It is optimized for use with content from Instagram. (Mobius Machine is not affiliated with Instagram.) Instagram Mobius Machine is an arts-based project that emerged from discussions in Prof. Healey's seminar in Contemplative Media Studies at University of New Hampshire. Like most arts-based projects, the purpose of Instagram Mobius Machine is to spark conversation and insight. The concept is sim
ple. Users select two Instagram feeds and print them onto a double-sided strip of canvas, which is then mounted on the Machine in the form of a Mobius loop. Users watch as the Machine rotates the Instagram feeds, displaying both sides of the strip one after the other in an endless cycle. The effect is subtle and complex. Like a 3D-printed Zen koan, the Mobius Machine blurs the lines between digital and analog, virtual and tactile. Building and interacting with the Mobius Machine allows users to re-orient their relationship to images we typically encounter through social media by juxtaposing images, profiles, or themes in unexpected ways. The endless cycle of the mobius strip mimics, yet undermines and questions, the addictive scrolling of normal social media use. In this way, it is a simple, fun, first step toward envisioning a more ethical and sustainable media environment. This project will be of interest to teachers, educators, and hobbyists who wish to develop a more mindful approach to social media use. Download the step-by-step instructions and 3D schematics here from the UNH Innovation Lab website:
https://license.unh.edu/product/instamobmach
