Andotrope v2 – Smaller, Faster, Quieter, Cheaper

Since completing the first Andotrope prototype, I’ve been refining & improving the technology. Here’s prototype version 2 – a lot has changed! I built v1 as a piece of art, but I designed v2 to sit on your kitchen table as a real product.

Andotrope v2 with its domed glass lid

Andotrope v2 Main Improvements

It’s smaller – I built the original Andotrope prototype to look like a specific video game prop replica. This makes it big, bulky, uses a lot of decorative brass, and it has a lot of empty space in its base. I mean the hand crank is cool, but it’s a bit unnecessary. This updated Andotrope does away with all that while still opting for a minimalist, retro-Steampunk aesthetic. This shrunk the device to under half its old size.

It’s faster – now that I have a better understanding of what’s involved with creating an effective Andotrope, I’ve nearly doubled the rotational speed to 1800 RPM. This improves the persistence-of-vision effect.

It’s quieter – I’ve replaced the brushed motor and gearbox in v1 with a brushless drone motor and no gearbox. V2 is now whisper quiet.

Inside the base of my v2 Andotrope

It’s cheaper – the smaller, lighter size with less brass knocked 90% off the raw material price of this Andotrope and that’s not an exaggeration. What’s more, because it uses a common smartphone with a quick-release lid, you can simply use your everyday phone instead of purchasing a dedicated device, further saving money.

It’s optionally semi-transparent – I demoed this at Open Sauce in June 2024 – by simply swapping cylinders you can go from a solid black background to a semi-transparent background. How did I do this? That’s a secret 😉 Personally I prefer a solid black background as it’s hard to see the display with a transparent background, so I mainly demo it with a solid black background.

(YouTube link in case the above embedded video doesn’t work for you)

All these improvements put together, they represent a decent leap forward in Andotrope technology. I’m excited to see what the future will bring, because I already have prototype versions 3 and 4 underway…

If you’re interested in turning an Andotrope into a real product or integrating the patent-pending technology into your systems, contact me to arrange licensing. I’d love to hear from you to make it happen!