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versions of the useless machine (often modernized with microprocessor controls) have been featured in a number of web videos and inspired more complex machines that are able to move or which use more than one switch. As of 2015, there are several completed or kit form devices being offered for sale.
92:(basically a box with a simple switch which, when turned "on", causes a hand or lever to appear from inside the box that switches the machine "off" before disappearing inside the box again) appears to have been invented by
174:, first produced and sold the "Little Black Box", which simply switched itself off. He then added the coin snatching feature, dubbed his invention "The Thing", arranged licensing with the producers of the television show,
209:, and appeared in its mail-order catalogs through the 1960s and early 1970s. As of 2015, a version of the coin snatching black box is being sold as the "Black Box Money Trap Bank" or "Black Box Bank".
77:
and did not share the first generation's boundless enthusiasm for technology but sought to counter the threats of a world under machine rule by building machines that were artistic and unproductive.
46:'s design, in which the device's sole function is to switch itself off by operating its own "off" switch. Such machines were popularized commercially in the 1960s, sold as an amusing engineering
127:
saw it. Clarke later wrote, "There is something unspeakably sinister about a machine that does nothing—absolutely nothing—except switch itself off", and he was fascinated by the concept.
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108:
in 1952. Minsky dubbed his invention the "ultimate machine", but that sense of the term did not catch on. The device has also been called the "Leave Me Alone Box".
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In the 1960s, a novelty toy maker called "Captain Co." sold a "Monster Inside the Black Box", featuring a mechanical hand that emerged from a featureless plastic
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163:. Other versions have been produced. In their conceptually purest form, these machines do nothing except switch themselves off.
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119:(who later also became an MIT professor), made his own versions of the machine. He kept one on his desk, where
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is a device whose only function is to turn itself off. The best-known useless machines are those inspired by
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701:"'Fargo' Review: Carrie Coon Heads to La La Land in Bananas Episode That Upends Expectations For Year 3"
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were to change, a theoretical possibility that is not expected to occur in the foreseeable future.
57:, which have an obvious entertainment function, have been based on these simple useless machines.
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This article is about the device that switches itself off. For the mechanical cranked device, see
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678:(in English and German). Nürnberg: Verlag für moderne Kunst. pp. 30–31.
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549:"The Disneyfication of Dr Seuss: faithful to profit, one hundred percent?"
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245:, "The Law of Non-Contradiction", features a useless machine (and, in a
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Minsky also invented a "gravity machine" that would ring a bell if the
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150:, turning itself off. This version may have been inspired in part by "
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178:, and later sold "Uncle Fester's Mystery Light Bulb" as another show
348:"Looking for Something Useful to Do With Your Time? Don't Try This"
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Both the plain black box and the bank version were widely sold by
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In 2009, the artist David Moises exhibited his reconstruction of
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439:"Alum Don Poynter gains novelty reputation on campus and off"
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The version of the useless machine that became famous in
324:""The Ultimate Machine nach Claude E. Shannon" (video)"
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It is claimed that Don
Poynter, who graduated from the
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498:. Liberty Library Corporation. 2012. Archived from
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A modern "useless machine" about to turn itself off
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A device which has a function but no direct purpose
650:"[search results: "useless machine kit"]"
249:, an android named MNSKY after Marvin Minsky).
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182:. Robert J. Whiteman, owner and president of
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73:) in the 1930s. He was a "third generation"
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559:(5). Taylor and Francis, Ltd.: 579–614.
154:", the disembodied hand featured in the
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226:The Ultimate Machine aka Shannon's Hand
674:Krausse, Joachim; et al. (2011).
309:"official website, "Useless Machines""
104:, while he was a graduate student at
7:
322:Moises, David (15 September 2015).
307:Munari, Bruno (15 September 2015).
69:began building "useless machines" (
629:"Useless Machine Advanced Edition"
14:
604:. LeaveMeAloneBox. Archived from
521:Whitehill, Bruce (21 July 2011).
381:. LeaveMeAloneBox. Archived from
1227:Products introduced in the 1950s
718:Grubbs, Jefferson (3 May 2017).
346:Pesta, Abigail (12 March 2013).
53:More elaborate devices and some
496:Liberty: The Stories Never Die!
111:Minsky's mentor at Bell Labs,
1:
728:Features an Pulp Sci-Fi Hit"
926:Internal combustion engines
903:External combustion engines
699:Travers, Ben (3 May 2017).
565:10.1080/0950238032000126847
437:Reiselman, Deborah (2012).
184:Liberty Library Corporation
1243:
445:. University of Cincinnati
18:
780:Classical simple machines
676:David Moises: Stuff Works
168:University of Cincinnati
1165:Check weighing machines
598:"What Others Have Done"
98:artificial intelligence
247:story within the story
172:Poynter Products, Inc.
132:gravitational constant
85:
84:A wooden "useless box"
31:
1150:Seed-counting machine
289:Trammel of Archimedes
279:Rube Goldberg machine
83:
29:
949:Nutating disc engine
939:Reciprocating engine
547:Nel, Philip (2003).
170:in 1949 and founded
627:Fiessler, Andreas.
527:The Big Game Hunter
352:Wall Street Journal
220:Cultural references
194:("Dr. Seuss") over
188:landmark litigation
138:Commercial products
65:The Italian artist
972:Peaucellier-Lipkin
602:Leave Me Alone Box
596:Seedman, Michael.
466:"Little Black Box"
415:on 29 January 2013
405:"Little Black Box"
379:Leave Me Alone Box
373:Seedman, Michael.
198:issues related to
113:information theory
90:information theory
86:
32:
21:do nothing machine
1194:
1193:
1170:Riveting machines
868:Archimedes' screw
685:978-3-86984-229-5
608:on 30 August 2013
231:Episode 3 of the
176:The Addams Family
160:The Addams Family
156:television sitcom
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873:Eductor-jet pump
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553:Cultural Studies
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264:Discard Protocol
125:Arthur C. Clarke
71:macchine inutili
50:, or as a joke.
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409:Grand Illusions
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274:Overengineering
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180:spinoff product
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36:useless machine
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722:The Planet Wyh
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472:. Sam Cancilla
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213:Do-it-yourself
192:Theodor Geisel
146:and flipped a
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117:Claude Shannon
96:professor and
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1128:Miscellaneous
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724:a Real Book?
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259:Arthur Ganson
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207:Spencer Gifts
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190:initiated by
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148:toggle switch
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102:Marvin Minsky
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44:Marvin Minsky
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1145:Agricultural
1000:Quasiturbine
911:Steam engine
846:Quartz clock
831:Atomic clock
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675:
669:
658:. Retrieved
656:. Amazon.com
653:
644:
632:. Retrieved
622:
610:. Retrieved
606:the original
601:
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530:. Retrieved
526:
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504:. Retrieved
500:the original
495:
486:
474:. Retrieved
470:Sam's Toybox
469:
459:
447:. Retrieved
442:
417:. Retrieved
413:the original
408:
399:
387:. Retrieved
383:the original
378:
375:"(Homepage)"
368:
356:. Retrieved
351:
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240:
233:third season
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67:Bruno Munari
64:
55:novelty toys
52:
39:
35:
33:
1207:Office toys
1160:Wind tunnel
1076:Vacuum tube
1068:Electronics
990:Gas turbine
934:Gas turbine
893:Vacuum pump
856:Compressors
836:Chronometer
443:UC Magazine
354:. p. 1
284:Theo Jansen
40:useless box
1201:Categories
1119:Automobile
1081:Transistor
995:Jet engine
967:Pantograph
660:2015-03-11
634:20 October
523:"Bettye-B"
295:References
1096:Capacitor
1058:Propeller
705:Indiewire
583:144293531
200:figurines
196:copyright
144:black box
106:Bell Labs
1212:Machines
1111:Vehicles
1101:Inductor
1091:Resistor
1030:Aerofoil
1020:Windmill
959:Linkages
772:Machines
612:14 March
532:14 March
506:14 March
476:15 March
449:15 March
419:14 March
389:14 March
253:See also
115:pioneer
100:pioneer
75:Futurist
1179:Springs
982:Turbine
492:"About"
358:17 July
235:of the
123:author
61:History
1048:Rudder
888:Trompe
823:Clocks
798:Pulley
732:Bustle
682:
654:Amazon
581:
571:
1140:Robot
1135:Mecha
1086:Diode
860:pumps
808:Wedge
803:Screw
793:Lever
726:Fargo
579:S2CID
242:Fargo
239:show
152:Thing
1053:Flap
1043:Wing
1038:Sail
883:Pump
858:and
720:"Is
680:ISBN
636:2015
614:2013
569:ISBN
534:2013
508:2013
478:2013
451:2013
421:2013
391:2013
360:2017
48:hack
561:doi
202:.)
94:MIT
38:or
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429:^
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332:^
237:FX
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
