Kaleidoscope is an optical toy. A brightly colored object is placed at one end of the cylinder. A prism is placed in the middle of the cylinder. The other end is sealed with a holed glass. You can observe by looking through the hole. to a symmetrical image.
A kaleidoscope is a cylinder with a prism inside, sealed at both ends, a colored object (such as a glass shard) placed at one end, and a hole at the other end. It consists of three glass mirrors forming a prism, and then puts some glass fragments of various colors on one end. When these fragments are reflected by the three glass mirrors, a symmetrical pattern will appear, looking like blooming flowers.
The principle of the kaleidoscope lies in the reflection of light, and the mirror uses the reflection of light to create images. This imaging principle has been mastered by the ancients in ancient my country.
In 1815 Sir David Brewster's work was mainly in optics and spectroscopy, which led to the invention of the kaleidoscope. He was experimenting with the polarization of light, but it was not patented at first.
In 1817, Brewster applied for a patent in the name of "Kaleidoscope", which was the beginning of kaleidoscope patents. The word Kaleidoscope is derived from the Greek word kalos, which means beautiful, and eidos, which means form, which means to look at beautiful shapes. The manufacturing of the kaleidoscope was contracted by Philip Carpenter, a well-known optical company at the time.
Within three months, 200,000 kaleidoscopes were sold in London and Paris, but most of the kaleidoscopes were pirated and Brewster did not receive the financial return he deserved. Brewster wrote to his wife: "Thousands of poor people make a living by making and selling kaleidoscopes." In the 19th century, kaleidoscopes were introduced to China and were treasured by dignitaries of the Qing Dynasty.
Modern kaleidoscopes are made of brass tubes, stained glass, wood, steel, gourds or almost any material. Japanese designer Koji Yamami has delved deeply into kaleidoscopes and has been selected for the Brewster conventions known as the "Kaleidoscope Oscars" for 15 consecutive years, and twice won the United States National People's Choice Award.
Applications
Most kaleidoscopes are mass-produced from cheap materials and used as children's toys. At the other extreme are handmade pieces that showcase exquisite craftsmanship. Craft galleries often stock a few kaleidoscopes, while other businesses specialize in them, carrying dozens of different types of products from various artists and craftsmen.
Most handmade kaleidoscopes are now made in India, Bangladesh, Japan, the United States, Russia and Italy, countries with long traditions of glass craftsmanship.