Sometime in the 1980's, former dutch physicist/painter Theo Jansen began writing genetic algorithms on an ATARI computer. Many years later what resulted is quite literally a "strain" of beautiful creatures where plastic conduit is fashioned into dynamic linkage systems which translate rotary motion to linear movement. These giant creatures' mechanical biomimicry causes them to roam the beaches of holland on their many legs when there is enough wind to power them. In each iteration of his designs, Jansen implements the theory of evolution by only allowing the most efficient parts of the system to carry through to the next manifestation. He calls this species of magnificent animals "Strandbeest."

Following similar fascination with mechanical animal like movement, ITP students Scott Corrigan and Eric Beug set out to make a creature based on the linkage movement originally designed by Jansen. What they came up with is an animal which will not walk on its own (based on the principle that Jansen's design requires 11 legs for linear pedal movement), but rather an illustrate the envelope of movement achieved through the translation of rotary to linear motion.

As a contribution to the argument and a homage to the Father of the species, Theo the Ram is a motor driven quadruped made of wooden linkages and a bicycle gear. He is suspended on a wooden stand in order to illustrate his beautiful organic motion. While this project is a much smaller scale than most of Jansen’s work, Scott and Eric hope to make a full-scale version which has enough legs to walk on its own and is powered by more sustainable means the way Jansen’s work traditionally is.