Mechanical art/bank uses a wind-up motor to flip pennies into the air

Check out this fun mechanical bank (or kinetic sculpture depending on your point of view) by Gina Kamentsky. I suppose it could also be used as an automatic coin-flipper, but it may throw the coins a bit too consistently for that. Like many of her "Mechanical Confections", this one uses a small wind-up motor to power the action. This is an older piece made back in 2003 as part of a series of mechanical penny banks she created.

Here is where you can see more kinetic art by Gina Kamentsky.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

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Pablo Lavezzari's 'Slot Man' mechanical coin bank sculpture

Here is the latest mechanical creation from the talented Pablo Lavezzari, creator of Facing a Fake Foe and other amazing automata.

This time around Lavezzari has created a mechanical bank in the form of a man. Any coin may be placed on the man's outstretched hand. When the lever is pulled, El Tragamonedas (or 'Slot Man') flips the coin into his gaping mouth.

Here is where you can see more about Pablo Lavezzari's Slot Man mechanical coin bank sculpture.

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Female golfer automaton by Wanda Sowry

Female golf automaton a video by Wanda Sowry on Flickr.

I've always loved the use of woods in Wanda Sowry's automata. This piece depicts a golfer. Unlike some of the simpler versions out there, this figure actually hits a small ball into a cup with putter. The ball reemerge moments later to be struck again. She's getting in some good putting practice!

Wanda's figures are 100% successful from the looks of the video. Their placid carved expressions are therefore appropriate. My understanding is that the game is an emotional rollercoaster. It must be so because there is actually an entire book dedicated to carving golfers with all sorts of crazy expressions. It's called Carving Golfers: 12 Projects Capturing the Joys and Frustrations of the World's Greatest Game. Seems like the range of expressions captured would be useful for all kinds of automata. I may have to pick up a copy!

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Live demo of the Japanese archer automaton

Check out this video featuring a live demonstration of the arrow-shooting karakuri. It's amazing how the figure can pick up an arrow, place it on the bow, draw, shoot, and hit the target! Incredible. The gentleman in the video is SHOBEI Tamaya IX -- the only living Karakuri Ningyo Master in Japan today.

Here is an older post that shows the details of arrow-shooting boy's arm mechanism.

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Spoon in space - automaton by Kazu Harada

Check out this hilarious automaton by Kazu Harada! Very clever.

See more automata by Kazu Harada on his web site.

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Hokum automaton by Deane Benninghoven

Here is a lively automaton called Hokum by Deane Benninghoven of Seattle, Washington. The automaton was inspired by the famous Antonio Diavolo, the acrobatic automaton by Robert-Houdin, which featured a figure that was removed at the end of the performance to show it to be free of any linkages.

This piece is made of polymer clay, brass, epoxy, aluminum, pigments, acrylic paint, Plexiglas, Japanese paper, steel, wood, neodymium magnets and features the removable figure.

See more automata and other art by Deane Benninghoven on his web site.

[ Thanks Sharon and Julia! ]

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Claude Shannon's juggling machine

Claude Elwood Shannon, mathematician and electronic engineer, was the creator of a device called the "Ultimate Machine" -- the grandfather to all of those Most Useless Machines now out there.

In addition to the study of information theory and cryptography, Shannon was interested in juggling, as this video demonstrates. Here we see his machine that could "bounce juggle" (with a little help and some good timing).

[ Thanks Dave! ]

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Quadrotapult - ball throwing device by Brad Litwin

Another incredible kinetic sculpture by Brad Litwin. Like one of his other creations, The Quadrapult, this one throws and catches balls. The added bit of complexity is that this machine also throws the balls through spinning hoops! Truly, a brilliant piece of engineering.

See more kinetic sculptures by Brad Litwin on his web site.

Machine by Brett Dickins plays catch with itself

Check out this motor-driven machine that both throws and catches a ping pong balls. The piece is by Brett Dickins -- an artist specializing in the design and construction of wooden mechanical kinetic sculptures.

See more creative kinetic sculptures by Bret Dickins on his YouTube channel.

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Stair-stepping karakuri automaton

You may have seen the recent post about Osamu Kanda's stair-climbing automaton. Here is a more sophisticated -- and I assume ancient -- version. This figure not only climbs a set of stairs, but turns a corner mid-way too!

To learn more about Japanese karakuri (the paper kind) check out Karakuri: How to Make Mechanical Paper Models That Move.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

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Ingenious wooden bipedal walker automaton

Check out this clever bipedal walker created by Osamu Kanda. The walker is a completely free object. The steps lock the front foot in and then power the walker forward. It's a very unconventional, but effective means for creating a bipedal motion.

See more inventive wooden machines by Osamu Kanda on his web site.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

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Amazing motorized 3-ball juggling machine

Check out this machine that actually juggles three balls in the same manner a human would. I love how he has to feed them in with the right rhythm -- as if he as passing to another juggler.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]\\

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