If someone can find this, I'll delete it - it seems like the sort of thing that should have been done.

There are various fibre-optic devices for carrying an image from one place to another, and also (I think) for magnifying an image.

What I want is a window that twists the image seen through it.

Imagine a bundle of optical fibres, about a couple of feet thick and somewhat long. Now twist the bundle as sharply as possible, so that each fibre spirals its way along the bundle. Maybe there's one complete turn for every six inches of length (which means that the fibres are at a quite shallow angle).

Now impregnate the bundle with a clear resin, and let it set.

Next, cut one-inch thick circular slices of this bundle, and polish the faces.

The result is a disc of what will probably look like slightly frosted or fuzzy glass, but it will rotate any image seen through it by 60 degrees. How cool would that be as a window?* Passers-by and lookers-out would each see the other rotated.

Other possibilities exist, including a variety of distortions, depending on how cunningly the original fibre bundle is laid up. You could even have a window which was square from the inside but round from the outside.

[*rhetorical]
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 17 2009

Been there. Done that. http://www.mikegigi...inlight.htm#BROADGL
[outloud, Nov 17 2009]

Patent http://www.patentst...55/description.html
"...axially compressed bundles of optical fibers having substantially identically geometrically patterned opposite end faces, one inverted relative to the other by a 180° axial twist in the bundle..." [hippo, Nov 18 2009]

(?) Picture of a "Fibre Optic Image Inverter" http://www.o-eland....image/faceplate.jpg
Actually this looks cool - I'd like to have one of these. [hippo, Nov 18 2009]

Very M.C. Escher.
-- DrWorm, Nov 17 2009


I'm not quite sure why you think this would appeal particularly to rappers, but thank you.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 17 2009


I like this. It's got me thinking - would it be possible to create a mirror-type device using lots of tiny fibre-optic cables bent back on themselves (if you see what I mean)?
-- jtp, Nov 17 2009


Smirnoff.
-- 8th of 7, Nov 17 2009


A mirror would be an intriguing idea!
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 17 2009


What a great name. It occurs to me this should have been done before as well. But alas, you be the virgin twisted window master. I like the idea. I think the distortions would be really neat with each change of light, shadows, etc.
-- blissmiss, Nov 17 2009


Always has been great beauty in distortion in the arts.

I like this idea and would like a room full of these windows. Link
-- outloud, Nov 17 2009


[UB] Look at that picture (link) - pretty cool.
-- hippo, Nov 18 2009


Woooo - bakedsville.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 18 2009



random, halfbakery