MAGNETISCOPE
Don’t Just Feel the Force… Map It!
What is the Magnetiscope?
The Magnetiscope is a custom-built tool that uses sensors and software to map magnetic fields and project them as dynamic, real-time visuals onto the objects it scans. Housed in a 3D-printed wand and powered by an Arduino and magnetometer, it captures the normally invisible world of magnetism and brings it to life through vivid on-screen arrows representing the field. It’s designed for hands-on learning, exploration, and experimentation with magnetic phenomena like never before.
Open Sauce 2025
Joseph Broadway and Tessa Brazda at the public debut of the Magnetiscope during Open Sauce 2025. The device revealed the invisible geometry of magnetic fields for attendees in real time.
Magnetic field vector map of a neodymium magnet, captured using the Magnetiscope. Arrows indicate the strength and direction of the magnetic field at each point in space.
Early CAD render of the 3D-printed Magnetiscope shell, designed to loosely resemble a lightsaber from Star Wars. The form factor made it easy to hold and provided enough space to fit the core electronics during prototyping.
A complex vector field showing magnetic interactions between two ring magnets and a neodymium magnet. The Magnetiscope visualizes the push and pull of magnetic forces in real time.
Mission & Motivation
The Magnetiscope was developed to make the invisible visible—transforming magnetic fields into intuitive, real-time visual experiences. Designed as an accessible, hands-on scientific tool, its purpose is to inspire curiosity, deepen understanding, and empower exploration across all ages and experience levels. Whether in a classroom, a lab, or a maker’s workshop, we invite users to embrace curiosity and engage directly with the physical forces that shape our world.
At its heart, this project is about encouraging a mindset of curiosity-driven creation. It's built on the belief that science and engineering should be approachable—and that anyone, when given the tools and encouragement, can explore the world in meaningful ways. By sharing this work openly and building a community around it, we hope to inspire others to pursue their own ideas, ask new questions, and contribute to a broader, shared understanding of the universe we live in.
Contact us
We’d love to hear from you!
Whether you have questions, feedback, collaboration ideas, or just want to say hello, reach out! We’re always excited to connect with curious minds, fellow makers, educators, and anyone interested in what Magnetiscope is all about.