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As previously announced <http://news.lugnet.com/robotics/?n=23244>, we will be
assembling a Great Ball Contraption <http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC/> at this
year's BrickFest.
At the same time, we will be attempting to set a new world record for the
Largest Rube Goldberg machine
<http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwr5/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=48837>
with our Great Ball Contraption.
You don't have to be a master robot builder to participate. In fact, this
picture <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1120554> shows a module
that uses just a couple Technic pieces.
There will be several awards available to module builders, including the crowd
favorite, and the best use of a theme, like in this soccer module
<http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1095132> Or this 70s style
module <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=126282>
Some of the modules already set to attend include a soccer ball rollercoaster,
'Gus' the forklift, a construction backhoe, trains that can stop at multiple
stations, and a conveyor belt powered by a motor. Ok, the last one is not as
exciting as the others, but when they're all assembled, it's really something to
see.
During the weekend, we'll be running parts of the GBC, and at scheduled show
times, the whole ball contraption will be moving balls around the room.
Sometime on Saturday, we'll configure the contraption to act as a "one-shot"
Rube Goldberg machine, and attempt to set a Guiness World Record for the Largest
Rube Goldberg machine.
While we don't need to know exact sizes, yet, we do need to find out how many
people are interested in building modules for our world record-setting Great
Ball Contraption. So, if you want to participate, please send me your name, and
planned module size. Keep in mind, many of the "normal" modules are built on a
32x32 baseplate, and you are free to build and contribute as many modules as you
wish.
This is your chance to be part of the madness that transpires when AFoLs from
all over contribute their modules to one of the biggest works of moving LEGO
artwork ever assembled, and help us try to set a Guiness World Record...
Check the GBC @ BrickFest web site
<http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC/BrickFest.html> for updates and start
building your Great Ball Contraption modules now!
Steve
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In lugnet.events.brickfest, Steve Hassenplug wrote:
> As previously announced <http://news.lugnet.com/robotics/?n=23244>, we will be
> assembling a Great Ball Contraption <http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC/> at this
> year's BrickFest.
>
> At the same time, we will be attempting to set a new world record for the
> Largest Rube Goldberg machine
> <http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwr5/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=48837>
> with our Great Ball Contraption.
>
> You don't have to be a master robot builder to participate. In fact, this
> picture <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1120554> shows a module
> that uses just a couple Technic pieces.
>
> There will be several awards available to module builders, including the crowd
> favorite, and the best use of a theme, like in this soccer module
> <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1095132> Or this 70s style
> module <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=126282>
>
> Some of the modules already set to attend include a soccer ball rollercoaster,
> 'Gus' the forklift, a construction backhoe, trains that can stop at multiple
> stations, and a conveyor belt powered by a motor. Ok, the last one is not as
> exciting as the others, but when they're all assembled, it's really something to
> see.
>
> During the weekend, we'll be running parts of the GBC, and at scheduled show
> times, the whole ball contraption will be moving balls around the room.
> Sometime on Saturday, we'll configure the contraption to act as a "one-shot"
> Rube Goldberg machine, and attempt to set a Guiness World Record for the Largest
> Rube Goldberg machine.
>
> While we don't need to know exact sizes, yet, we do need to find out how many
> people are interested in building modules for our world record-setting Great
> Ball Contraption. So, if you want to participate, please send me your name, and
> planned module size. Keep in mind, many of the "normal" modules are built on a
> 32x32 baseplate, and you are free to build and contribute as many modules as you
> wish.
>
> This is your chance to be part of the madness that transpires when AFoLs from
> all over contribute their modules to one of the biggest works of moving LEGO
> artwork ever assembled, and help us try to set a Guiness World Record...
>
> Check the GBC @ BrickFest web site
> <http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC/BrickFest.html> for updates and start
> building your Great Ball Contraption modules now!
>
> Steve
This is such a neat project Steve, thanks so much for organizing it.
Several people have emailed me having seen it on other sites like:
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/05/29/robot_lego_ballmachi.html
http://www.makezine.com/blog/
Christina
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In lugnet.events.brickfest, Steve Hassenplug wrote:
> As previously announced <http://news.lugnet.com/robotics/?n=23244>, we will be
> assembling a Great Ball Contraption <http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC/> at this
> year's BrickFest.
>
> At the same time, we will be attempting to set a new world record for the
> Largest Rube Goldberg machine
> <http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwr5/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=48837>
> with our Great Ball Contraption.
>
> During the weekend, we'll be running parts of the GBC, and at scheduled show
> times, the whole ball contraption will be moving balls around the room.
> Sometime on Saturday, we'll configure the contraption to act as a "one-shot"
> Rube Goldberg machine, and attempt to set a Guiness World Record for the Largest
> Rube Goldberg machine.
>
>
> This is your chance to be part of the madness that transpires when AFoLs from
> all over contribute their modules to one of the biggest works of moving LEGO
> artwork ever assembled, and help us try to set a Guiness World Record...
>
> Check the GBC @ BrickFest web site
> <http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC/BrickFest.html> for updates and start
> building your Great Ball Contraption modules now!
>
> Steve
well????
tick
tick
tick
what happened? can i see the GBC in "da books yet"
how did it go?
Chris
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In lugnet.events.brickfest, Chris Magno wrote:
> what happened? can i see the GBC in "da books yet"
> how did it go?
Well, Steve may have more infomation coming, but for now...
It Went Terrific!!
We had more than 40 modules built by 30+ builders in a rectangular layout
serviced by two trains running in one loop with (at one point) eight loading &
unloading stations going. The whole thing was up and running (as much as
possible) several times on Friday & Saturday. Sunday, for the public, we ran it
every hour on the hour - and boy did the public respond!! At the top of the hour
the room was generally packed enough that no one could enter (fire codes? what
fire codes?), and the air conditioning was completely useless on Sunday.
There were modules that threw balls four feet in the air, loaded & unloaded
trains, counted, sorted, and played with the balls, let kids build their own
portions, etc. Here's the great part - there were so many modules we never did
get all of them into the layout "in line": we had more modules than we had room
for, which was more than I could have hoped for! The themed modules were
wonderful as well: a pirate ship that fired balls at the "town" across from it,
a space shuttle that loaded the balls into the cockpit area, and a jungle for
the balls to get "lost" in. One of the modules could even fire a minifig (OK,
not during the usual run but it was fun to watch).
I'd love to point you to a Brickshelf gallery, but I don't have one up yet.
Perhaps someone else? I strongly suspect folks will want this back next year
(not to mnetion at the next HoB event in Chicago, or other events); there was a
lot of interest expressed by train groups and others.
My thanks to all those that helped in ways big and small with this. Keeping
everything running was a *major* task, with breakdowns, misalignments, etc., and
a lot of builders stepped up to the plate to keep their modules working, as well
as maintaning lots of others or swaping modules in and out as they died (funny
thing - a lot of LEOG mechanism start to malfunction after 10+ hours of
run-time). Again, thanks to all, and anybody got some galleries up yet?
Any other questions?
--
Brian Davis
GBC slave (& I have the engraved brick to prove it)
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“Terrific” is a pretty general response...I would add the following:
1) GBC exceeded all of our expectations as we prepared for Brickfest
2) The room was NOT large enough to accomodate the GBC or the crowd
3) I watched as many kids were simply mesmerized by the movement of the GBC
4) It was so packed that you couldn’t move in the room
5) It would have been really nice to have a single switch to turn the machine
on and off (maybe next time) :)
6) All the efforts that people (Steve, Brian, John...the list goes on and on)
put in to prepare really paid off
7) Did I mention it was crowded? :)
As much fun as the larger, more complicated modules were, the kids enjoyed the
small simple ones just as much. Nobody should be intimidated by what was at
Brickfest. Any and every module no matter how complicated or simple is a GOOD
module. Remember, a lot of people that visit a Lego show are not as into Lego
as some of us (ie - Steve). So, being able to look at GBC modules and say “hey,
I can do that” is a good way to grow participation. I, for one, will stick with
the simpler modules because they are easier to transport. I made a complex
module early on and disassembled it because Steve thought the balls were moving
too fast (something about breaking his kitchen window).
All modules are good modules. I can only hope that we get additional
participation next time we bring together a GBC.
BTW - this was my first Brickfest...what an experience!!! What a great bunch of
people that share my love of Legos!!!
Bryan
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On Tue, August 16, 2005 11:08 pm, Chris Magno wrote:
> In lugnet.events.brickfest, Steve Hassenplug wrote:
> > As previously announced <http://news.lugnet.com/robotics/?n=23244>, we will be
> > assembling a Great Ball Contraption <http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC/> at this
> > year's BrickFest.
>
>
> well???? • ...
>
> how did it go?
>
> Chris
I didn't know you cared. :)
Actually, it went very, very well. It was more successful than we expected. I hope
to write something up, but right now I'm just trying to relax.
If anyone has good video, I'd like to take a look at it. I didn't get much video,
but I was asked by TLG if I can provide some clips that they can put on their web
site.
About the only video I did get (Thanks to Heather) was when KKK came back Sunday
night after everything shut down, to check out my Connect Four robot, and Legway.
That was pretty cool.
Steve
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In lugnet.events.brickfest, Steve Hassenplug wrote:
| |
If anyone has good video, I’d like to take a look at it. I didn’t get much
video, but I was asked by TLG if I can provide some clips that they can put on
their web site.
About the only video I did get (Thanks to Heather) was when KKK came back
Sunday night after everything shut down, to check out my Connect Four robot,
and Legway. That was pretty cool.
Steve
|
I taped the entire loop Saturday starting from my pirate ship. I forgot to tape
Gus (sorry, Brian!) and the train unloading itself into the module just after
Gus. The module layout on the high-maintenance side of the table changed after
my recording, too, but I got almost everything. It will be a few days before I’m
able to digitize and compress the video since I have to borrow a different
camera with a Firewire port.
This was my first BrickFest, and I’m happy to have been part of a very
successful room. Thanks, Steve and Brian, for creating the GBC, because it’s a
lot of fun.
Make sure whatever venue Christina chooses next year has a bigger room, though.
:D
Also, could either of you send me the RCX program that runs the trains? I’d like
to experiment with that at home. Thanks!
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In lugnet.events.brickfest, Jordan Bradford wrote:
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I forgot to tape Gus (sorry, Brian!)
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Nothing to apologize about - Gus was out there “on his own” because we wanted to
make sure everybody *elses* modules got in. Gus has been videoed before. The
only thing I wanted a video of with respect to that was the amazed looks on so
many faces watching “him” :-).
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Thanks, Steve and Brian, for creating the GBC,
|
You’re welcome, although I have to point out that a *LOT* more folks than just
Steve & I were involved in creating the standard, and there was a *LOT* of help
at BrickFest (Bryan, Greg, Kevin, Heather, Kathie, etc., etc.). Most
importantly, we did not “create the GBC” - a small group of people created the
standard and provided the infrastructure, but the Community created the GBC,
just like Moonbase, Castle, etc.
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Also, could either of you send me the RCX program
that runs the trains? I’d like to experiment with
that at home.
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I’d be glad to share my code with you if you like, but the secret is really
in the polarity switch assembly located at each station (a Hassenplug
brainstorm, BTW). When the 2x2 cylinders under the train baseplates bumped the
sensor wheel, it did two things: released a touch sensor (connected in series
with all the other station touch sensors) to signal the RCX, and threw a
polarity switch to connect that station’s mechanism to the RCX. When the RCX
provided power to the “station mechanism line”, only the station with the
polarity switch thrown actually got power. Net result was that any number of
stations could be run using just one output & one input. Steve & I wrote our
code completely independantly, and I have to admit I’m not happy with it yet.
Positioning the hoppers to within +/- 0.5 studs with an accuracy of more than
98% is... tough. Mine is in NQC, while Steve’s is in BrickOS (I think).
--
Brian Davis
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Okay, here’s a low-res video of the GBC. It doesn’t show my module for very
long; the camera was still setting itself up to record and I thought I had stood
there long enough, but I hadn’t. Anyway, it runs for 9:39, has a couple spots
where I had to stop and restart filming due to module problems, and as mentioned
before has no Gus action. Other than that I think it’s pretty good.
http://www.blockpartymod.com/brickfest/
In lugnet.events.brickfest, Brian Davis wrote:
| |
I’d be glad to share my code with you if you like, but the secret is
really in the polarity switch assembly located at each station (a Hassenplug
brainstorm, BTW). When the 2x2 cylinders under the train baseplates bumped
the sensor wheel, it did two things: released a touch sensor (connected in
series with all the other station touch sensors) to signal the RCX, and threw
a polarity switch to connect that station’s mechanism to the RCX. When the
RCX provided power to the “station mechanism line”, only the station with the
polarity switch thrown actually got power. Net result was that any number of
stations could be run using just one output & one input. Steve & I wrote
our code completely independantly, and I have to admit I’m not happy with it
yet. Positioning the hoppers to within +/- 0.5 studs with an accuracy of more
than 98% is... tough. Mine is in NQC, while Steve’s is in BrickOS (I think).
|
You know what? I think I’d rather just have pictures of the train cars, the
touch sensors, and the loader/unloader mechanisms (I should have done this
myself but I forgot to when I was there). I’ll write my own program. If you have
pictures posted, please show me where. Thanks!
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On Fri, August 19, 2005 3:37 pm, Jordan Bradford wrote:
> Other than that I think it's pretty good.
>
> <http://www.blockpartymod.com/brickfest/>
That's a nice video. It shows all the modules that we had in the loop (at that
time). How big is the hi-res version?
> You know what? I think I'd rather just have pictures of the train cars, the
> touch sensors, and the loader/unloader mechanisms (I should have done this
> myself but I forgot to when I was there). I'll write my own program. If you have
> pictures posted, please show me where. Thanks!
I'll see if I can get the MLCad drawings posted early next week.
Thanks for taking part
Steve
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In lugnet.events.brickfest, Steve Hassenplug wrote:
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On Fri, August 19, 2005 3:37 pm, Jordan Bradford wrote:
That’s a nice video. It shows all the modules that we had in the loop (at
that time). How big is the hi-res version?
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1.94 GB, which is the full resolution capture from the video camera. I’m going
to edit it slightly when I have time, and that will make it smaller, but
probably not by much.
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