Just to set the scene, as I mentioned in my Heath Robinson Rube Goldberg Computer paper, “British cartoonist and illustrator William Heath Robinson (1872-1944) and his American counterpart Reuben Lucius Goldberg (1883-1970) were both famous for creating illustrations of machines that were intended to perform relatively simple tasks, but whose implementations were incredibly complex such that they performed their tasks in exceedingly convoluted and indirect ways.”

The reason I mention this here is that I just received an email from my old chum Aubrey Kagan. This started with him saying, “Hi Max, almost a year ago, you penned a Cool Beans Blog titled Ask Not for Whom the Ball Rolls.” Aubrey is correct. I did indeed write that blog, and it was a darned good one, too! It boasts a collection of videos showcasing Heath Robinson/Rube Goldberg-esque gravitram sculptures featuring marbles racing around mind-boggling tracks.

Just to make sure that we’re all tap-dancing to the same skirl of the bagpipes, a Gravitram is a kinetic sculpture, often resembling a large, intricate maze or track, where balls travel through various paths and obstacles, powered by gravity.

The term "Gravitram" is a portmanteau of the words "gravity" and "tram." Gravity refers to the force that causes objects to fall downward, while “tram” is derived from the word “tramway,” which refers to a track or path used for vehicles (in this case, the balls or marbles). It's often used to describe a system of transport that moves along rails or tracks, similar to a roller coaster or a small, mechanical transport system. But we digress…

Aubrey went on to say, “In the comments to your blog, I mentioned that I was working on a gravitram clock to pass the time during my retirement hours.” I've reached the stage where you can see it working, and it’s fun to watch. The clock consists of transparent tubing bent into shape and supported by bits and pieces I cut on the laser cutter or 3D printed using the facilities at the maker lab to which I belong. The time is shown by balls presented in four tubes, the number of balls corresponding to the digit. I am sure you can figure it out from my YouTube video.”

Aubrey continued to say, “I originally wanted much longer ball runs, but I was limited by the reach of my robot arm, and the whole arrangement is more cramped than I would have liked. I haven’t installed the Arduino clock part yet, so—just to get everything working—the time is initially set to 9:50. I will add a real-time clock as the next step. After powering up, it takes quite some time for the initial setup of the balls, so the displayed time is set to 9:57, and then the system waits several minutes for the internal clock to catch up and start updating every minute.”

O-M-Goodness gracious me! This has reminded me how much I want to build a Gravitram myself. When I first contemplated such a project, I’d envisaged using a traditional mechanism to hoist the balls from the bottom to the top (e.g., an elevator or lift system). Such an apparatus usually involves one of the following:

Chain Lift: A chain is looped over pulleys, and the balls are attached to the chain via hooks or holders. As the chain moves, it lifts the balls to the top of the track.

Screw Lift: A rotating screw or auger moves the balls upward. The screw turns as the system operates, pushing the balls up through a vertical track.

Wheel and Bucket Lift: A wheel or set of wheels, often powered by gears or motors, lifts small buckets or containers that hold the balls, bringing them up to the starting point of the Gravitram.

Belt Lift: A moving belt or conveyor system can carry the balls from the bottom to the top, similar to how luggage conveyors work in airports.

Now that I’ve seen Aubrey’s cunning creation, however, it’s become obvious to me that a robotic resolution is required. But what sort of robotic solution are we talking about? As Aubrey said, he originally wanted much longer ball runs, but the reach of his robot arm placed a limit on what he could accommodate.

And then I thought about TASKBOTs from REVOBOTS. These 3D-printed, AI-powered bodacious beauties can be equipped with 360° 3D Lidar, IR, and/or camera sensor options. The main chassis can raise and lower, allowing the arms to pick things up off the floor and reach up to deposit things 8 to 9 feet in the air.

A TASKBOT’s end-effectors are extremely dexterous and its arms can handle a 150-pound (70 kg) payload, so it would laugh at handling a few marbles (well, it would laugh if it could laugh).

If you want to learn more about TASKBOTs, REVOBOTS’ Official North American Debut is set for April 17th at the AI Venture Network Showcase in Phoenix, Arizona. This event is FREE to attend.

The last time I was in Phoenix in the heart of the summer, a friend took me off-road driving out in the desert. We also hiked a bit. As soon as we sat down on a rock to eat our sandwiches… it started to rain, but again, we digress.

I wish I lived close to Phoenix so I could attend the REVOBOTS debut. If you manage to make it there yourself, then it would be great if you could post some pictures in the comments below.