I didn't attest the claims of the video. I understand that by all present mathematical knowledge of reality perpetual motion isn't possible. But then the working wasn't clear, so I thought I'd get the opinions.

And I didn't say months qualify it as perpetual. I understand what perpetual motion is.

The video doesn't show enough of the gizmo to see what's going on.

However, something odd happens in the video between the 07:39 and 07:40 marks. The ball seems to momentarily disappear. At the same instant there are 3 reflections of the ball on the window behind the machine. Maybe it's just a video anomaly, but it looks odd.

Perhaps this occurs in other parts of the video; I just happened to notice it here.

Finsrud's secret?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXmmNE5tscs&feature=watch_response

That actually explains it. The batteries aren't shown in the moving sculpture, without them the working doesn't seem possible.

It's a trick/delusion/fraud/spoof. You should know better than to ask such a question on an engineering or science forum.

As is all art.

I completely agree. What better place but CR4 to bring an apparent perpetual motion device that one does not see the power source. It's also others who have claimed that this is perpetual motion. Reidar Finsrud has made a very cool piece of art. I want one! If I got one I'd also be willing to keep the power source a secret because that is certainly part of the charm.

Obviously it's powered by one of these:

Obviously.

IMHO The closest mechanical device to a perpetual motion machine is the Atmos clock. These clocks get their energy from slight atmospheric temperature and pressure differences that happen during the day. Even these clocks though are not perpetual. The link for repairing an Atmos clock is proof of that.

No problem. It is a demonstrator of the commutator used in plenty of motors.

Perpetuum mobile? Nah, not by a long shot. Unless the electrical energy is free.

I should have been clearer. It wasn't the artist who was being a fraud, etc.; it was the OP who pitched this in a bogus way.

I've had a number of "desk toys" that run for a very long time on a battery. A hidden coil is triggered by a transistor circuit to add energy at just the right time. If you had some solar cells and a capacitor, it could run indefinitely as long as there was light.

For example:

http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Island-Intl-Inc-Circle/dp/B004USM7N6

Ah yes. The infamous "I know but I'm not going to tell you." claim.

I agree completely. Freed of the capacity for logical thought (drugs can help here), one can merely make up a new imaginary physics construct: it works because of the anti-proton derivative, for example. You cannot argue with me (or anyone else coming up with an equally -- or more -- imaginary explanation) because I will counter that you simply do not understand what the hell I'm proposing.

The beauty of our explanations is that they offer no meaningful content whatsoever.