A build of the Chaos Machine at Nova Labs in preparation for Maker Faire.

We have a member who is a wonderful ambassador for making, bringing fun physics to kids with his Chaos Machine. It’s a component system with which structures can be built which provide paths for steel balls to travel. Think of it as a massive marble machine on creativity steroids. Building and using it  provides endless edutainment.

But where does the physics fit in? That comes in the successful construction of marble paths. If a ball falls and bounces on a trampoline then it must land back on a track if it’s to continue down its path. If a marble makes it to the bottom then to continue its journey it needs to make it back to the top. How? By traveling up a screw column? By riding a conveyor system? The beauty is that kids get to decide and then watch their decisions in action.

Craig has taken the Chaos Machine to many venues where sometimes he’s a featured attraction. Most recently he took the Chaos Machine to Maker Faire in North Carolina and the U.S. Science and Engineering Festival in D.C. On these excursions he encourages interest in science, generates goodwill, and obviously has lots of fun.

Check out the Chaos Machine in action at the link below.