Welcome to VisualSpinner3D!

Q: What is VisualSpinner3D?

A: VisualSpinner3D is a prop-spinning simulator, written in JavaScript, that can visualize almost any sequence of moves - flowers, pendulums, hybrids, and so on - for any number of props - poi, staves, hoops, fans, and so on.

~

Q: Where can I see the simulator in action?

A: The short answer is, right here!

The long answer is trickier. The simulator is a JavaScript engine that can simulate almost any combination or sequence of moves. But with so many possibilities, it's hard to design one set of buttons and menus that allows users access to the full power of the simulator in an intuitive way. For that reason, I have written a number of demo pages that show off the engine's possibilities:

• The VisualSpinner3D demo is probably the easiest interface for a new user to play around with. A set of menus lets you pick prop types, moves, spin directions, starting positions, planes, and the like.
• An alternate version of the demo, formatted for Willow Solow's Spin More Poi site. It also happens to fit quite well on an iPhone screen. If you're at a spin jam and you just want to show someone what a triquetra looks like on your phone, this is a good place to start.
• A model of Ben Drexler's mind-blowing "Comborific" video - but now you can pause, rewind, and examine every movement and transition.
• Confused by the timing and direction of poi juggling? So am I.
• A tool for exploring poi toroids and helixes..
• My first steps toward a drag-and-drop interface for building sequence of poi movements.

~

Q: Can I incorporate VisualSpinner3D in my own web site?

A: Yes. Feel free to look at the source code for this and other demo pages; I'm planning a video tutorial to explain in more detail. Note that VisualSpinner3D is currently released under the GNU General Public License, which means you cannot charge money for a program that incorporates the VisualSpinner3D engine. However, I am planning to change the licensing so that the engine can be incorporated in commercial software, so long as the engine itself remains free.

~

Q: Is the code open source?

A: Yes, and it is available on my Github site. (If you poke around there, you can also find some Arduino code for LED flow props.)

The code for the engine itself is basically finished, but there is a whole world of possibilities for improved graphics and interface design. For example, this engine could easily render buugengs, but I don't have a 3D mesh to base them on. If you're good at that sort of thing, contact me and let's fix that!

~

Q: I am a poi theory and/or programming nerd and I want to know how the simulator works.

A: I'm working on an essay that explains it, but it's not yet finished.

~

Q: Are there any known bugs?

A: Yes, unfortunately. Plane-bent moves, such a toroids, spun with props that have a flat plane of symmetry, such as hoops and fans, render correctly in some orientations and incorrectly in others. This fix is a high priority for me, because I think toroids are an underexplored frontier for fan tech.

~

Q: Why does your page look terrible?

A: Because web design is not my strong suit. This is another area where I appreciate the suggestions and charity of others.

~

Q: Who are you?

A: My name is Glenn Wright. I'm a fire spinner and a programmer, and I live in Oakland, California. You can contact me at infinite D0T perplexity AT gmail D0T com.