Day 5: (Wed Sep 14, Week 3) Marble-Centric Mechanisms

Notes for 2022-09-14.

Assignments

1. Current assignment, due next Monday: Exercise: Actuated Marble Run Tile

2. In general, when uploading a video or zip file, please include your name or Andrew ID in the title since I often download them and it helps me track the files.

Administrative

1. Discussion of Children’s School visits on Fall 2022 Calendar: Wed Sep 28, Mon Nov 7, Mon Dec 5.

2. Discussion of final show: Fri Dec 2.

Agenda

1. 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

     • helical Archimedes screw

     • conveyor belts and wheels

     • marble pump

     • centrifugal launchers: adding kinetic energy into a system

   • 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 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BdO8J0iynY)

   • logic and state

     • accumulators: counting, clustering

     • clocks

     • 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

2. Videos

   • Turing Tumble binary counter (YouTube) (product)

   • Marble adding machine (YouTube)

   • Marble Mountain (YouTube), Ben Tardif

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

   • 1972 Nishijin M-11 Pachinko Machine (YouTube)

   • Robotic marble maze (YouTube)

3. 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?