Rube Goldberg Machines
Rube Goldberg Machines
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A Rube Goldberg machine is a machine intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an indirect and overly complicated way. Combine the physical and digital worlds using everyday objects, Lego robotics, motors, sensors and micro-controllers like Makey Makey and micro:bit to form chain reactions.
Resources for Introducing and Building
Resources for Introducing and Building
Rube Goldberg Machines for Little Inventors
Tinkerlab.com post with step by step instructions to creating a Rube Goldberg machine.
Videos
Videos
Example of a Rube Goldberg machine using simple machines (wheel & axle, inclined planes and pulleys)
How to Pass the Salt During Social Distancing
Clever and complicated machine using household items and vegetables
Extremely complicated and AWESOME Rube Goldberg Machine
Suggested Materials
Suggested Materials
Things that Roll
Things that Roll
- Marbles
- Balls: Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, etc.
- Toy Cars
- Dominoes
- Skateboard
- Roller Skate
- Mousetrap
Things that Move
Things that Move
- Mousetrap
- Dominoes
- Toaster
- Fan
Ramps
Ramps
- Toy Train Tracks
- Marble Runs
- Books
- Trays
- PVC pipe
- Plastic tubing
- Gutters
Recyclables
Recyclables
- Cardboard
- Cereal Boxes
- Cardboard Rolls
- Plastic Water Bottles
- Cans
- Aluminum Foil
Household Materials
Household Materials
- Chopsticks
- Popsicle Sticks
- Ruler
- Wooden Blocks
- Bowl
- String
- Tape
- Sand
- Pins
- Hammer
- Balloons
- Water
- Fan
WHAT IS A RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTEST?
A Rube Goldberg Machine Contest (RGMC) is an event where students of all ages compete with the machines they have imagined, designed and created in a fun and competitive forum. The competitions encourage teamwork and out-of-the-box problem solving, in a fresh learning environment and level playing field. Remember, to compete in a RGMC all you need is a good imagination and a pile of junk!
Combining the Physical & Digital Worlds
Combining the Physical & Digital Worlds
Rube Goldberg machine with Scratch, Makey Makey, micro:bit, LEGO WeDo and Bee-Bot
Rube Goldberg machine with Scratch, Makey Makey, micro:bit, LEGO WeDo and Bee-Bot
This Rube Goldberg machine begins with this Scratch Project. The Scratch Cat is sweating in the desert. Suddenly a fan appears but he can't seem to turn it on! He asks his friend Bee-Bot to help him. Bee- Bot moves forward causing a rolling pin to roll. The rolling pin pushes a ping pong ball which causes a bouncy ball to roll down a ramp. The ball rolls into a chain of dominos at the bottom of the ramp. The last domino falls in front of a motion sensor which turns on both the LEGO WeDo fan and Scratch Cat's fan and knocks over a tin foil block. The foil block lands on two foil pads connected to the Makey Makey which activates a message on the micro:bit.
To incorporate Makey Makey into your chain reactions,
To incorporate Makey Makey into your chain reactions,
you'll want to make a simple switch.
you'll want to make a simple switch.
I used aluminum foil glued to small pieces of cardboard. One piece of foil-board is connected to EARTH and one piece is connected to SPACE on the Makey Makey.
I wrapped foil around some bubble wrap to be the contact that falls in the chain reaction.
When it falls on top of both boards, it completes the circuit and Makey Makey sends a signal to your computer that you are pressing SPACE.
In Scratch I programmed the micro:bit to scroll the words THANK YOU! when SPACE is pressed.
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