Tag Archives: ultimate

Mutant Machines

Posted on by

Over in Denmark a hacker called Berthos concluded:

that it was time to waste time bigtime.

In other words, time to build a useless-ish machine.  Using parts gathered from his local makerspace and hackerclub, his goals were:

  • no useful function
  • moving parts
  • simple yet complex
  • user interaction
  • blinking lights
  • entertain users and observers

A video of the machine follows the break:

Continue reading →

Pneumatic Lego Uselessness!

Posted on by

YouTuber Inventor211 has built a steampunk air-driven UM.  I asked him how he came up with his design and if he had any tips.  He wrote back:

“I was surfing you tube one day and I saw a Lego Clockwork useless machine. I don’t have a clockwork motor so I built an airpowered one instead.  No tips .. I just built it from my brain!”

Keep in mind that some of the purists out there may argue that this machine isn’t entirely useless as it may be classified as exercise equipment…

More Lego Here

.

 

Fantastic Article/Review of the Two Ultimate Machine Apps

Posted on by
jusido daruma square

jusido daruma square

Blogger/Philosopher/Zen Master Steve left a comment on my last post with a link to an article he posted yesterday:  The Most Useless Review (EVER).

Like myself, Steve is fascinated with the concept of a machine with only one function:  to turn itself off.

Steve’s article begins with a history of Ultimate/Useless Machines including links to other useless articles and goes on to review the two Useless Machine apps available for the iPhone/Pad.  I’ve mentioned one of the apps in a previous post, but the second one is news to me.

For those interested in UM’s I highly recommend that you check it out.

If you’re wonder about the drawing to the left, it’s Steve’s favicon.  For an explanation look here.

Concerning Useless apps, I don’t own an iPhone/Pad so I haven’t had a chance to try these programs.  One is free, and the other costs a whopping 99 cents.

If Steve Jobs is listening, please know that I would gladly trade a handcrafted UM for an iPad.  If Stephen Colbert can beg for an iPad, I don’t see any reason why I can’t!  (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more…)