jun 03 2010
  

       // In the book version, you are awoken by imaginary Illuminists trying to kill you.//
Or strangled by a misdirected mechanical avunculogratulator.
swimswim, Jun 15 2010
  

       [swimswim] //avunculogratulator// Uncle-greeter? Over- hearty well-wisher?
mouseposture, Jun 15 2010
  

       I've been having the strangest dreams recently. I'm just spinning around and around...
DrWorm, Jun 16 2010
  

       [MP], the mechanical avunculogratulator is evidence that Umberto Eco himself is a halfbaker. As you guessed, it is a device for greeting uncles.
swimswim, Jun 16 2010
  

       This one has it all. Science, clocks, beds, reconstructing your house. Bravo [swimswim]!
wagster, Jun 16 2010
  


 

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