THE OVIDION
A Per-cep-tual Motion Device
The History
Ovidion: [Ō-vid-ē-ôn]
noun
A kinetic device invented in the late 20th century by the American inventor Ovid Pope. Patented February 9, of the year of 1999. Patent # 5,870,170. The Ovidion or “Perceptual Motion Device” was created to simulate animated motion via a strobing light source projected upon a sequence of inanimate objects which travel along a predetermined path. The resulting effect can be viewed from 360 degrees of all axis unlike the Zoetrope which requires a restricted point of viewing through a shutter or series of vertical slits in a cylindrical rotating wall. The Ovidion predates other devices referred to as 3D zoetropes.
The first prototype was conceived and tested in 1985. The Ovidion was originally designed for use in the theme park industry, specifically dark ride attractions, and later developed as an interactive educational toy to aid in the understanding of animation.
The Ovidion can also be referred to as a Perpetual Emotion Device as it persists in exciting the emotion and the wonder of imagination.
The following videos contain stroboscopic effects, and as such, can trigger seizures in some susceptible to epilepsy.
Note; Due to the nature of the strobing effect, it is often difficult to sync the strobe of the Ovidion to the frame rate of video capture equipment. This often results in a slight banding effect that scrolls across the recorded media. Some cameras, including phone cameras, can, when set at an associated frame rate with the RPM of the subject, are capable of capturing the animation under normal, non strobing lights. (See video titled "Lego Warriors")
Dancing Water Nymphs
Ovid Pope
Having been involved in the entertainment industry for thirty plus years, Ovid has touched on all creative aspects of theme park design, from the birth of an idea to the physical manifestation of the finished outcome.
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