He builds giant kinetic sculptures (they're called "Strandbeests" or "Beach Beasts") that, when the wind blows on them, are totally self-propelled through mechanisms made out of plastic pipes. And according to Theo Jansen's TED Talk on Youtube, some of them have a tube that senses moisture and a grounding mechanism to keep them from blowing away in a storm. In other words, they could survive on their own out on the beaches, which is supposedly Jansen's ultimate goal. I sincerely hope that beaches in the Netherlands are actually filled with these someday. I love them. I was creeped out at first, but all they do is walk around! You can move out of their way, and it's not like you wouldn't notice them coming.
I checked his website, and he has a Physics degree. (Duh.) If someone had showed me years ago that THIS is what one can do with a degree in physics, my life might have turned out differently.
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