Tom -

I'm a RPI grad (class of '79) who was also intrigued by the Chrinitoid. I'm currently in negotiations with a local artist to make a "mini" Chrinitoid - I'm thinking of it as an posthumous "Ode to Rickey" kinetic sculpture.

Current sizing and materials:

panels: 4' long, 18" wide and 1.5" or 2" deep. axis of rotation is about 1'
from short end/3' from long end

pole: 12' tall with axis of rotation connected at 11' (panels would hang down to 8' at lowest point)

pole and panels to be steel with copper colored stain. Foundation would be a poured in place caisson with a 4 bolt steel anchor, engineered for the wind loading in my area.

Your World-Up simulation has been critical to me in getting folks to understand how the sculpture should perform in the wind (thank you!).

Unfortunately, the cost estimate is a bit high, but could be lowed per unit if two were made.

Do you know anyone that might be interested in buying a mini-Chrinitoid for their front lawn? The sculpture would likely be in the thousands, but likely less than $7,000.

Sounds like you live in "the city" and wouldn't have space for a mini-chrini, but I thought you might know someone who wants one.

Mitch

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Tom,

I am sure you have been getting a flood of emails about the Chrinitoid since the article last year - here is one more. I graduated in '86, so I too suffered the loss in '84.

I just found out that I need to go to Germany in November and I will probably swing a side trip to Zurich for a day on the way back. I am pretty sure I can find it based on the information on your website and from the tourism site. I will send you a few pictures if you want, unless you have already been inundated with them.

Thanks for the work you put into finding it and for letting the rest of us know.

--Jim Lavelle

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Tom,

I think I may have scored my first picture without moving from my desk. I searched on "satellite pictures Zurich" (google) and the first entry was a news site that showed an overhead picture of most of the city. The first picture you see is a low resolution "web" picture, but if you click on the picture you will download a 5.5 meg, full resolution version.

I have attached a small clip from that picture from the bend in the canal where your intel says the Chrinitoid should be. It is possible that what you see in the image is the Chrinitoid, but I can't be sure. (If you "walk across the bridge" from upper right to lower left, as soon as you get to the near side of the canal I think the sculpture is directly to your virtual right, or "above" the cross walk marks.) I see one shiny rectangle and one duller one parallel to it. Of course it could also be a house, but some of the other detail looks like walkway as opposed to a roof, etc.

When I go in November I will confirm the exact location. If this satellite picture really does show it I think it would be cool to put the word out or link a copy on your website. I would wait for confirmation just in case.

Now I can't wait for November.

-Jim Lavelle

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Tom,

I got back from my trip to Europe - I saw the Chrinitoid on Saturday the 5th of Nov. I was concerned on my way into Zurich that morning because the weather reports were calling for rain, but luckily there was no water actually falling from the sky all day. It was pretty overcast, though.

I got to the bank location about mid-afternoon and the sun was just poking through some clouds so I was able to shoot off a couple rolls of film. I did not bring my digital camera, so I will have to have the film developed and scan some shots for you.

A couple of impressions on seeing it there: the setting does not really do it justice. The tall building makes it look smaller than I remember it being, and in general the space is cluttered with a canal walkway, bridge, and a restaurant on the ground floor that has tables out in the courtyard. I kept feeling that I could not get back far enough to frame a proper picture, and the backgrounds in various directions were a bit distracting. The other thing I noticed in an hour and a half of loitering was that the range of motion is severely limited. The panels never got above about 60 degrees from down, and the twisting motion was very slow also. It was almost like it was telling me that it felt 21 years older.

I'm going to try to write up my visit in an entertaining fashion (hopefully), maybe you would want to post it on your website if you thought it worthy. I will get some pictures off to you as well, though I'm not sure there will be anything special given the lighting and setting. It was definitely worth the trip, I just wish I had better conditions. I wonder how many people would be interested in a weekend pilgrimage to see it - chartered flight, two nights hotel, rent out the restaurant next door for a party, etc.? I should work up a price and float the concept somehow.

Thanks for all the info, it was quite easy to find. Talk to you -- Jim

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Tom,

Thanks for your 2004 article "In Search of the Chrinitoid". Yes, I'm only getting to filing away some articles that I've been collecting over time.

Only after looking at your website did I realize that you were that Tom Payne. During the first year of Nvidia, we worked with Eric (and Pat) on doing some VR demo (string quartet) for us. Then you went on to 3DLabs and the rest is history...

While at RPI I did a two semester independent study project with Henry Scarton (he and his wife just visited us in CA a few weeks ago) to develop the dynamic equations for the Chrinitoid. I wanted to do it to just get access to RPI's new vector graphics computer system. It took us a semester to come up with the equations and another semester to create the graphics program to display the simulation; the hidden line removal was the hardest part. I've still got the equations and programs in the attic somewhere.

If you ever hear of the Chrinitoid going up for sale, let me know, I'll make sure it finds its way back "home".

Curtis '82

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