February 20, 2005February 20, 2005

Who is Rube Goldberg?Who is Rube Goldberg?

Reuben Lucius GoldbergReuben Lucius GoldbergBorn July 4, 1883Born July 4, 1883Was an engineer for 6 Was an engineer for 6 months designing sewersmonths designing sewersLeft engineering to Left engineering to become a cartoonistbecome a cartoonistPulitzer Prize winning Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist, sculptor, and cartoonist, sculptor, and authorauthorCreated satirical cartoons Created satirical cartoons of machines and gadgets of machines and gadgets that he saw as excessivethat he saw as excessive

What is a Rube Goldberg What is a Rube Goldberg Machine?Machine?

““A symbol of man’s capacity for A symbol of man’s capacity for exerting maximum effort to exerting maximum effort to achieve minimal results.” achieve minimal results.”

~Reuben Lucius Goldberg~Reuben Lucius Goldberg

““Simplified” Pencil Simplified” Pencil SharpenerSharpener

Open window Open window (A)(A) and fly kite and fly kite (B)(B).  String .  String (C)(C) lifts small door lifts small door (D)(D) allowing moths allowing moths (E)(E) to to escape and eat red flannel shirt escape and eat red flannel shirt (F)(F).   As weight of shirt becomes less, shoe .   As weight of shirt becomes less, shoe (G)(G) steps steps on switch on switch (H)(H) which heats electric iron which heats electric iron (I)(I) and burns hole in pants and burns hole in pants (J)(J).   Smoke .   Smoke (K)(K) enters hole in tree enters hole in tree (L)(L), smoking out opossum , smoking out opossum (M)(M) which jumps into basket which jumps into basket (N)(N), pulling , pulling rope rope (O)(O) and lifting cage and lifting cage (P)(P), allowing woodpecker , allowing woodpecker (Q)(Q) to chew wood from pencil to chew wood from pencil (R)(R), , exposing lead.  Emergency knife exposing lead.  Emergency knife (S)(S) is always handy in case opossum or the is always handy in case opossum or the woodpecker gets sick and can't work. woodpecker gets sick and can't work.

History of Rube Goldberg History of Rube Goldberg Machine ContestMachine Contest

Began as a rivalry at Purdue University between Began as a rivalry at Purdue University between Theta Tau and Triangle in the 1940’s and 50’sTheta Tau and Triangle in the 1940’s and 50’s

Contest was revived in 1983 by Phi Chapter of Contest was revived in 1983 by Phi Chapter of Theta TauTheta Tau

National Contest has been held annually at National Contest has been held annually at Purdue University since 1987Purdue University since 1987

Machines have been featured on National Machines have been featured on National television shows, such as Good Morning television shows, such as Good Morning America, and the Late ShowAmerica, and the Late Show

Machine SpecificationsMachine Specifications

Must complete assigned taskMust complete assigned taskBase may be no larger than 5 by 6 ftBase may be no larger than 5 by 6 ftMay be no taller than 5 ftMay be no taller than 5 ftMinimum of 20 stepsMinimum of 20 stepsMachine must take no more than 2 minutes per Machine must take no more than 2 minutes per runrunNo corporate names or logos on machinesNo corporate names or logos on machinesNo live animalsNo live animalsMust not imply profane, indecent or lewd Must not imply profane, indecent or lewd expressionsexpressions

Specifications (cont.)Specifications (cont.)

No objects may leave the boundaries of No objects may leave the boundaries of the machine.the machine.

No flamesNo flames

No hazardous materialsNo hazardous materials

No explosionsNo explosions

Must be safe according to the judgesMust be safe according to the judges

No sabotage of other machinesNo sabotage of other machines

Team RestrictionsTeam Restrictions

No limit on the No limit on the number of members a number of members a team may haveteam may have

Each member must Each member must be enrolled as an be enrolled as an undergraduate or undergraduate or graduate student at graduate student at UTUT

Judging CriteriaJudging Criteria

General Impression General Impression (35pts)(35pts)– Theme (0 – 10pts)Theme (0 – 10pts)– Rube Goldberg Spirit (0 Rube Goldberg Spirit (0

– 10pts)– 10pts)– Explanation/Description Explanation/Description

(0 – 5pts)(0 – 5pts)– Team Chemistry (0 – 5 Team Chemistry (0 – 5

pts)pts)– Submitted Machine Submitted Machine

Description (0 – 5pts)Description (0 – 5pts)

Judging CriteriaJudging CriteriaTiming Issued (0pts)Timing Issued (0pts)– Description Length Description Length

(-5 – 0 pts)(-5 – 0 pts)– First Run Length First Run Length

(-10 – 0 pts)(-10 – 0 pts)– Second Run Length Second Run Length

(-10 – 0 pts)(-10 – 0 pts)

Don’t take more Don’t take more than 2 minutes for a than 2 minutes for a run or you will be run or you will be penalized by the penalized by the judges!judges!

Judging CriteriaJudging Criteria

Run Related (65pts)Run Related (65pts)– Completed task – Run One (0, 10, or 20pts)Completed task – Run One (0, 10, or 20pts)– Completed task – Run Two (0, 10, or 20pts)Completed task – Run Two (0, 10, or 20pts)– Flow of machine easy to follow (0 -10pts)Flow of machine easy to follow (0 -10pts)– Rube Goldberg style steps (0 -15pts)Rube Goldberg style steps (0 -15pts)– Human Interventions (-3pts each)Human Interventions (-3pts each)– Objects leaving machine (-5pts each)Objects leaving machine (-5pts each)

Tips and HintsTips and Hints

Machine should have some sort of theme, Machine should have some sort of theme, consistent throughoutconsistent throughout– Examples – Disney, Mission Impossible, etc…Examples – Disney, Mission Impossible, etc…

Mechanically powered steps are more in the Mechanically powered steps are more in the spirit of Rube Goldberg. Judges at the national spirit of Rube Goldberg. Judges at the national contest tend to look more highly at mechanical contest tend to look more highly at mechanical steps than electricalsteps than electricalMake sure all steps are visible and easy to Make sure all steps are visible and easy to follow!follow!BE CREATIVE AND HAVE FUN!BE CREATIVE AND HAVE FUN!

Tasks From the PastTasks From the Past

1998 – Shut off an alarm clock1998 – Shut off an alarm clock1999 – Set a golf tee and tee up a golf ball1999 – Set a golf tee and tee up a golf ball2000 – Fill and seal a time capsule2000 – Fill and seal a time capsule2001 – Select, clean, and peal an apple2001 – Select, clean, and peal an apple2002 – Capture, raise, and wave an American Flag2002 – Capture, raise, and wave an American Flag2003 – Select, Crush, and Recycle an aluminum can2003 – Select, Crush, and Recycle an aluminum can

2003 Purdue 1st2003 Purdue 1st

2003 Toledo 2nd2003 Toledo 2nd

2003 Texas 3rd2003 Texas 3rd

2005 RGMC Task2005 RGMC Task

Remove both old batteries from a Remove both old batteries from a two battery flashlighttwo battery flashlight

Install new batteriesInstall new batteries

Turn the flashlight onTurn the flashlight on

Questions?Questions?

Why should you do Why should you do Rube?Rube?

Social ActivitySocial Activity

A way to actively participate in your organizationA way to actively participate in your organization

Encourages CreativityEncourages Creativity

Power Tools!Power Tools!

Another activity for you organization to list for Another activity for you organization to list for Outstanding Student Organization AwardOutstanding Student Organization Award

A chance to prove your organization is the bestA chance to prove your organization is the best

IT’S FUNIT’S FUN

Why Rube will be Why Rube will be better this yearbetter this year

Biggest contest yet!Biggest contest yet!

Sunday before E-weekSunday before E-week

People’s Choice AwardPeople’s Choice Award

Better communication between judges and Better communication between judges and teams to make sure you know what the teams to make sure you know what the judges are looking forjudges are looking for

How does your organization How does your organization start a team?start a team?

Simply tell Beth or Trish that you are Simply tell Beth or Trish that you are planning to have a teamplanning to have a team

Visit Visit www.rubemachine.com for official for official rules and informationrules and information

Build your machine and be ready for Build your machine and be ready for Sunday, Feb 20Sunday, Feb 20

HAVE FUN!HAVE FUN!