A timelapse dolly is a motorized rig that moves a camera very slowly while taking a timelapse. This lets you capture timelapses that can feel very dynamic and interesting.
This was a project I did at work, but separate from my normal responsibilities. The motion-graphics team wanted to be able to capture timelapses for a new video style based on footage of New York City.
The V1 dolly was a portable single wood frame with a chain-driven camera tripod on rails. It was controlled by an Arduino in an Altoids tin, and powered by a 6V battery pack.
Test capture: