# What's up with Steorn's "Orbo" (free-energy perpetual-motion promises)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 9, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373 "2007-06-09T16:28:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/121 "2007-07-05T15:03:30Z")
I think they’re live, I saw two guys talking on camera 4, and on camera 3 I saw the head of one of them and the same color shirt, and it made sense based on the diagram showing the positions. There’s gotta be a doper that can go to the museum and check it out for us when it’s open. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingCowOfDoom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyingcowofdoom/32/21776_2.png) [@FlyingCowOfDoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingCowOfDoom)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/122 "2007-07-05T15:03:59Z")
Try opening multiple browser windows. Then you don’t have to switch, you can watch all of the cameras simultaneously. –FCOD ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/123 "2007-07-05T15:07:38Z")
Something is screwy with the declared layout of the cameras anyway. From camera 4, I can see a cameras 2 and 3 to the left of the display, not the right (as the diagram shows them). ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/124 "2007-07-05T15:15:18Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Or Kryptonite? [/QUOTE] Or Cavorite. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/125 "2007-07-05T15:34:29Z")
Or bullshite. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/126 "2007-07-05T16:09:13Z")
For whoever might be interested, apparently you can find a pic of the mysterious device [here](http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/04/steorns-orbo-free-energy-machine-demonstrated-tomorrow/). It’s also nice to read the updates to the original article and witness the ever-so-slight degradation of enthusiasm… ---
**Author:** ![truthpizza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@truthpizza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthpizza)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/127 "2007-07-05T16:22:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Khadaji** > > Wait a minute … I had a link? Damn I’m gettin’ senile! I don’t recall that at all. 🙂 :smack: Next time I’ll try to credit the person who _originally_ posts the link ( **Colophon** in this case) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/128 "2007-07-05T16:45:00Z")
[QUOTE=c\_goat] There’s gotta be a doper that can go to the museum and check it out for us when it’s open. [/QUOTE] As I said, this place is only a couple of miles from my office. If it had been open today as planned I’d have gone over. Unfortunately (well, not unfortunately, as it’s the weekend!) I won’t be back in London till Monday, but I’ll have a look then. By which time it will hopefully either be “working” or they’ll have given up and gone home. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/129 "2007-07-05T18:04:17Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] Or Cavorite. [/QUOTE] I think it’s actually a new hanwavium-unobtanium allow. ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/130 "2007-07-05T18:52:38Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] As I said, this place is only a couple of miles from my office. [/QUOTE] :smack: I need to read more closely… ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/131 "2007-07-05T19:37:39Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Or bullshite. [/QUOTE] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/132 "2007-07-05T20:17:49Z")
It still doesn’t work. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/133 "2007-07-05T23:43:15Z")
[QUOTE=Half Man Half Wit] For whoever might be interested, apparently you can find a pic of the mysterious device [here](http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/04/steorns-orbo-free-energy-machine-demonstrated-tomorrow/). It’s also nice to read the updates to the original article and witness the ever-so-slight degradation of enthusiasm… [/QUOTE] Hmmm.. big hollow tubes, eh? Not the sort of place you could hide… batteries? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/134 "2007-07-06T00:44:55Z")
[QUOTE=FlyingCowOfDoom] I was just watching the “Live” video feeds, and I noticed that there was a person near the clear box that contains the device on camera 1, but not on camera 3 or 4. I switched back and forth a few times to make sure. The cameras cannot all be live and directed at the same location. They’re either in different rooms or playing back a recording.–FCOD [/QUOTE] If you see a girl in a U.KY. shirt, start thinking “loop-tape.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/135 "2007-07-06T11:00:32Z")
Nothing appears to be happening at Kinetica. Official opening time was about an hour ago, but there’s no sign of life - the device is still missing and the doors appear locked. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/136 "2007-07-06T11:03:41Z")
Oh, wait! A woman just walked about in the room - she was using a phone (“OK, where the hell is it?”), then she spent a while peering at the empty display case. A bloke tried the door, but couldn’t open it. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/137 "2007-07-06T11:12:14Z")
Latest news, colour me shocked 😉 > [@](#): > > Folks, > > We have had to make the unfortunate decision to deffer the public demonstration of our technology that was due to start on the 4th. I am very sorry that we have had to take this decision, I will provide a more detailed explanation of the reasons behind the decision later. > > I would like to invite any of the forum members (SPDC or otherwise) who are in London to meet me at 15:00 here in Kinetica, were I will be available to answer any questions. > > Very sorry about this, hope to see some of you at 15:00. > > Thanks, > > Sean > [@](#): > > Steorn announcement: Kinetica Demonstration > > Further to Steorn’s announcement yesterday (5th July) regarding the technical difficulties experienced during the installation of its “Orbo” technology at the Kinentica Museum in London, Steorn has decided to postpone the demonstration until further notice. > > Sean McCarthy CEO stated that “technical problems arose during the installation of the demonstration unit in the display case on Wednesday evening. These problems were primarily due to excessive heat from the lighting in the main display area. Attempts to replace those parts affected by the heat led to further failures and as a result we have to postpone the public demonstration until a future date.” > > He continued that “we apologise for the inconvenience caused to all the people who had made arrangements to visit the demonstration or were planning on viewing the demonstration online.” > > Over the next few weeks the company will explore alternative dates for the public demonstration. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/138 "2007-07-06T11:20:19Z")
Yeah, there are a few people walking around outside the locked door - I suppose it’s getting towards lunchtime. No sign that they might be about to unlock the doors to either the room or a free-energy future though. On camera 4, you can see the reflections of what might be the people walking around behind the doors in camera 3 - can’t be sure they synchronise though. You can’t tell anything from camera 1. And really, say I see a wheel spinning on the Internet. So what? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/139 "2007-07-06T11:21:29Z")
Wow. I suppose it had to fail in some way or other, but what a damp squib that was. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373/140 "2007-07-06T11:34:46Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Wow. I suppose it had to fail in some way or other, but what a damp squib that was. [/QUOTE] Dern tootin’. Would have been much more exciting if aliens had clouded their minds and made off with the world’s only “working” model. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-steorns-orbo-free-energy-perpetual-motion-promises/407373.md?page=8)