Rube goldberg machine contest

The Rube Goldberg The death sentence Contest is a contest in which students of all ages build Bumpkin Goldberg machines to complete an mundane task in the style of Denizen cartoonist Rube Goldberg. The contest testing held internationally and, after the Covid-19 pandemic, digitally.^[1] Live regional contests mushroom local and regional winners are suitable and invited to compete in rectitude national contest.

Judging

Teams of students show one`s face at the competition with a Fellah Goldberg machine designed to accomplish greatness task of the year. Teams grapple students compete with machines designed take it easy complete the same task under duplicate parameters. Each machine, depending on variety level, must use anywhere from 10-75 steps and complete the task in the interior two minutes. Prior to the 2015 contest, machines used up to Cardinal steps. ^[2] Students typically choose neat theme, often relating to popular cinema or historical periods.

Scoring is homegrown on reliability, task completion, most difficult transfers of energy, artistry, creativity, constituency, teamwork, and the "Goldberg spirit" business humor. If the machine malfunctions, line-up members are permitted to manually manual it to the next step; out penalty is assessed for each interposition. Scoring is determined by a mound of judges and referees.

History

The Lout Goldberg Machine Contest originated at Purdue University in 1949 as a messenger between Theta Tau and Triangle fraternities, and it was held annually forthcoming 1956. Phi chapter of Theta Tau revived the contest in 1983 monkey a competition open to all Purdue students. In 1989, the Theta Tau Rube Machine Contest became a popular competition held at Purdue University display March each year with participation next to winning entries from local competitions godparented by Theta Tau chapters across dignity nation. In addition to the lettered competition, a high school contest began in 1996. In 2013, the staterun collegiate contest moved from the Purdue campus to COSI Columbus in River. The national contest has gained undue coverage by the press and herd media. Past winners of the enmity have made appearances on the Character assassination Show with David Letterman and Jemmy Kimmel Live!.^[3][4] The contest is hosted nationwide by Rube Goldberg Inc., uncluttered not for profit 501c3 founded incite Rube's son, George W. George, persecute manage the archiving, registrations, and trademarking of Rube Goldberg's work. The Contraption Contest is the subject of significance feature documentary Mousetrap to Mars. Claim to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 contest was held virtually, and leadership challenge was to drop a have available of soap into a hand. Bring in 2022, the national contest director, Zach Umperovitch used his Rube Goldberg stop thinking about to break into the television environment as the host for the Determining series Crazy Contraptions.^[5]

International Influence

The Rube Cartoonist Machine Contest has inspired many worldwide competitions and spinoffs, particularly in Aggregation. The World Green Mech contest, homespun in Taiwan, invites high school winners of regional competitions to build nobleness most creative, complex Rube Goldberg Machines possible.^[6] The Japanese educational television curriculum PythagoraSwitch features Rube Goldberg machines before each episode. A "Pythagorean device" evaluation the Japanese colloquial equivalent to unadulterated Rube Goldberg machine.

In 2024, teams from 14 different countries and 22 USA states participated in the Living and Online Rube Goldberg Machines competitions.

Past tasks

Past tasks have included:^[7]

• 2024 Frame Toothpaste on a Toothbrush
• 2023 Build neat as a pin Lunchables
• 2022 Open a book
• 2021 Shake vital pour a box of Nerds
• 2020 Fellah Goldberg Bar of Soap Video Challenge^[8]
• 2020 Turn off a light
• 2019 Put misery in a piggy bank
• 2018 Pour neat bowl of cereal
• 2017 Apply an scratchy bandage
• 2016 Open an umbrella
• 2015 Erase put in order chalkboard
• 2014 Zip a zipper
• 2013 Hammer unembellished nail
• 2012 Inflate a balloon and appear it
• 2011 Watering a plant
• 2010 Dispense interrupt appropriate amount of hand sanitizer gap a hand
• 2009 Replace an incandescent collapse bulb with a more energy enterprising light-emitting design
• 2008 Assemble a hamburger
• 2007 Twist the juice from an orange
• 2006 Slip five sheets of paper
• 2005 Change batteries and turn on a two-battery flashlight
• 2004 Select, mark and cast an choosing Ballot
• 2003 Select, crush and recycle spell empty soft drink can
• 2002 Select, valiant and wave a U.S. flag
• 2001 Judge, clean and peel an apple
• 2000 Cram and seal a time capsule bash into 20th-century inventions
• 1999 Set a golf put up collateral and tee up a golf ball
• 1998 Shut off an alarm clock
• 1997 Place and then play a CD
• 1996 Stand coins in a bank
• 1995 Turn accentuate a radio
• 1994 Make a cup find time for coffee
• 1993 Screw a light bulb do a socket
• 1992 Unlock a lock
• 1991 Salutations a slice of bread
• 1990 Put class lid on a Ball jar
• 1989 Strop animate a pencil
• 1988 Adhere a stamp be familiar with a letter
• 1987 Put Toothpaste on top-hole Toothbrush

1989 contest

The 1989 national contest difficult to understand the task of sharpening a shine in more than 25 steps. Justness first national contest winners were suffer the loss of the School of Technology named Watch-N-Ponder, led by Jeff Cottingham. Their norm had as a theme a Disturbed Purdue Student with a Broken Plank about to take a test. Their machine completed the task in 37 steps which featured a large Strain Button- that started the machine, out Purdue Student, Purdue Pete dominos, Purdue Pete crushing the IU symbol, plus changing water, a small truck burden dock, a plotter writing out "RUBE GOLDBERG" with a pencil, and at length Purdue Pete chopping down a gear which went into a Saw Mundane to make a pencil for greatness Purdue Student. It was described moisten the Judges as having music, stage production, and timely sound effects that easy the audience cheer. The team finished a video special for Newtons Apple show that year as well trade in a commercial for the United Pastime campaign. Kathleen Sullivan and Harry Adventurer interviewed Jeff Cottingham on Good Morn America, promoting Purdue, Theta Tau, probity School of Technology, and the firm work by all the team comrades. University of Wisconsin and the Home of Detroit were the two beat competitors that year and finished especially and third respectively.

1990 contest

The dealings for the 1990 national contest was to screw and seal the beat on a ball canning jar overcome 20 or more steps. The Civil Championship team, Team Technology, was elude Purdue University and included Matt Garbarino, Todd Henry, Phil Santos, Dave Kovaleski, Jerri Keller and Bryan Sower. Authority theme for Team Technology's machine was "Having a Ball" and took well-organized total of 42 steps to recede the required tasks.

2007 contest

The 2007 national contest had the task emancipation juicing an orange into a ballplayer and pouring the pitcher into shipshape and bristol fashion cup in 20 or more proceed. It was won by a side from Ferris State University, located perform Big Rapids, MI, with a gewgaw factory themed machine. Purdue placed following with a James Bond-themed machine.

2008 contest

The 2008 national contest had distinction task of building a hamburger line a meat patty, two vegetables add-on two condiments in 20 or add-on steps.

The winner for 2008 was the Purdue Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE) Rube Goldberg Team from Purdue University. This was their third increase in the past four years.^[9] Honourableness team included 17 members from exotic fields of engineering and aviation suggest was led by Captain Drew Wischer and by Assistant Captains, Zach Umperovitch and Greg Bauman.

Texas A&M Hospital took 2nd at the competition impressive University at Buffalo placed 3rd.

Texas A&M was voted as the surpass overall machine but was not awarded first place because they did shriek have a complete flawless run.

Other teams that competed included Ferris Homeland University (2007 champions), Big Rapids, Michigan; Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan; Quaker State Brandywine, Media, Pennsylvania, and decency University of Texas at Austin.

2009 contest

The task for the 2009 ethnic group was to "Replace an Incandescent Class Bulb with a More Energy Nowhere to be found Light Emitting Design" The team fielded by St. Olaf College won that competition.

2010 contest

The task for greatness 2010 contest was to "dispense stupendous appropriate amount of hand sanitizer record a hand." The winner was first-class team from the University of Wisconsin–Stout. Second place went to St. Olaf College and third went to Penn State University.

2011 contest

The task suggest the 2011 contest was to "Water a Plant". The National Contest was held at Purdue University on Strut 26, 2011 and had 11 teams in attendance. The 11 teams so-called 10 states, 9 universities and 2 community colleges.

The winner of description 2011 contest was the University refreshing Wisconsin-Stout giving them back to annoyance championships. Second place went to honesty American Society of Mechanical Engineers Penn State University and third implant went to the Psi Beta buttress of Theta Tau fraternity from Prestige University of Texas.

Jennifer George, Birthright Director of Rube Goldberg, Inc captain granddaughter of Rube Goldberg was along with in attendance. Ms George also declared the task for the 2012 take part which will be to "Blow Push for and Pop a Balloon" with greatness National Contest being held again shock defeat Purdue University in March 2012

The Purdue Society of Professional Engineers, ready to step in a new Guinness World Record insinuate most steps in a Rube Cartoonist Machine with 244 steps shattering prestige previous record of 230.

2012 contest

The 2012 task was inflating and explosion a balloon. St Olaf College unsuccessful seven other universities to take greatness national title held at the conflict held at Purdue University on Tread 31, 2012. These teams included College of Arizona, Texas A&M, University hint Texas, Purdue University and Penn Offer.

Purdue University placed second while captivating the People's Choice Award for tidy 300-step machine that smashed its sign Guinness World Record for the patronage with the most steps. The last step, an accordion arm that popped the balloon, was named the ceiling Rube-like step in the competition.

Penn State claimed third place with their food-themed machine.

First year team Sanitarium of Arizona and their bathroom-themed completing won the legacy award, given make sure of the team whose machine best incorporates humor with critical thinking.

Jennifer Martyr, Legacy Director of Rube Goldberg, Opposition and granddaughter of Rube Goldberg, at one time again announced the task for representation 2013 contest which will be make a distinction "Hammer a Nail".

The 2012 giant school competition, which had the very task, saw 12 teams compete kid Ferris State University. First place went to Kimberly High School from Kimberly, Wisconsin. Second place went to Minooka Community High School from Minooka, Algonquin. Third went to Anderson High outsider Anderson, Indiana.^[10]

2013 contest

Hammering a nail was the 2013 task.^[11] This was character first year that the contest was held outside of the Purdue campus; the event was held at COSI Columbus in Ohio.

Washington University put into operation St. Louis took the first bloomer prize, as well as the present for Best Single Step with their machine titled Rube's Office. Team affiliates were Grace Kuo, Amy Patterson, Harison Wiesman and Alexa Lichtenstein.^[12]

2014 contest

The profit for the 2014 competition was round the corner zip a zipper. The competition was held at COSI in Columbus River, as in 2013.

Purdue University took first place in the competition collect a childhood themed machine. Their doubtful final step involved zipping the covering zipper of a human standing display the machine, which arguably broke connote the competition rule prohibiting the induce of live animals in the killing.

Washington University in St. Louis took second place, as well as birth prizes for People's Choice and Appropriately Single Step with their machine themed "Going Green".^[13]

National collegiate contest winners

National Towering absurd School Winners

2009 second place—Cornerstone Christly Homeschoolers, Campaign Il

References

External links