Day 5: (Wed Sep 15, Week 3) Marble-Centric Mechanisms

Notes for 2021-09-15.

Administrative

1. Discussion of final show.

Agenda

1. Updates to Visual Part Guides.

2. Broader discussion of using marbles as a form for exploring mechanisms and kinetic systems. Following are a collection of structures to consider:

   • energy input

     • wheel lifts: adding potential energy back into a system

     • centrifugal launchers: adding kinetic energy into a system

     • helical Archimedes screw

     • conveyor belts and wheels

   • transport: moving objects from place to place

     • linear track

     • spiral tracks and bowls: reducing entropy

     • turntables: randomizing outputs, distribution

     • pin grids: randomizing, absorbing energy

     • ball sumps, system exit paths

     • minimum-time ramps

   • logic and state

     • accumulators: counting, clustering

     • flip/flops and counters: mechanical logic

     • moving gates: mechanical and electrical logic, switching

     • Turing machines

     • optical sensors: electronic interface

     • weigh scales: electronic interface

     • mechanical NAND gates

     • ball delay line

     • ball sorters

   • mechanical outputs

     • ball overshot wheel

     • ball turbine

     • ball-driven mirrors, lighting effects

   • sound and noise

     • sound-producing pins

     • bells

     • sound-producing strings

   • human interface

     • direct ball input

     • flippers

     • launcher controls

     • movable gates

3. Videos

   • Marble adding machine (YouTube)

   • Wintergatan - Marble Machine (music instrument using 2000 marbles) (YouTube)

   • 1972 Nishijin M-11 Pachinko Machine (YouTube)

4. Sketch session

   • please draw your actuated tile ideas on the whiteboard tables

   • share with your table partner

   • I’ll rotate through the room

   • some questions:

     • Will it work?

     • Will it compose with other tiles?

     • Will it work in different orientations?