Cardboard Automata
Cardboard Automata https://www.exploratorium.edu/tinkering/projects/cardboard-automata Days: 2 Mode: Individual Take-home: Mechanical automaton
Teaching & key ideas
Key concepts: Cam, cam follower, axle, rotary-to-reciprocating motion.
Hook: Turn different cam shapes and watch follower motion change.
Test / evidence: Crank makes figure move reliably for 10 turns without jamming.
Variables to change: Cam shape/eccentricity; follower location; crank length.
Lesson flow
Lesson plan:
Day 1: mechanism
Day 2: character + refine
Video:
Cardboard Automata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4sOkFeQyvM
Safety / cleanup:
Safety glasses around skewers/wire; supervised hot glue.