Hand-powered with a single pull of a string, Momentum is more than the world's longest spinning 38 gram top.
It is a completely new way to experience Newton's Laws of Motion by accelerating from zero to 15,000 rpm in less than one second! Spin it once and you will be addicted as you witness angular momentum drive this one-inch engineering masterpiece with so much energy that it looks, sounds and feels alive.
Inventing is human nature. We see something and say, "That could be done better if only...". The process of analyzing a problem, experimenting with new ideas and physically bringing a new object into this world is incredibly fulfilling. Where would we be today without inventors throughout history? It has been my mission since my early years as a school teacher to enable, encourage and cultivate the "inventing mindset" in children and adults alike. We all possess the innate capacity to create value where there was once only an idea.
My goal with Momentum was simple.
Invent the fastest, longest spinning, most entertaining physics toy in the world. Momentum offers students of all ages to see the inventing process as well as the amazing results possible from a single idea.
Momentum provides an excellent classroom demonstration of Newton's Three Laws of Motion.
Law 1 - An object in motion (or at rest) tends to stay in motion (or at rest) until an external force is applied (also known as Galileo's Law of Inertia)
Law 2 - Force equals Mass x Acceleration (F = ma)
Law 3 - For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
Estimate Force Any science lab can easily reproduce the equation I used to create Momentum by verifying the mass using a scale and measuring the RPM at start-up with a tachometer. This will give students the values to find Force for Law 2.
Drag Coefficient & Friction By measuring the time it takes to come to a rest combined with periodic tachometer readings (every minute), it is also possible to estimate the drag coefficient and friction between the contact point (Si3N4 ball) and surface. Experiment with surfaces of varying hardness and porosity for a wide range of results. (Law 1)
Some great questions for the inventor and science students.
How does Angular Momentum keep the spinning top upright?
What is Precession? Where is the second axis?
How does Inertia apply to the Momentum device?
Explain how Torque is created and applied in the Momentum device?
Spin Momentum while meditating in 15 to 20-minute intervals daily and discover the world around you in a new state of focused awareness.
Turn off your electronics, phones and devices and re-discover the physical world around you.
The entire Momentum System was conceived in a 20-minute meditation session.
Momentum saved my life. I launched the Momentum Kickstarter campaign exactly four years after suffering a major stroke that erased my short and long term memory. You can read more in my blog to get the full story. The short version is that at age 37, I woke up in a hospital bed with no memory of my identity, family or friends. I had to re-learn how to walk, talk, read, write, play trumpet, type on this computer, program cnc machinery, etc.
That day was like being born for the first time. Everything was new to me. Grass and trees seemed incredibly amazing. My dog, Oscar, was instantly my best friend. The sun was intensely bright, colors so vibrant and the cool breeze was perfect. It was like experiencing life for the very first time. Why don't we see the world this way every day?
The physics of Momentum are the universal principles of life. I challenge you to approach everyday living in a way that promotes a better experience. Like Momentum spins so true until the very end, improving your habits may allow you to achieve a longer, more fulfilling life.
Spin Momentum and lose yourself in the balance that defies gravity. Notice the near perfect spherical contact point and consider how you interact with the world around you. How is Momentum so efficient?
After my memory loss, my friends, family, clients, career and previous habits literally picked me up and moved me forward the very next day. This encouraged me to re-learn everything I had lost and more. The challenges I have overcome to arrive at this moment have been beyond what most people can imagine. Yet, my momentum was so great that I have pushed my limits further than I thought possible.
Will you unlock the secrets within Momentum?
My sister and I in 1979
Momentum is a metaphor for life. Gaining Momentum in your life is the secret to achieving your goals. I will share with you how I have gained so much Momentum throughout my lifetime that I am thrust into action every single morning at 5am.
First you must start with an idea. A big idea. I'm serious, think of a really big idea that inspires you. Tell your family and friends the importance this single idea holds in your future. Grow this idea. Make it part of your everyday speech so that others may offer you feedback. Feed this idea by exploring every variation already in existence today. Bring this idea to life with your own actions. Take 15 minutes every day to meditate on your achievements and goals until this one idea becomes bigger than you. This is how little people achieve great things, with one big idea.
My big idea began when I was a young boy. I grew up traveling America in the 1970's in a semi-truck with my sister and parents. I spent a lot of time gazing out the window between truck stops and rest areas. And after asking a thousand questions about the airplanes I would see in the sky, I suddenly exclaimed, "I'm going to be an airplane pilot!"
A few years later, I was still hooked on the idea of flying planes, but I also wanted to know how they worked. Luckily, my Dad understood the necessity of learning from experiences. He would carefully lead me through a series of questions whenever I wanted to understand something. Discovering the answer for myself is far more valuable than being told the answer. With his guidance, I discovered the world around us is fascinating with more to learn than I could ever imagine. And then came the day when I announced to my parents, "I'm going to be a famous inventor!"
Well I'm not famous, but I have been a professional inventor for most of my life. I founded Harrelson Trumpets when I was 19 years old. And for the past 22 years, I have been obsessed with building better trumpets by incorporating physics, specifically Newton's Laws of Motion, into my research and development. I believe there is always more to learn, more to achieve and more to create, which is why I am looking forward to the next innovation every single day.
My big idea began when I was a little kid and today it has become a company that serves professional musicians in 40 countries. What will you do with your big idea?