Lego recreation of the "Most Useless Machine"

YouTube user Invisibules recreated Minsky and Shannon's "Most Useless Machine" (a box with a switch on it; switch it on and a hand emerges from the box and flips the switch to off) using Lego: 'The hardest part was probably getting the flap to operate easily and smoothly, and to open and close at the correct parts of the cycle. Careful design of the "pusher" allowed the hole to be fairly small in the later prototypes. There were probably around ten partial or complete prototypes before I found a reliable method and layout. I use the latest prototype(s) as a reference for the next, so I try to have enough bricks around to keep several on the go at once.'

The Most Useless Machine Ever Made in LEGO (video) (Thanks, stagueve!)

Previously:

Make a machine that turns itself off

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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JDMcDonnell

Operating system provided by Windows Vista.
Anonymous

Dude! for god’s sake put the box on it’s side and orient the switch to be like a light switch. Then it makes sense for someone to flick it on, and then some being pops out and quickly switches it off by pushing it back into the down position… So much more expressive and interesting. Like the being inside is trying to get some sleep and doesn’t want the light on.
Anonymous

I once saw a story (on boingboing?) about a machine that consisted of an open box which, as anyone got close, it closed itself. When you moved away it re-opened. I’d like to find that story (and the box) but have been unable to find the words that would lead me there. This is close, does anyone else remember the other box?
friendpuppy

It is definitely not useless. In electronics it’s called an monostable multivibrator or “one-shot”.
nixiebunny

This is way similar to the novelty piggy bank that you put a penny in a slot and it has a small hand that steals the penny. Too similar.

However, that one isn’t quite useless. It steals pennies from you.
theLadyfingers

That’s great!

I’m a little disppointed that that the switch-off mechanism isn’t pure Lego powered by the flip of the button, but I can’t even imagine how one creates a mechanical delay without a spring, clutch or flywheel of some kind.
Anonymous

> The Plural is ‘Legos’.

In America, yes. Not in Australia or the UK.

> LEGO is short for danish ‘Leg godt’ (play good/nice) as far as i remember.

That’s what I’ve heard.
Anonymous

Ah, I had that piggy bank…it was great. I think this box here is great.
Anonymous

@ friendpuppy, I thought it was silly when the wood box creation was releleased a while ago. But finally! the Lego version elicits the truth! I didn’t even think of it as being a one shot, but you are absolutely right. The electronic parallel is indeed a one-shot. Nice!
theLadyfingers

I (originally from Africa, since this seems a dialect issue) always thought of “Lego” as a substance: something was made of Lego.
- friendpuppy
  
  Lego as a substance–cool idea!
MatanArie

Already done:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcPd8ft4h84&feature=related
friendpuppy

I guess somebody should make one that is normally on, the hand comes up, turns it off, then it springs back to life. Oscillator!
jackdavinci

It would be cooler if the user flipping the switch also wound up the mechanism such that the extra step wasn’t needed.
Antinous / Moderator

I was expecting a television made of legoes.
- Felton
  
  Hehehe! Wait, I thought the plural was legi, from the original Latin. :-P
  - Antinous / Moderator
    
    If it were Latin, the plural would be legones.
    - Felton
      
      Maybe I’m thinking of Italian…although that would probably be leghi. Damned legoes, octopodes and cactii!
      
      Or did you mean Lego NES?
    - Anonymous
      
      The Plural is ‘Legos’.
      LEGO is short for danish ‘Leg godt’ (play good/nice) as far as i remember.
      
      mkH
bcsizemo

So much hotter than a unicorn chaser!
Chris the Carpenter

I know of the original. This is in a league of it’s own. Quality.
JoshuaZ

Very well done. I like how it can be taken apart so that one can see the mechanism at work. Very well done.
Anonymous

I used my recently bought Mindstorms kit to create one. It’s bigger, as I had to put the controller block inside. I added a small feature, when you come close with your hand to “switch it on” it tries to escape. Have a look: http://abiteof.com/2011/04/20/lego-mindstorms-a-most-useless-machine/
I really like the smooth mechanism of this one though!