Psyche Inspired: William Strunk

Institution: The Citadel

Major: Civil Engineering

Psyche Inspired Class: 2019-2020

REFLECTIONS FROM William

Psyche Bot Model-19

A robot stands 6ft tall with the number 19 displayed on its chest. There is rust coming from the edges of the plating. There are dents and scratches covering the robot’s head, arms, and chest. It seems to be looking at something in the distance with dark, black lenses–one of them larger than the other. The background is white, bringing a dynamic contrast to the dark bronze metallic glow of the robot’s plating.

Psyche Bot Model-19

William Strunk

November 7, 2019

Major: Civil Engineering

Genre/Medium: Steampunk, Robot Statue, 3/4″ PVC pipe, EVA foam, & cardboard

About the work: An asteroid comes in many shapes, forms, and sizes. What would the personification of one look like? This project was my vision for a robotic form of the asteroid Psyche. The robot’s plating is designed to resemble the surface of an asteroid, which shows damage and erosion from time and collisions with other objects. Each indent or scratch has its own history. Even though the robot is damaged and rusting, it still stands strong at 6 feet tall. It is made from EVA foam and cardboard, and it is supported by PVC pipes.

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Orbiting the Unknown in VR

William Strunk

December 18, 2019

Major: Civil Engineering

Genre/Medium: digital art, virtual reality, Tilt Brush

About the work: Through virtual reality, one can experience something as if you were actually there. The virtual world brings about new wonders, one of which is the possibility to see Psyche up close. In the VR space, an asteroid can be seen in the distance. Nearby, a curious satellite views the beauty of it all. The video captures the stop motion generation of the digital version of the asteroid and portrays a sense of wonder toward the possibilities ahead of us. The “Free to share and use” music in the video is called “Touch Tone”.

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The Curious Explorer

 

The Curious Explorer

William Strunk

May 22, 2020

Major: Civil Engineering

Genre/Medium: 3D printing, PLA plastic, paint

About the work: A curious robot satellite equips their backpack and is ready for the long but exciting journey to a metal-rich world. I was inspired to bring a personality to the satellite as it readied itself for space travel. This figure is a 3D model design that was printed using PLA plastic and painted with silver, bronze, orange, and purple.

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Whimsical Journey

Whimsical Journey

William Strunk

May 25, 2020

Major: Civil Engineering

Genre/Medium: digital art and animation

About the work: The Whimsical Journey shows the spacecraft’s adventure through space. The satellite will be able to see many new things on its way to the asteroid. Each new sight and discovery has been brought to life with a fun twist in this 2-D animation.

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