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Fidget spinners are supposed to help you focus, cat videos were invented to distract you. I combined the two, so they probably cancel each other out.

It’s a small handheld version of a device from the 19th century called a zoetrope. The one in the pictures has a cat running as the animation, but it would work with any 12 frame animated picture.

Follow the link to 3D print your own version. You can also order one from me and I’ll do all the work for you!

More info: instructables.com

This is a finished animated fidget spinner

Believe it or not, this is actually a pretty simple 3D modeling project

All it is is a drum with 12 slots in it evenly spaced, two identical wheels on the top and bottom with holes cut out to let light in, and a couple of caps and bearings.

I made a few different versions of animations to try out with the spinner

This one is a motion study of a cat done by Eadweard Muybridge in the 19th century. I saved each frame individually, brought the frames into illustrator, then placed them in the proper locations between the slots.

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It’s a simple design: two wheels, two bearings, two caps for your thumb and forefinger, and a drum with slits in it press-fit together

Watch the video of this spinner in motion below