Art is an intriguing phenomenon—deeply subjective and boundless in its possibilities. It doesn’t need a specific function or even logical coherence; all it requires is an artist with a vision. This is particularly evident in interactive and kinetic art, where technology can be integrated without the constraints of practicality. One striking example is Gyro, an interactive art installation by Máximo Campo, which uses modern sensors to animate swinging pendulum drums.
The Gyro installation features five drums suspended from the ceiling by cables, allowing them to swing freely like pendulums. As they move, they generate their own rhythmic beats based on their acceleration. While a person can set them in motion with a push, gravity naturally influences their movement, causing them to accelerate at the peak of their arc and descend. Uncontrolled, this could result in chaotic noise, but with precise timing, the system produces a harmonious percussive rhythm.
Each drum achieves this by sensing its own acceleration through an MPU6050 accelerometer module. A Raspberry Pi Pico development board inside each drum continuously monitors the MPU6050 and uses the acceleration data to trigger three solenoids mounted beneath the drumhead. These solenoids, powered by four 18650 lithium batteries, are activated via relays under the Pico’s control.
Campo programmed the Pico boards in Python, enabling them to determine which solenoids to activate and to adjust beat frequency based on acceleration values. Since the acceleration thresholds vary between drums, and each drum is tuned differently, every pendulum produces its own distinct sound.
Campo, who creates under the alias Correo Electrónico, unveiled Gyro at Mexico City’s TDROOM gallery in January 2025. Alongside fellow artist Emiliano Cruz, he later incorporated an electric guitar—also suspended like a pendulum—to record an experimental music performance titled Clausura de Gyro, available on Nina Protocol.
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