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Rube Goldberg Machines: simple but effective
We are absolutely fascinated by these incredible Rube Goldberg Machines – such masterpieces! A Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist, Goldberg was best known for his zany invention cartoons. We’re sure his engineering degree is behind all of this!
Bringing the principle of creating a horrendously complicated machine to do a simple or pointless job, the creations shown in the videos below would have taken many months of set up along with trial and error to create.
Simple but effective engineering/physical principles are in use. Here are just a few:
- Conversion of potential into kinetic energy
- Centrifugal, centripetal forces
- Momentum
- Simple harmonic motions
- Inclined planes
- Helices and screw threads
- Friction or lack of friction
- Newtons 1st, 2nd and 3rd laws of motion
- Gravity
- Magnetism
Oh, and an element of well judged luck!
There was one landmark film that brought Rube Goldberg to the spotlight. The pivotal Honda advert where “everything just works perfectly”. Check out the film that started it all and how it has infiltrated in to mainstream culture including pop videos by the video pioneering band OK GO!…
Honda Advert
OK Go – This Too Shall Pass
Samsung Smart Travel
Isaac Newton vs. Rube Goldberg
