Nick Paiva – Pratfall: The Amazing Self-destructive Machine

Have you ever wanted something that automatically falls off of a table and breaks itself? Well now you can have it!

This machine uses a state-of-the-art wheel to store potential energy, and then releases it with the assistance of a small manipulation from a servo. Once the unstable equilibrium is disturbed, the wheel rolls off the base. The base, attached with high tensile strength twine to the wheel, goes with it. Finally, the machine releases its newfound kinetic energy into the floor. Be careful not to stand in front of it.

Video:

Code:

#include <Servo.h>;

#define START 150
#define END 90

Servo servo;

void setup() {
    //Initialize the servo, and move to our starting position
    servo.attach(3);
    servo.write(START);

    //Wait a bit and then release the wheel by moving to the end position
    delay(10000);
    servo.write(END);

    //Go back to start
    delay(1000);
    servo.write(START);
}


void loop() {
}

DXF Files:
pratfall