Energy Meter

Inspirations and Sketches for the Energy Meter from a design charete with Kaplan Thompson Architects and Brian Lazarus of Opus One Studio

Comments from Brian Lazarus of Opus One Studio
"So I have been playing around with concepts in an attempt to find a
simple solution to our display. Here is what I have come up with so far.

The real time has gone from instant to updated to average out the use
over 10 minutes. I am doing this to eliminate wear on the cheap parts we
are going to end up using in an attempt to meet the budget when they cut
it. Also less movement means easier to build which ultimately they are
going to ask us to do. When they ask use to deliver on our idea I would
like to be able to do what a consultant usually can't (oh you want us to
actually build it)? I am still on the sweeping arms for now although the
extension with the movement is in peril as we speak. The cam means more
moving parts and there are three arms which means three drivers which
means Triple the cost. This is not like a clock that works off a gear
because there is no direct relationship between the movement of the
three outputs. (this is where the light-bulb goes off in our heads,
Excuse the pun). So For now lets just play with three arms. Although I
did draw a dial with 120 dots on the outside of it and two arms within
the circle pointing in opposite directions with the sweepy thick/thin
swoosh still intact. I need from you guys some sort of scale to work
with here. I am not sure how wide the structure is at the mounting
height. This could play in to the design more then we perceive at the
moment. I am assuming we can get to the back of this divice very easily
for service and repair. This means no going up the outside of the
building and pulling it off the front. I would love to be able to go
from the inside for now like a clock considering this is the first one
and it will break it is just a matter of when. The input for now Is a
computer feeding three servos moving a simple pivot conected to an arm
with off the shelf parts from radio shack and the hardware store. I am
not sure the budget will allow us to to to have parts machined for now."