Backercrew
Apr 16, 2024
4087 Views

Hēlios – A Masterpiece in Motion

Written by

Hēlios is the epitome of modern kinetic art, elevating any space with captivating and mesmerizing motion.
Check on Kickstarter

Hēlios is the epitome of modern kinetic art, turning any room into an oasis of introspection and calm. More than a sculpture – an experience. A reprieve from the rush. A source of peace and inspiration at the intersection of technology and art. Every movement is unique on a stage of infinite iterations, a silent symphony orchestrating fluidity and balance in a way that’s never been seen before.

The modern, clean features combined with beautiful materials will complement any space and aesthetic.

Hēlios is perfect for your home or office. Any space can benefit from a touch of motion, from your living room, foyer, bedroom, desk, or bookshelf. Hēlios is sure to be a great conversation starter and will make a statement anywhere you display it. 

Display Hēlios anywhere for over 40 days of motion with the rechargeable, long-lasting battery. No cables to disrupt the flow of your space. Hēlios is conveniently rechargeable via the included USB-C cable.

Hēlios features a power-saver mode that monitors ambient light and pauses the motion in dark environments. When light returns, Hēlios reawakens to mesmerize and captivate once again. 

Hēlios moves by magnetism, so there are no noisy motors or gears. Stay focused or relaxed with whisper quiet operation.

Hēlios’ motion is a beautiful demonstration of physics in action. Energy is converted from electrical energy, to magnetic energy, and finally to kinetic energy to drive the rings’ rotation. Perpetual motion may not be possible, but perpetual intrigue may be. 

Hēlios embraces the beauty of simplicity – no need for a WIFI connection, bluetooth, or a mobile app. Unplug, refresh, and let the calming motion guide you on your path to serenity.

Gold Edition
Black Edition
Solid Walnut Hardwood Base

Crafted from high quality and durable materials, every facet of Hēlios has been carefully designed to be elegant, robust, and reliable. 

The base is carved from solid hardwood, the central axis is machined from solid brass, and the rings are injection molded for enduring performance. Cork padding ensures stability on any surface and high quality bearings provide smooth, fluid motion for years to come. 

Hēlios can be turned on, off, or put into power-saver mode (ambient light monitoring) by sliding the switch on the bottom:

What’s In the The Box

In addition to Hēlios, all orders will include a USB-C charging cable.

Hēlios has come a long way from its initial concept. The initial designs were bulky, noisy, had a short runtime, and some were even powered by a weight (like a clock)! After countless hours 3D printing, laser cutting, machining, iterating, and testing, the Hēlios you see today emerged. It is truly one of a kind.

Hēlios may look simple and elegant, but under the hood is an advanced electrical and software system. Culminating years of engineering and design, Hēlios is an eloquent display of electromechanical artistry.

Here is a short walkthrough video showing some of the details and features of one of our prototypes:

*Hēlios is currently offered with the walnut base only, please reach out if you’d be interested in the beech wood base in the future!

I’ve built numerous functional prototypes that have undergone months of testing and analysis. In fact, I was building so many prototypes that I ended up developing my own custom electromagnet winding machine (although the manufacturer will do a much better job of winding them).

Custom electromagnet winding machine for prototyping

I’ve been working closely with our manufacturing partner to mitigate as many challenges as possible prior to launch. The manufacturer has evaluated and perfected the design to ensure a smooth transition to production. We have been hard at work testing different materials, finishes, components, and software to ensure we deliver a high-end, reliable, and beautiful product. 

Here are two of the functional prototypes built by the manufacturer so far:

A couple of the manufacture’s production prototypes

*We were trying out a mirror finish for the gold edition, but the final product will look more metallic with a slight sheen, similar to the other photos and videos on this page. But if you like the mirror finish, let us know and it could be a potential edition in the future! 

The manufacturer has done an outstanding job! There are just a few final tweaks we plan to make to perfect the appearance and performance. The manufacturer will carry out one more round of prototyping after the campaign ends, and then on to production!

The manufacturer has also machined sample tooling to ensure the large, thin geometries of the rings will not experience warping or shrinking during injection molding. The injection molded sample rings came out perfectly straight and smooth!

Injection molded ring sample

We have started the process of designing the packaging. Stay tuned for the outer printing design!

Premium package design

Since we’ve started these manufacturing processes early, the likelihood of delays is drastically reduced, ensuring a swift transition into production and fulfillment

Hi! My name is Cameron.

I am an engineer and artist with a passion for creating, designing, and all things art and technology. Two years ago I set out on a mission to create a device that combines these passions in a way that’s never been seen before. I wanted to create something the evokes emotion, inspires thought, and introduces beauty to physics. I’m so excited to introduce Hēlios to the world and I hope it can be a source of joy and wonder in your life. 

Article Tags:
Article Categories:
All · Design · Featured

Comments are closed.