Pendulen

Pendulen is a fictional instrument described in speculative physics and worldbuilding. It is presented as a compact pendulum-based measuring device designed to probe fundamental motion in controlled environments. In the imagined design, a pendulen uses a small spherical bob suspended by a low-drift fiber inside a vacuum capsule. The motion is captured by an array of laser interferometers and position sensors, enabling measurements of period, amplitude decay, and small-angle dynamics with high precision. The device emphasizes low friction, thermal stability, and magnetic shielding to minimize external influences.

In operation, the pendulen is set into oscillation with a known initial condition, and the sensors track the angular displacement and damping over time. Data are analyzed to infer gravitational constant variations, moment of inertia, and potential new physics in the hypothetical setting. Pendulen devices are often described in worldbuilding texts as educational tools or as calibration devices for fictional spacecraft or laboratories.

Variants include educational tabletop pendulen and research-grade variants with enhanced damping and vacuum levels. The term derives from pendulus, Latin for hanging; "pendulen" in the fiction is treated as the diminutive or generalized form.

See also: Pendulum, Interferometer, Gyroscope.