Chindogu is an imaginative, inspiring trend in Japan. It refers to clever inventions that have questionable usefulness. If you’re unfamiliar, look some up; they’re sure to elicit a raised eyebrow and incredulous grin.
The Algorithm, a new magic effect app by Yves Doumergue and Xavier Decoret, garnered a similar response when I first worked with it. For as much as it sparked an initial bit of magical dopamine from its devious subterfuge, finding justification to perform the effect is elusive in a world where spectators already think that phones and computers are “magic” in a sci-fi sort of way. (See Arthur C. Clarke’s third law.)
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