Big Ball o' Mike's Cups

This illuminated art project is a collaboration between Nicholas Hosking (who designed and constructed the Ball o' Cups) and Janet Hansen (who created the lighting effects).  

The sphere is 42" in diameter, and is composed of 360 large plastic cups joined together with binder clips. A smart RGB LED pixel is mounted at the back of each cup, facing outward, creating reflections on the interior white surfaces. The lights are mapped and animated using Enlighted controls that are similar to those in our custom lighted garments.

The Ball o' Cups can be mounted on a post or a stand, or hung from above.  In October 2017, it was first exhibited as part of an installation with the Escape Pod.

What about Mike? The ball is named in his honor because he supplied the cups, which were saved from frequent visits to his favorite fast food restaurant. Despite doctors' orders to cut back on sugary drinks (he suffered from chronic diabetes), he continued building his collection.  The cups in the sphere represent all of the sodas that were consumed in the last year of his life.

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The videos below show the Ball o' Cups on a recent visit to our local beach.  Look for the literal spinning beach ball!