Posted by John K (24.79.128.61) on January 08, 2003 at 21:22:01:
Have a look at this spinning top toy called, 'Top secret'. I recently ordered one, and received it in the mail today :
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~tbardin/html/top_secret.html
While it's not a true perpetual motion machine, it's very interesting, just the same, and it gives the illusion of perpetual motion. My top spun for over an hour today, before I stopped it, but some have apparently spun for days.
The top itself contains a magnet, and it interacts with a magnetic field of the magnet in the base of the device(an electromagnet), to produce a current in the base. This current then feeds energy back continually into the top, to overcome the force of friction, which is acting to make the top fall. My understanding of what's going on is somewhat sketchy, but maybe someone else can fill in the gaps for us, as to what makes, 'Top Secret' work !
John