Impressive. If you get bored again it might be interesting to think up a design for a memory bank and an instruction queue of some kind and make it into a programmable machine. :)
@NorthCountryTech It would be nice :). A significant problem is that balls only roll downhill... so setting up any system where things can feed back is difficult. Here, it's done with a large lever arm and a very long carefully adjusted string. That's tricky if you need to communicate a complex state back to the top.
What museum? There's something that looks exactly like this at the System Source computer museum in Hunt Valley, MD. Or did they just build one based on your design?
@ariw2003net Actually, that's the one :). They asked me to build them a copy, so I did (with a few additional things like routing for the overflow balls). Glad to hear it's still on display.
@brdavis5 Haha, that's a funny coincidence. I was just looking for mechanical logic gates/computers on the Internet and found this. I guess not too many people build this sort of thing. Awesome job, by the way, I have seen a live demonstration of this and it's really cool. Sometimes when I go to System Source, it's not really in a working state, but Bob usually fixes it sooner or later (he's my uncle).
@ariw2003net That is fantastic to hear! I'm glad you find it fun... and I find it FANTASTIC that it's still operational and (being made of LEGO) can be fixed and maintained fairly easily.
@Bp1033 I still have it assembled (well, in large easy-to-assemble pieces). But in parts alone, this thing cost something like $600. How many do you think LEGO would be able to sell? So far, I've sold exactly one (a commission for a museum).
@KlausKnegg grin... unfortunately, no - increase the angle, and the balls fall faster, hitting the gates with more energy, leading to "gate bounce" or the ball bouncing over the rail (the 2nd is correctable, the 1st not so much). The only way to make it go faster is parallelism... which gets a lot more complex, but can scale up (this, not so much).
@brdavis5 Makes sense... besides, one would probably have to deal with overheating issues from the increased clock frequency, so it is probably best left alone. Great job on the design, though! (y)
@SiMpsonIzer01 It is simply a mechanical way of doing automated simple math. It's not practical... but it is an impressive mechanism, both from the standpoint of design and function. PErhaps more importantly... it's fun :)
@brdavis5 You, sir, need to get and play with Minecraft. Redstone = wiring, including a configurable repeater. You build the logic gates yourself, of course, using the wiring and Redstone Torches (functioned LEDs/inverters). I believe a 32-bit ALU has already been completed. I'd love to see what you come up with.
@malawoot It would be cool... I've heard of Minecraft (and the ALU and some other similar stuff), but never taken the time to dig into them deeply because I have too much fun building stuff outside the virtual world as well :)
@brdavis5 You'd actually be surprised how rewarding Minecraft is, actually. It's rudimentary physics engine is easy to get the hang of. People have made TK flip-flops using nothing but boats, water, pressure plates, and doors. This could, of course, be done in the redstone wiring, but why not think outside the box? I think someone even made one based on using pigs (one of the animals in the game). O.o
@RagShop1 Good guess... but no. I'm actually a PhD in physics, and never got the chance to take an engineering or computer science class... I just have very diverse interests :)
This is BEYOND super awesome and all the more so since the old DigiComp 2 was replicated with legos! That alone is almost beyond belief, how such a sophisticated mechanical machine that operates on gravity alone was constructed with simple plastic building blocks and accessories. It truly boggles the mind!
Those who grew up with me remember the Digicomp2 - this one was done with leggo's. Mine was the original - which I bought through Edmund Scientific back in the early 70's. My very first computer!
How does the Digi-Comp II handle division? You didn't show that one in the video. I saw on a site: "repeated subtraction", but I can't really picture how that is done.
@geenechte To multiple two numbers, say, 2 * 5, all that Digi-comp does is really add 2 to itself five times, correct? To divide, let's say, 10 by 2, it can just subtract 2 from 10 repeatedly until the result is too small to subtract again. The number of times it subtracted is then the result (and there's a leftover, or remainder, left behind).
@brdavis5 So to calculate 5 / 2 (M=2, A=5, Q=0), you would first 2's complement A and then add up M to A, until M overflows. The result is the 2's complement of Q - 1.
Computation:
A=-5;
Q=-1; A+=M (A becomes -3);
Q=-2; A+=M (A becomes -1);
Q=-3; A+=M (A becomes 1, A overflows, ends calculation);
The result is now -Q-1. The remainder is -A+M. It seems too complicated.
@geenechte As I remember it, yep, that's roughly how it works. And there's no question it's complicated... but considering it can do all these operations using a handful of very simple bi-stable gates and falling balls asynchronously, well... I think it's remarkable it works at all. Consider how BCD mathematics are done in a "regular" processor, where a half-adder is generally a system of many many simple NAND & OR gates (and each of *those* gates, in turn, is a series of components).
@deshapoui Yep, I do have a job - PhD in physics, teaching at a local university. Remember, all you see is the end result here... not how long it took me, for instance. This certainly wasn't thrown together in a day, or a week... or even longer. It's something I've been working on, thinking about, and researching for literally years, off and on.
Yeah, I really do need to do that :). Replicating the original "latching" gates on Dr Nim has been tough, but even if I can't get that there are constructions that function the same using more standard "flip flop" gates (IMS, that was how it was in the original patent). Thanks for the prod in that direction :).
In a sense, they're more like a clock pulse... although note that this is essentially an asynchronous system, not a synchronized system of specific gates. The actual bits are probably better thought of as the states of the various gates, which the balls can read out or change (toggle).
That depends on what version of Windows you're running :). It's at least a lot more fun to watch it work, but the reliability isn't all that hot - I think I remember that a reasonable multiplication ends up taking a couple of hundred gate interactions, so if the reliability of the gate design is 99%... you'd still never get an accurate calculation. Getting the reliability of the flip-flops up above 99.5% for a single gate was a serious issue.
;). Actually, it wouldn't; as it is, it's rather carefully tuned for a certain angle in a certain gravity. Varying those isn't going to make it faster, just a lot less reliable.
Read the information, watch the video... and figure it out :). At the heart, it simple adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides. But it does it mechanically (in binary).
hahaha, Yeah, but not if your interrested in saving time, money and well style in your home aswell.... I do feel the destination is quite important too tho :D
A Quite more compact solution for advanced carcluation, but its awefully nicely done... how long did it take to construct this fin art of machinery ?
The destination is very important sometimes... but clearly I didn't build this as a practical way to do simple math :). As to "how long", well... I've built a copy of this in just a few days. But I'm not sure how many hours I've spent in "development"... several months of free time, at least.
Well, that sounds reasonable... but the comment you made never mentioned an NXT at all, so I kind of doubted your ability to "use Bluetooth" on a purely mechanical device. I'll be curious to see what you did, as it would seem the NXT (with just four inputs) would have a hard time reading all 20+ gates in the DC2... and setting them with just three motors would be challenging as well.
well, actually, mine only uses 8 dual purpose gates (my multiplication gates actually, but i figured out that they could divide as well.) it also uses a second NXT to help read data, since the way mine is set up all sensor ports on both use light sensors.
When the ball rolls past a "flip flop", it tips it the other way. Look through my other videos to see another simple version of this titled "Flip flops".
Thank you. Yeah, you wouldn't believe how many takes were ruined by our cat deciding to either bat a ball out of the machine, or paw at the bottom release lever (letting loose a cascade of balls).
Oh, yes I would. I used to live in MI with 25 cats. ^_^. Look at my weapon collection video. I had that video ruined many times via a cat jumping up on the pool table.
A video of how to put together more than a thousand LEGO parts would be... exceedingly boring. However, if you read the information for this video, you'll find a link to my Brickshelf page that has detailed pictures of it. From that, you might be able to reproduce it.
A mechanical binary computer would have just been fun 20 years ago, but I see nano-tech is making some mechanical processes look more interesting than electrical. Better get the patents filed :)
:). And 100 years ago, mechanical binary computing would have been the only way to go. What old is new... and this is already patented by the person who originated it. All I did was manage to understand his design, and translate it into LEGO. There are some improvements I could make, but I didn't (initially) because there were folks very interested in a faithful reproduction first. Now I'll try to modify or improve it.
Um, yes - of course. Who did you think built it :) ?
Look at the info for this video - you can see a lot more description, and a link to all the building plans. Yes I built it - I even built a copy on commission for a computer museum.
maybe you could add a type of loops counter, that way you can repeat a function several times. Heres how I did mine: the top switch had a rubber band that reset it to the loop-count column, so every ball went through that before beginning the calculation. sort of a "its here now" function, if it has gone past switch 1, ie loop 1 it will open acess to the loop 2 switch, etc. then link it to your end calc channel. the problem is, the counter would need to be at the very top.
It is a lot of work - I'm not proposing this as a rational, efficient way of doing basic math. But it is an example of how "math" can be performed by very very simple mechanical systems (really, when you think about it, this is pretty simple... it's just when all the parts are together it looks complicated).
I am sorry to send this comment to you,but it has been circulating in youtube for a long time. When it was received 1 month ago by a man named Grayson, he ignores it, and dies when his house collapses on him.2 weeks ago, someone named Harvey receives it,but he ignores this comment and was killed by a bullet. 10 days ago, a woman named Fifi reads it,and she dies in a car accident. You must now post this comment on 15 other videos, or else soon you will meet with a horrible death.Swear its true
Essentially, it adds two binary numbers. That's it. As a ball rolls through certain sections, it can flip gates, and the position of each gate represents a binary 1 or 0. It's a very primitive digital device... but using rolling balls instead of moving electrons.
This lego creation CANNOT add, multiply or divide. It simple has panels that direct where the balls go. If it hits it on one side, it goes to another panel, and numbers are stuck to the panel. ***
I've certainly not done it, and I doubt anyone else has as yet either. I'd like to add addressable memory and a small instruction set decoder, both doable, but it takes time to figure it out... and a LOT of LEGO.
Depends on your definition of "better". For instance, my version is a lot more fun to watch :). On a more (semi) practical level, the DCII actually uses *far* fewer gates to add, subtract, and multiple numbers than a conventional processor (that is built from AND/OR/NAND etc.). In terms of number of "digital" gates... DCII actually *is* better.
It's kinda funny, I was watching another video just like this one (A Lego marble device that used switches to direct soccer balls) thinking how this system could be used in making a computer. Then I found your video, lol. Amazing job though!
The computer you typed this on is essentially a huge series of special switches, directing the flow of electrons (electricity) to different places. What I've done here, on a very VERY small scale, is some of the same things an electronic computer would do... but using falling LEGO balls instead of flowing currents of electrons.
But if it helps... just think of it as a big LEGO kinetic sculpture :)
I wish i could understand what you are saying i know what binary is but i really don't understand the purpose or function of this device anyone want to explain this to me
well, you see, binary is ones and zeros that compose the basis for logic. in other words, yes and no. each bianary result is a bit. by combining bits, you get a byte, and so on. in this device, there are mode bits that tell it to multiply, divide, add, or subtract. then there are numeric bits. (i assume that on this it goes 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,and 9.) when a bit says "yes" then that is one of the result numbers. for example 10 in bianary is actually 2 in base ten.
Heres another thing you could do. make a bianary tree. if i get the time ill show you a mechanism that could be used to make it. (u do know what a bianary tree is, right?)
I could make a binary tree, but that seems like a slightly easier design... and I'd rather improve on this, than move in that direction. But I would love to see you build one, and pop it up here on YT so others could run with the idea :)
Well, you can look at this in a couple of ways. #1, it's just a really big LEGO construction that makes an interesting piece of kinetic art, with balls shifting tracks and automatically cascading down... sort of fun to watch. In addition, it's actually functioning as a part of a computer, adding and manipulating numbers, that are represented by balls and switches... just like the numbers in the computer you are reading this on are represented by electrons. Same idea... but here you can see it :)
The answer is the number in the Accumulator, down the right hand side of the machine. Each red switch or gate can be set to either the left or right: a gate to the right means that bit is a binary "1", while a gate set to the left means that bit is a binary "0". The number in the accumulator is just a series of binary bits, just like computers use to do math. Except here, you can see them. Read through some of the other comments as well, I've tried (a few times) to answer this.
Awesome Device! I've been interested in mechanical computation for some time. I'm interested in building one of these out of K'NEX, as I don't have enough legos. Can you point me to any sources that give an overview of how this machine works? The patent just doesn't seem like enough to work off of. Are there any posts from "friends of Digicomp" that were particularly helpful? Also if you have enough time on your hands you should consider an instructable.
lol, now wouldnt that be cool? a nerd army powered by full-auto zamor sphere robots! we could call ourselves the "New Nerdite Army." or something like that!
So u watch the whole thing and say get a life because your jealous? He does it for fun, or whatever. You should be thankful we have nerds on this planet!!
heres an idea. make the first series of switchs operated by you. (but make them switchable after the first ball)then, on all other switchs, connect RCX rotation sensors to sense open or closed gates. have these sensors added to several nxts and use them on bluetooth comunicate with eachother. this way, useing bluetooth, you cuold replicate this several times. also, use a power box for a motor to return the balls to the top. so that it doesnt need to be reset. 8P
Actually I have a perfectly good job that's much more rewarding... and I *do* sometimes help out The LEGO Group with their robotics etc.
> you should get a better hobby no offense
Hmm. Why on Earth would you think this is my only hobby? I mean, I'm not assuming that *your* only hobby is watching YT videos... I have plenty of other hobbies... and the most important part of a hobby is that you (not others) like it. Personal opinion.
This is pretty awesome. I understand what's it's doing for the most part, but I'm gunna have to go through all the comments and read your explanations to really get it.
u no every one that is callng this guy a "nerd" is retarded without "nerds" the computer your on right now wouldent be there so just shut up and stop calling people nerds
Not only would we be in the stone age... but we wouldn't have communication tools like the internet (and YT) to complain about others not "getting a life". I the words of a nice little old lady Armstrong once spoke to... "why don't we just stay home ad watch TV like the good Lord intended" ;).
Thanks for the comment - and yes, I have to agree, thinking is a good thing. Even if others refuse to do it :)
Impressive. If you get bored again it might be interesting to think up a design for a memory bank and an instruction queue of some kind and make it into a programmable machine. :)
NorthCountryTech 1 day ago
@NorthCountryTech It would be nice :). A significant problem is that balls only roll downhill... so setting up any system where things can feed back is difficult. Here, it's done with a large lever arm and a very long carefully adjusted string. That's tricky if you need to communicate a complex state back to the top.
brdavis5 1 day ago
damn finally the world makes sense !
bulacha007 1 month ago
I played Half-Life on it!
doldiz1 2 months ago
so basically we're smartly manipulating the flow of energy to solve complex mathematical problems? Oh, so that's what computers are!
GrizzlyRecoveryZone1 2 months ago
What museum? There's something that looks exactly like this at the System Source computer museum in Hunt Valley, MD. Or did they just build one based on your design?
ariw2003net 5 months ago
@ariw2003net Actually, that's the one :). They asked me to build them a copy, so I did (with a few additional things like routing for the overflow balls). Glad to hear it's still on display.
brdavis5 5 months ago
@brdavis5 Haha, that's a funny coincidence. I was just looking for mechanical logic gates/computers on the Internet and found this. I guess not too many people build this sort of thing. Awesome job, by the way, I have seen a live demonstration of this and it's really cool. Sometimes when I go to System Source, it's not really in a working state, but Bob usually fixes it sooner or later (he's my uncle).
ariw2003net 5 months ago
@ariw2003net That is fantastic to hear! I'm glad you find it fun... and I find it FANTASTIC that it's still operational and (being made of LEGO) can be fixed and maintained fairly easily.
brdavis5 5 months ago
This needs to be a Lego kit!
Bp1033 7 months ago
@Bp1033 I still have it assembled (well, in large easy-to-assemble pieces). But in parts alone, this thing cost something like $600. How many do you think LEGO would be able to sell? So far, I've sold exactly one (a commission for a museum).
brdavis5 7 months ago
@brdavis5 I was having a nerdgasm from your mastery of Legos and logic... (I'm still in awe at this combination.)
Bp1033 7 months ago
Sooo... to overclock it, you just increase the angle?
KlausKnegg 10 months ago 2
@KlausKnegg grin... unfortunately, no - increase the angle, and the balls fall faster, hitting the gates with more energy, leading to "gate bounce" or the ball bouncing over the rail (the 2nd is correctable, the 1st not so much). The only way to make it go faster is parallelism... which gets a lot more complex, but can scale up (this, not so much).
brdavis5 10 months ago
@brdavis5 Makes sense... besides, one would probably have to deal with overheating issues from the increased clock frequency, so it is probably best left alone. Great job on the design, though! (y)
KlausKnegg 10 months ago
@KlausKnegg Thank you! Yeah, if I overclocked it I'd probably need a fluid-loop cooling system... probably based on falling balls :)
brdavis5 10 months ago
i still don t get what it is and the point of it.°-°
SiMpsonIzer01 1 year ago
@SiMpsonIzer01 It is simply a mechanical way of doing automated simple math. It's not practical... but it is an impressive mechanism, both from the standpoint of design and function. PErhaps more importantly... it's fun :)
brdavis5 1 year ago
@brdavis5 You, sir, need to get and play with Minecraft. Redstone = wiring, including a configurable repeater. You build the logic gates yourself, of course, using the wiring and Redstone Torches (functioned LEDs/inverters). I believe a 32-bit ALU has already been completed. I'd love to see what you come up with.
malawoot 11 months ago
@malawoot It would be cool... I've heard of Minecraft (and the ALU and some other similar stuff), but never taken the time to dig into them deeply because I have too much fun building stuff outside the virtual world as well :)
brdavis5 11 months ago
@brdavis5 You'd actually be surprised how rewarding Minecraft is, actually. It's rudimentary physics engine is easy to get the hang of. People have made TK flip-flops using nothing but boats, water, pressure plates, and doors. This could, of course, be done in the redstone wiring, but why not think outside the box? I think someone even made one based on using pigs (one of the animals in the game). O.o
malawoot 11 months ago
Does anyone know where I can find a C compiler for this architecture???
Lewis1711 1 year ago 11
my brain just had a meltdown
DatGuyYonder 1 year ago
This is already been build in the middelages, but still very impressive... :D
pieterkraamw 1 year ago
I guess you're an engineer, brdavis5. I think only a mechanical engineer could have pulled off such a feat. Am I right?
RagShop1 1 year ago
@RagShop1 Good guess... but no. I'm actually a PhD in physics, and never got the chance to take an engineering or computer science class... I just have very diverse interests :)
brdavis5 1 year ago 3
This is BEYOND super awesome and all the more so since the old DigiComp 2 was replicated with legos! That alone is almost beyond belief, how such a sophisticated mechanical machine that operates on gravity alone was constructed with simple plastic building blocks and accessories. It truly boggles the mind!
RagShop1 1 year ago
@RagShop1 I'm glad you like it - hopefully, some day I'll have the time to take it further (yes, there's more you could do with it).
brdavis5 1 year ago
This is super awesome!
dickcheney6 1 year ago
Thank you for uploading this; it is always so incredible to learn about the mechanical workings behind the devices we take so much for granted.
adognamedsally 1 year ago
we should all use this instead of windows
disneya380 1 year ago 14
@disneya380 at least you wouldnt get the blue screen of death
legoclockfreak710 6 months ago
Comment removed
disneya380 1 year ago
that is clever
jammy453 1 year ago
Those who grew up with me remember the Digicomp2 - this one was done with leggo's. Mine was the original - which I bought through Edmund Scientific back in the early 70's. My very first computer!
dufuslivecom 1 year ago
How does the Digi-Comp II handle division? You didn't show that one in the video. I saw on a site: "repeated subtraction", but I can't really picture how that is done.
geenechte 1 year ago
@geenechte To multiple two numbers, say, 2 * 5, all that Digi-comp does is really add 2 to itself five times, correct? To divide, let's say, 10 by 2, it can just subtract 2 from 10 repeatedly until the result is too small to subtract again. The number of times it subtracted is then the result (and there's a leftover, or remainder, left behind).
brdavis5 1 year ago
@brdavis5 So to calculate 5 / 2 (M=2, A=5, Q=0), you would first 2's complement A and then add up M to A, until M overflows. The result is the 2's complement of Q - 1.
Computation:
A=-5;
Q=-1; A+=M (A becomes -3);
Q=-2; A+=M (A becomes -1);
Q=-3; A+=M (A becomes 1, A overflows, ends calculation);
The result is now -Q-1. The remainder is -A+M. It seems too complicated.
geenechte 1 year ago
@geenechte As I remember it, yep, that's roughly how it works. And there's no question it's complicated... but considering it can do all these operations using a handful of very simple bi-stable gates and falling balls asynchronously, well... I think it's remarkable it works at all. Consider how BCD mathematics are done in a "regular" processor, where a half-adder is generally a system of many many simple NAND & OR gates (and each of *those* gates, in turn, is a series of components).
brdavis5 1 year ago
As a answer to all the guys below: MY BRAIN IS HAPPY!
That mechanics can be thrown together to actually calculate thrills my mind!
I feel like replicating this design in Phun (A physics simulator/sandbox/playground)
Can you hand me the diagrams?
BannanaOfDoom 1 year ago
with all this time on your hands... do you have a job?
deshapoui 1 year ago
@deshapoui Yep, I do have a job - PhD in physics, teaching at a local university. Remember, all you see is the end result here... not how long it took me, for instance. This certainly wasn't thrown together in a day, or a week... or even longer. It's something I've been working on, thinking about, and researching for literally years, off and on.
brdavis5 1 year ago
@brdavis5 Nice. I took digital logic design and this a way advanced logic design. Well done!
deshapoui 1 year ago
wooooooow
deshapoui 1 year ago
cool
thehaircrow 2 years ago
or you can use your fingers :D
Madmonkeythegreat 2 years ago
now y know more thanks! but my brain also feels sad !
tano8232 2 years ago
thats the most boring thing ever i agree with superknife my brain feels sad
deadrabbits19772 2 years ago
Sorry 'bout that. To each their own.
brdavis5 2 years ago
uhhhh confusing words, these words make my brain sad
superknife24 2 years ago 2
Then turn off the sound :)
brdavis5 2 years ago
Now will you build a Lego Dr. Nim? :)
billhuston 2 years ago
Yeah, I really do need to do that :). Replicating the original "latching" gates on Dr Nim has been tough, but even if I can't get that there are constructions that function the same using more standard "flip flop" gates (IMS, that was how it was in the original patent). Thanks for the prod in that direction :).
brdavis5 2 years ago
Coolest LEGO machine I've ever seen. Great work!
Arcady89c 2 years ago
Thank you - I really need to do more with it.
brdavis5 2 years ago
so are the balls more like the clock or the actual bits?
mashersmasher 2 years ago
In a sense, they're more like a clock pulse... although note that this is essentially an asynchronous system, not a synchronized system of specific gates. The actual bits are probably better thought of as the states of the various gates, which the balls can read out or change (toggle).
brdavis5 2 years ago
LEGO, I think, definately is one of the best and most versatile toys in existence (I mean try making this using erectorset)
GrizzlyRecoveryZone1 2 years ago
its pretty kool but not the most interesting thing to watch at 8 pm lol
Wowsers11562 2 years ago
Probably true... but it was really interesting to figure out and build :).
brdavis5 2 years ago
much more reliable than a PC.....
Quadraphonicsoul 2 years ago
That depends on what version of Windows you're running :). It's at least a lot more fun to watch it work, but the reliability isn't all that hot - I think I remember that a reasonable multiplication ends up taking a couple of hundred gate interactions, so if the reliability of the gate design is 99%... you'd still never get an accurate calculation. Getting the reliability of the flip-flops up above 99.5% for a single gate was a serious issue.
brdavis5 2 years ago
yeah i know. Never the less it is still quite amazing.
Quadraphonicsoul 2 years ago
sorry but i can't brain today so i have no ide what you are talking about :(
emochild987 2 years ago
whats ur background? engineer? what?
L3G0nerd 2 years ago
I have a PhD in physics, actually, but it doesn't matter for this - this is just me trying to replicate something in LEGO :)
brdavis5 2 years ago
wow! i hope i get a phd in physics someday or at least a masters <:(
L3G0nerd 2 years ago
amazing
HolyManta 2 years ago
Thank you!
brdavis5 2 years ago
what ur background
L3G0nerd 2 years ago
If you put this computer onto a rocket, it will make the computer faster.
jeffgooloolie 2 years ago
;). Actually, it wouldn't; as it is, it's rather carefully tuned for a certain angle in a certain gravity. Varying those isn't going to make it faster, just a lot less reliable.
brdavis5 2 years ago
Comment removed
TheNilvarg 2 years ago
wow, this is realy interestingzzzzzzzzz.....
what does it do?
edwardlego 2 years ago
Read the information, watch the video... and figure it out :). At the heart, it simple adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides. But it does it mechanically (in binary).
brdavis5 2 years ago
It's HEX! try it with ants!
greengrendel 2 years ago 3
WoW nice job... tho however my Computer can do the same, without the balls :D
C0ldhead 3 years ago
Sure... and my brain can do the same, without even paper and pencil. :). It's not the destination, but the journey...
brdavis5 3 years ago
hahaha, Yeah, but not if your interrested in saving time, money and well style in your home aswell.... I do feel the destination is quite important too tho :D
A Quite more compact solution for advanced carcluation, but its awefully nicely done... how long did it take to construct this fin art of machinery ?
C0ldhead 3 years ago
The destination is very important sometimes... but clearly I didn't build this as a practical way to do simple math :). As to "how long", well... I've built a copy of this in just a few days. But I'm not sure how many hours I've spent in "development"... several months of free time, at least.
brdavis5 3 years ago
never the less, its very nicely done :D
C0ldhead 3 years ago
How come you took down the video?!?! *Is sad and dissapointed*
lol, I got my version finished at last, and using bluetooth, I turned it into an extention of my computer.
naetoru99 3 years ago
Ah... yep. Riiiight :)
brdavis5 3 years ago
No, I tell you the truth! I hooked mine up to an NXT.
naetoru99 3 years ago
Well, that sounds reasonable... but the comment you made never mentioned an NXT at all, so I kind of doubted your ability to "use Bluetooth" on a purely mechanical device. I'll be curious to see what you did, as it would seem the NXT (with just four inputs) would have a hard time reading all 20+ gates in the DC2... and setting them with just three motors would be challenging as well.
brdavis5 3 years ago
well, actually, mine only uses 8 dual purpose gates (my multiplication gates actually, but i figured out that they could divide as well.) it also uses a second NXT to help read data, since the way mine is set up all sensor ports on both use light sensors.
naetoru99 3 years ago
So you have two NXTs reading a total of eight light sensors. Do you have some pictures or a video up anywhere?
brdavis5 3 years ago
No, not yet. Although, I may only need one sensor. Alot of the stuff about how it reads results is still theory at the moment
naetoru99 3 years ago
how its possible that the ball everytime goes another way??
super7goku 3 years ago
When the ball rolls past a "flip flop", it tips it the other way. Look through my other videos to see another simple version of this titled "Flip flops".
brdavis5 3 years ago
wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
super7goku 3 years ago
LINUX BASIC?!
Vaft1991 3 years ago
:) Well, I *have* sort of open-sourced the hardware here.
brdavis5 3 years ago
hahah Bravo!
Vaft1991 3 years ago
Thats awesome. It's complex in it's simplicity.
Kitty at the end gave it an extra bonus.
HalfBredNinja 3 years ago
Thank you. Yeah, you wouldn't believe how many takes were ruined by our cat deciding to either bat a ball out of the machine, or paw at the bottom release lever (letting loose a cascade of balls).
brdavis5 3 years ago
Oh, yes I would. I used to live in MI with 25 cats. ^_^. Look at my weapon collection video. I had that video ruined many times via a cat jumping up on the pool table.
HalfBredNinja 3 years ago
Thats the most complex lego construction ive ever seen.. my god..!
Kinglevel 3 years ago
can u pm me and make a vid on how to make? u can say no
mcca5679 3 years ago
A video of how to put together more than a thousand LEGO parts would be... exceedingly boring. However, if you read the information for this video, you'll find a link to my Brickshelf page that has detailed pictures of it. From that, you might be able to reproduce it.
brdavis5 3 years ago
A mechanical binary computer would have just been fun 20 years ago, but I see nano-tech is making some mechanical processes look more interesting than electrical. Better get the patents filed :)
x246869 3 years ago
:). And 100 years ago, mechanical binary computing would have been the only way to go. What old is new... and this is already patented by the person who originated it. All I did was manage to understand his design, and translate it into LEGO. There are some improvements I could make, but I didn't (initially) because there were folks very interested in a faithful reproduction first. Now I'll try to modify or improve it.
brdavis5 3 years ago
did you really build this
legoMan104 3 years ago
Um, yes - of course. Who did you think built it :) ?
Look at the info for this video - you can see a lot more description, and a link to all the building plans. Yes I built it - I even built a copy on commission for a computer museum.
brdavis5 3 years ago
Wow, +3 geek cred. Those switches also make me feel like trying some complex machinery with LEGOs.
willyumsstudio 3 years ago
Thank you. Yeah, it's kind of fun how a bunch of simple units can end up... a whole lot more complex :)
brdavis5 3 years ago
im go to tack that to skool and be like its my cuculator
i cant spell! So dont makefun!
aggresivesk8terkid 3 years ago
cooL!
i wonder i can also make one as same as your?
MegaManBn 3 years ago
Thats awesome, i have no clue what it is doing, but its awesome
Zaneyy112 3 years ago
maybe you could add a type of loops counter, that way you can repeat a function several times. Heres how I did mine: the top switch had a rubber band that reset it to the loop-count column, so every ball went through that before beginning the calculation. sort of a "its here now" function, if it has gone past switch 1, ie loop 1 it will open acess to the loop 2 switch, etc. then link it to your end calc channel. the problem is, the counter would need to be at the very top.
naetoru99 3 years ago
seems like a lot of work for something that you can do in your head
very cool though
nanferno 3 years ago
It is a lot of work - I'm not proposing this as a rational, efficient way of doing basic math. But it is an example of how "math" can be performed by very very simple mechanical systems (really, when you think about it, this is pretty simple... it's just when all the parts are together it looks complicated).
brdavis5 3 years ago
i made one out of knex.
i will post a vid of it within a week...
Mozilla2012 3 years ago
Link when you've got it - I'd love to see it! You could list it on this video as a response.
brdavis5 3 years ago
currently i am making modifications, so it might be a while
Mozilla2012 3 years ago
mine is definately not as cool as this one
mine can only add up to 128
Mozilla2012 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I am sorry to send this comment to you,but it has been circulating in youtube for a long time. When it was received 1 month ago by a man named Grayson, he ignores it, and dies when his house collapses on him.2 weeks ago, someone named Harvey receives it,but he ignores this comment and was killed by a bullet. 10 days ago, a woman named Fifi reads it,and she dies in a car accident. You must now post this comment on 15 other videos, or else soon you will meet with a horrible death.Swear its true
DestructibleZ 3 years ago
Hum... ok i didint understand
Raizdecimal 3 years ago
Essentially, it adds two binary numbers. That's it. As a ball rolls through certain sections, it can flip gates, and the position of each gate represents a binary 1 or 0. It's a very primitive digital device... but using rolling balls instead of moving electrons.
brdavis5 3 years ago
simple to build with elecronics, but this mechanics here would be killing me ^^ great job! :)
Maverickx89 3 years ago 2
wow...
Rubikscuber1 3 years ago
i dont get this..
do you have little to do?XD
DonJonazz 3 years ago
This is soooooo cool.
elizestr 3 years ago
Rofl-Gator. Jokes. Amazing job on the machine-thingy. I could never build that!
darthcoasters 3 years ago
This lego creation CANNOT add, multiply or divide. It simple has panels that direct where the balls go. If it hits it on one side, it goes to another panel, and numbers are stuck to the panel. ***
darthcoasters 3 years ago
and what does a computer??? it dies the same with flipflops and electric current pulses. so it CAN add, multiply and divide.
sciencoking 3 years ago 4
graduate from grade 5 then post a comment plz....
Srlancelot39 3 years ago
Calm down. I watched this twice more and now I understand it. It is very complex.
And if you had an IQ above 50, you would realize that you can't 'Graduate" from Grade 5.
darthcoasters 3 years ago
..........what?
zc630 3 years ago
you may have irreparably hurt my brain, but thanks for this amazing video...
pjbaldes 3 years ago
so what your saying is that you can actually make an entire computer out of lego it would just be freakin massive???
Tonelock420 3 years ago
VERY freakin massive, and VERY slow, and somewhat error-prone... but yeah :)
brdavis5 3 years ago
Did anyone already did it?Or none has done it yet?
troy1002x 3 years ago
I've certainly not done it, and I doubt anyone else has as yet either. I'd like to add addressable memory and a small instruction set decoder, both doable, but it takes time to figure it out... and a LOT of LEGO.
brdavis5 3 years ago
There are better implementations called CPUs! :D Also they are no so loud.
AjaxService 3 years ago
Depends on your definition of "better". For instance, my version is a lot more fun to watch :). On a more (semi) practical level, the DCII actually uses *far* fewer gates to add, subtract, and multiple numbers than a conventional processor (that is built from AND/OR/NAND etc.). In terms of number of "digital" gates... DCII actually *is* better.
And entertains cats for hours on end. :)
brdavis5 3 years ago
wow, that pretty cool.
negusma2000 3 years ago
i dont know what u made but its cool.... also i cant understand anything u said..... but cool.... With all due respect your kind of a nerd
hojib6 3 years ago
It's kinda funny, I was watching another video just like this one (A Lego marble device that used switches to direct soccer balls) thinking how this system could be used in making a computer. Then I found your video, lol. Amazing job though!
gamer1682 3 years ago
The computer you typed this on is essentially a huge series of special switches, directing the flow of electrons (electricity) to different places. What I've done here, on a very VERY small scale, is some of the same things an electronic computer would do... but using falling LEGO balls instead of flowing currents of electrons.
But if it helps... just think of it as a big LEGO kinetic sculpture :)
brdavis5 3 years ago
Although I don't get what you're doing (I'm still too young to understand unless i'm a genius)
Oh, nice english too.
He maybe responsible for Legonator XD
SouthernRiprey 3 years ago
What does it do?
sgtrobot 3 years ago
This is essentially a mechanical calculator, that can perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, using binary numbers.
brdavis5 3 years ago
this is confusing and hurting my brain
Undertakerfan159 3 years ago 2
This thing is my new religion.
All hail the lego overmind!
guldwin 3 years ago
I wish i could understand what you are saying i know what binary is but i really don't understand the purpose or function of this device anyone want to explain this to me
2155955 3 years ago
well, you see, binary is ones and zeros that compose the basis for logic. in other words, yes and no. each bianary result is a bit. by combining bits, you get a byte, and so on. in this device, there are mode bits that tell it to multiply, divide, add, or subtract. then there are numeric bits. (i assume that on this it goes 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,and 9.) when a bit says "yes" then that is one of the result numbers. for example 10 in bianary is actually 2 in base ten.
naetoru99 3 years ago
Thank you i see now so when a bit says yes it will be part of the end result but what is base ten?
2155955 3 years ago
base ten is 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and nine. (normal numbering)
naetoru99 3 years ago
Heres another thing you could do. make a bianary tree. if i get the time ill show you a mechanism that could be used to make it. (u do know what a bianary tree is, right?)
naetoru99 3 years ago
I could make a binary tree, but that seems like a slightly easier design... and I'd rather improve on this, than move in that direction. But I would love to see you build one, and pop it up here on YT so others could run with the idea :)
brdavis5 3 years ago
Ummmm... What?
mznxbcvsam 3 years ago
Well, you can look at this in a couple of ways. #1, it's just a really big LEGO construction that makes an interesting piece of kinetic art, with balls shifting tracks and automatically cascading down... sort of fun to watch. In addition, it's actually functioning as a part of a computer, adding and manipulating numbers, that are represented by balls and switches... just like the numbers in the computer you are reading this on are represented by electrons. Same idea... but here you can see it :)
brdavis5 3 years ago
I'm sooo cunfused...
DrawingDude14 3 years ago
that...is...amazing... but how does it show the answer?
crusier10 3 years ago
The answer is the number in the Accumulator, down the right hand side of the machine. Each red switch or gate can be set to either the left or right: a gate to the right means that bit is a binary "1", while a gate set to the left means that bit is a binary "0". The number in the accumulator is just a series of binary bits, just like computers use to do math. Except here, you can see them. Read through some of the other comments as well, I've tried (a few times) to answer this.
brdavis5 3 years ago
Awesome Device! I've been interested in mechanical computation for some time. I'm interested in building one of these out of K'NEX, as I don't have enough legos. Can you point me to any sources that give an overview of how this machine works? The patent just doesn't seem like enough to work off of. Are there any posts from "friends of Digicomp" that were particularly helpful? Also if you have enough time on your hands you should consider an instructable.
Thanks!
jedi453 3 years ago
you made lego nerdier than it already is!!!!!!!!!!!!!
guiltyspark209 3 years ago
i feel so dumb.....i dont like legos anymore :'(
Fluffishy 3 years ago
Oh now i feel stupid..
mupet00000 3 years ago
all nerds including u should meet and call ourselvs the nerd army!...yes i am a nerd in training
codeanddwarf 3 years ago
lol, now wouldnt that be cool? a nerd army powered by full-auto zamor sphere robots! we could call ourselves the "New Nerdite Army." or something like that!
naetoru99 3 years ago
This is how early computers were made!
It is rather nerdy, but in it's successfulness this is great!
xilefian 3 years ago
Get a LIFE!
The people who say that should get a life
So u watch the whole thing and say get a life because your jealous? He does it for fun, or whatever. You should be thankful we have nerds on this planet!!
FieryBob 3 years ago
lol, i know how it works in theory and im 14. as for programming it... I'de uese Java or Robot C
naetoru99 3 years ago
heres an idea. make the first series of switchs operated by you. (but make them switchable after the first ball)then, on all other switchs, connect RCX rotation sensors to sense open or closed gates. have these sensors added to several nxts and use them on bluetooth comunicate with eachother. this way, useing bluetooth, you cuold replicate this several times. also, use a power box for a motor to return the balls to the top. so that it doesnt need to be reset. 8P
naetoru99 3 years ago
wow that was amazing and i thought i was smart with math
that is just freaky math stuff you should get a job in legos man that is so cool
and you should get a better hobby no offense
90567aceman 3 years ago
> you should get a job in legos...
Actually I have a perfectly good job that's much more rewarding... and I *do* sometimes help out The LEGO Group with their robotics etc.
> you should get a better hobby no offense
Hmm. Why on Earth would you think this is my only hobby? I mean, I'm not assuming that *your* only hobby is watching YT videos... I have plenty of other hobbies... and the most important part of a hobby is that you (not others) like it. Personal opinion.
brdavis5 3 years ago
>You should be very proud of yourself.
This is pretty awesome. I understand what's it's doing for the most part, but I'm gunna have to go through all the comments and read your explanations to really get it.
Employee24 3 years ago
u no every one that is callng this guy a "nerd" is retarded without "nerds" the computer your on right now wouldent be there so just shut up and stop calling people nerds
rustyjoxz540 3 years ago
Really fantastic work.
For all the people telling you to "get a life": If everyone "got a life" throughout history we'd still be in the stone age.
Thinking isn't a bad thing, really, I promise. :D
happybobo 3 years ago
Not only would we be in the stone age... but we wouldn't have communication tools like the internet (and YT) to complain about others not "getting a life". I the words of a nice little old lady Armstrong once spoke to... "why don't we just stay home ad watch TV like the good Lord intended" ;).
Thanks for the comment - and yes, I have to agree, thinking is a good thing. Even if others refuse to do it :)
brdavis5 3 years ago