Imagine an array of permanent magnets; each magnet is rotatably mounted on a flat base so that the north-south poles spin around.
The magnets are separated at a distance such they can affect the adjacent magnets.
If the array is a triangular array, the magnets will be in an unstable (or maybe meta-stable) configuration. If one magnet is rotated, adjacent magnets will be rotated; the effect will ripple through the array of magnets. See link to frustrated magnetism.
The surface of each magnet is coloured; e.g. three segments, each segment a different colour.
This would be an interesting display for a science museum. It could be mounted vertically and make a piece of dynamic art.-- xaviergisz, Sep 06 2022 Frustrated magnetism https://en.wikipedi...ated_magnetism.webm [xaviergisz, Sep 06 2022] Quantum spin liquid https://en.wikipedi...Quantum_spin_liquid [xaviergisz, Sep 06 2022] Ripple through magnets https://youtu.be/DNhcQVjbRgo?t=140 [xaviergisz, Jan 03 2023] Prototype https://photos.app....l/zSzMQLBEYHqEJLgR7 [xaviergisz, Feb 11 2023] Just checking; is the triangle in which the magnets are arrayed in the same plane in which they are free to rotate, and perpendicular to their axes of rotation?-- pertinax, Sep 06 2022 Interesting. Artistic and sciency. [+]-- doctorremulac3, Sep 06 2022 Got to be a way to incorporate into a perpetual motion machine. Hmm.-- whatrock, Sep 06 2022 My brain gave out at visualizing the second order magnetic field interactions. Can someone please just tell me how it ends?-- Voice, Sep 06 2022 Nice find, a1. Similar concept, but different to what I had in mind. The "frustrated magnet display" has the axes of rotation parallel to the base. My idea is the axes of rotation are perpendicular to the base.
I'm thinking if getting a sheet of plastic laser cut with an array of holes which each contain a diametrically magnetised cylindrical magnet. A sheet of clear plastic over the top and bottom will keep the magnets in place while allowing them to freely rotate.-- xaviergisz, Sep 06 2022 I've got about 750 3mm (diameter) x 6mm (length) diametric cylindrical magnets (which I bought for another project). They cost 10 cents each. My idea at the moment is: I'll get a ring shaped housing (outer diameter about 8mm) laser cut that each magnet can fit snugly into. Then I'll get a "David's star" array with about 400 8.05mm holes (10mm hole separation) laser cut.-- xaviergisz, Sep 06 2022 <fascinated but without input> (+)-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 07 2022 The magnet display is for kids. Adults use properly boring displays like static Klein bottles and Newton's Cradle.-- Voice, Sep 07 2022 I finally got around to making a prototype (see photo in link). Each magnet has a cap glued on; the top of the cap is laser etched with an arrow. The rotating magnet 'ripple' only propagates to a few magnets and stops. There is too much friction between each magnet and the corresponding hole.-- xaviergisz, Feb 11 2023 Cool.
So... an instantly adjustable Halbach array?-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 11 2023 [a1], the result of the prototype was disappointing. I'm now wondering if the friction problem could be overcome by cleaning the magnets of the dry superglue that has formed a thin layer on some areas of the magnets. For the next prototype I think I would mount the magnets in a (non-ferromagnetic) bearings to reduce the friction.-- xaviergisz, Feb 11 2023 random, halfbakery