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“Pices” is most likely a misspelling or shortened reference to The String of Pisces, a kinetic light sculpture from Northern Circuits. It uses one rapidly moving string, twin motors, 56 RGB LEDs, and precisely timed flashes to make the string appear to form stationary, drifting, or morphing shapes. It is best understood as decorative kinetic art—not as a replacement for a bright reading or room light.
What is The String of Pisces?
The String of Pisces is a kinetic art lamp built around a simple but unusual idea: make a single string move in a repeatable pattern, then illuminate it at carefully chosen moments.
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The result can look like a glowing three-dimensional drawing suspended in space. Depending on the mode and viewing conditions, the string may appear to form an hourglass, an S-curve, lightning-like shapes, or other abstract patterns that seem to hang motionless before slowly changing.
The design is inspired by the Pisces myth of two fish connected by a string. Northern Circuits originally presented the project as a meeting point between art and science. The maker’s current product name is The String of Pisces; “Pices” is not the current official spelling.
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See the current product listing from Northern Circuits.
How does the lamp create the illusion?
The effect is not produced by a projector or a conventional diffuser. A physical string is moving continuously, and the LEDs reveal selected moments of that movement.
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The string is held between motorized points. The current product listing describes the drive system as quiet twin DC motors. Their coordinated motion makes the string repeatedly twist, turn, and bend.
2. Repetition creates wave-like forms
When a flexible string is driven in a controlled, periodic way, it can produce curves that resemble standing waves. The string itself is not frozen in place; it is moving rapidly through a recurring path. Because the movement repeats, successive positions can line up visually and suggest a stable shape.
This is why the lamp can look more like a glowing sculpture than a spinning piece of cord. The apparent form is created from motion, repetition, and carefully timed illumination.
3. RGB LEDs flash in sync with the movement
The string is paired with individually controllable RGB LEDs. The lights are timed to the motor-driven motion so that each flash captures a particular part of the repeating cycle.
With different timing and colors, the same mechanical system can appear stationary, move slowly, or transform from one pattern into another. Synchronization is central: without it, the eye would mostly see a fast-moving blur.
4. Stroboscopy and vision complete the effect
The visual experience is often described using “persistence of vision,” but that phrase is only a simplified explanation. The more complete description involves periodic motion, synchronized stroboscopic lighting, and the way the visual system combines rapidly presented images.
Rather than seeing every position of the string separately, the viewer can perceive a coherent pattern assembled from repeated illuminated positions. The effect is closer to a three-dimensional persistence-of-vision display than to an ordinary color-changing lamp.
The exact appearance depends on the selected mode, speed, ambient light, viewing angle, and the observer. A camera may capture something quite different because shutter speed, frame rate, and exposure interact with the LEDs’ timing.
Rank #2
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Current specifications
The current Northern Circuits listing identifies the following features:
| Component or feature | Current listed detail |
|---|---|
| LEDs | 56 RGB LEDs |
| LED type | APA102C |
| Motors | Twin DC motors, described as quiet |
| Controller | Arduino Nano |
| Circuit board | Custom PCB |
| Built-in modes | 10 |
| Adjustment | Mode speed can be changed |
| Construction | FDM-printed PLA components |
| Power adapters | US, UK, EU, and AU options |
The product page also lists multiple base and lamp colors. Custom colors carry an additional charge of +$30 as displayed on the listing.
The current page does not establish lumen output, measured power consumption, sound level in decibels, dimensions, duty-cycle limits, warranty terms, or formal safety certification. Those omissions matter if you are evaluating it as functional lighting rather than as an art object.
Ten current modes versus the original 11-pattern claim
Early coverage of the project described 11 planned patterns and referred to a pair of control dials. The current manufacturer page lists 10 built-in modes with adjustable speed.
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The most sensible interpretation is that the design changed between the campaign-era version and the later product. The original number should therefore be treated as an early feature description, not as a guarantee that all 11 planned patterns remain available.
For present-day features, the manufacturer’s current listing is the more relevant source.
What the original Kickstarter tells us
The project began as the Pisces kinetic art lamp on Kickstarter. The campaign ran from August 27 through September 29, 2019, raising CA$50,332 against a CA$40,000 goal with 181 backers.
The campaign page was last updated on February 28, 2021. It remains useful for understanding the project’s origin and early concept, but it is not a current sales page. Kickstarter pledges are not an active purchasing route.
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Read the historical Kickstarter campaign and the earlier Hackster explanation of the mechanism.
Rank #3
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Is it really a lamp?
The most accurate description is kinetic light sculpture with lamp-like decorative use.
It can provide colorful visual ambiance, but there is no verified information in the current listing establishing that it is bright enough for reading, desk work, or general room illumination. Without a lumen rating or photometric measurements, it should not be treated as a primary lighting fixture.
Its value is in the physical motion and the illusion: the light is revealing a moving object, not simply changing the color of a static shade.
What ownership may be like
Visual impact
This is a conversation piece for someone who wants an unusual display rather than another LED strip or smart bulb. The combination of mechanical motion and programmable color gives it a presence that static RGB lighting cannot reproduce.
Noise and moving parts
Although the current motors are described as quiet, “quiet” does not mean silent. Earlier coverage reported an audible white-noise-like effect during operation. Motors, bearings, string alignment, and other moving components also introduce potential wear and maintenance issues that a static lamp does not have.
Viewing conditions
The patterns may be most convincing in relatively dim surroundings, where the LEDs dominate the scene. Strong ambient light can make the string look like a blur. A change in viewing angle can also alter the apparent shape, because the display is physically three-dimensional rather than a flat screen.
Flicker and strobing
The synchronized flashing that creates the illusion may be uncomfortable for people who are sensitive to flicker or rapidly changing light. If the lamp causes eye strain, headaches, dizziness, or other discomfort, stop using it. Trying a different mode, reducing viewing time, or adding ambient lighting may change the experience, but discomfort should not be ignored.
Safety around children and pets
The moving string and motorized mechanism deserve more caution than a static LED lamp. Keep the unit away from young children, pets, loose clothing, hair, and objects that could reach the moving parts. The available product information does not establish an outdoor rating or provide a complete safety-certification specification, so it should be treated as an indoor decorative device unless the manufacturer says otherwise.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Buying details and current availability
Northern Circuits currently maintains a product page with an add-to-cart interface and a displayed price of $519.00. The captured product information does not clearly identify whether that displayed amount is in U.S. or Canadian dollars, so do not assume the currency until it is confirmed at checkout.
- Shipping is added at checkout.
- Canadian taxes are added at checkout.
- Customers may be responsible for customs taxes or fees such as VAT.
- US, UK, EU, and AU power-adapter options are listed.
- The maker says logistics may differ from its related Aquarius lamp and that The String of Pisces remains safe for shipping outside Canada.
- Older photographs and videos may show an earlier version.
Before ordering, confirm the final currency, stock status, adapter choice, shipping cost, estimated delivery, applicable import charges, return policy, and warranty terms directly on the manufacturer’s site.
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Who should consider it?
It is a good fit for:
- Kinetic-art collectors.
- Makers and Arduino enthusiasts.
- STEM educators demonstrating waves, timing, and optical effects.
- Shoppers seeking a distinctive conversation piece.
- People who enjoy programmable RGB installations and electromechanical design.
It is a poor fit for:
- Anyone seeking a bright reading or desk lamp.
- Buyers who require silent, maintenance-free lighting.
- People who are highly sensitive to flicker or strobing.
- Shoppers unwilling to handle international shipping or possible import charges.
- Anyone expecting every promotional video effect to look identical in person or on camera.
How it compares with other lighting objects
The defining distinction is the physical moving string. A static RGB ambient lamp changes color but has no kinetic wave sculpture. An LED matrix or conventional POV display creates images electronically, usually without a visible object tracing the pattern through space. A lava lamp produces motion through heated fluid, while a motorized fiber-optic lamp uses moving light-emitting strands in a different way.
A DIY Arduino or LED POV project may be a better choice for someone who prioritizes code access, experimentation, repairability, or a lower-cost build. The current product confirms its use of an Arduino Nano and custom PCB, but no official current source-code download or complete build guide is established by the supplied product information.
Northern Circuits’ related Aquarius Fountain Lamp is another kinetic light-art product, listed at $899.00 on the vendor’s current catalog route, but it uses a fountain and water-droplet concept rather than a spinning string. It is a conceptual alternative, not a direct substitute.
Common problems and what they mean
The pattern only looks like a blur
Try viewing it in darker surroundings, from a different angle, or at another mode speed. Some settings may be visually less convincing than others. Strong ambient light and off-axis viewing can reduce the apparent stability of the pattern.
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That is expected to some extent. Human vision, camera shutters, exposure settings, and video frame rates sample the flashing LEDs differently. Promotional footage should not be treated as a guarantee of identical appearance in every room.
The light feels uncomfortable
Change modes or reduce viewing time, and try using more ambient light. Stop using the lamp if it causes headaches, dizziness, or visual discomfort.
The unit is noisier than expected
The motors are described as quiet, not silent. The earlier report of a white-noise-like sound is a reminder that high-speed mechanical motion can be audible. Place it where a small amount of motor or airflow noise will not be distracting.
The online specifications do not match
Check the date and source. Kickstarter and early press coverage describe the campaign-era design, while the current manufacturer page lists 56 APA102C LEDs and 10 built-in modes. Older images may also show an earlier version.
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The String of Pisces is a genuine, highly distinctive kinetic light sculpture—not a conventional RGB lamp and not merely a concept from an old crowdfunding campaign. Its appeal comes from the combination of real mechanical motion, synchronized RGB lighting, and visual phenomena that make a moving string appear to become a glowing form.
At the currently displayed $519.00 price, it makes the most sense for a collector, maker, educator, or design enthusiast who specifically wants kinetic art. It is not the right choice for bright task lighting, silent operation, or maintenance-free simplicity. If you are interested, buy through the current Northern Circuits listing and verify the final currency, shipping, taxes, adapter, availability, and after-sales terms before paying.
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