A Möbius strip is a theoretical object with solely a single steady floor that twists after which loops again on itself. In the true world, we regularly use ribbons to display the idea. However these aren’t true Möbius strips, which have zero thickness and can’t exist in the true world. A key attribute of a Möbius strip is that clockwise and counterclockwise lose that means, because the twist causes it to flip from one to the opposite. Does that imply Möbius strip tank tracks create a paradox? James Bruton constructed a Möbius strip tank to seek out out.
The quick reply is: no. This does not create a paradox and it would not even when the tracks had been in some way true Möbius strips. It’s true that the twist within the observe causes the clockwise / counterclockwise differentiation to turn into ambiguous, however that’s largely a matter of perspective anyway. If you happen to checked out a clear clock from behind, its fingers would seem transfer counterclockwise. On this case, the twist simply modifications the facet of the observe that touches the bottom. If you happen to watched a single hyperlink within the observe, you’ll see that its outward face flips with each full rotation.
However that is nonetheless attention-grabbing to see in motion, even when it does not trigger a reality-shattering paradox. Bruton constructed it utilizing 3D-printed tracks that hyperlink collectively in such a approach that they’ve freedom of motion in two axes. The primary is what you at all times see on tank tracks and is critical to type a loop. The second permits one hyperlink to pivot relative to its neighbors, so the loop can twist over on itself.
These tracks match over 3D-printed frames with 3D-printed sprockets pushed by DC gear motors. An Arduino Mega board controls these motors. Bruton related that to an OrangeRX DSM2 receiver in order that it may well obtain instructions from his common distant.
This Möbius tank works properly sufficient, nevertheless it does not provide any benefits over a typical tank. Curiously, Bruton added grip pads to 1 “facet” of the every observe and that causes it to alternate between the grippy “facet” and the sleek “facet.” That makes the tank a lot, a lot worse, nevertheless it does give us all one thing to consider. The one potential advantage of Möbius strip tank tracks is that every “facet” solely receives half the wear and tear.