Pendulls

Pendulls are small kinetic devices featuring a suspended pendulum that drives secondary motion. Designed as decorative objects and educational tools, pendulls range from simple wooden models to compact, light-enabled installations that reveal the rhythms of oscillation in a visible form.

Mechanism: A gravity-driven pendulum provides the main energy source. Through a cam, crank, or geared linkage, the pendulum’s swing translates into motion of attached elements such as rotating arms, sliding prisms, or LEDs that light in sequence. Some modern pendulls incorporate microcontrollers to adjust timing.

Variants and uses: In classrooms, pendulls demonstrate harmonic motion, damping, and energy transfer. In galleries and homes they function as kinetic sculpture, emphasizing balance and rhythm. Hobbyist kits let users customize period, amplitude, and the visual consequences of the motion.

History and etymology: The term pendull appears in maker and design discourse in the 2010s and 2020s. It denotes a family rather than a single model, and has no universally accepted inventor. The concept emerged through iterative contributions across multiple hobbyist communities.

See also: Kinetic art, pendulum clock, mechanical toy.