Self-righting object - the Gomboc

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/magazine/09selfrighting.html?ex=1354856400&en=309ba9d0cc044d12&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

by mhb • 19 years ago

30 14 19 years ago

nytimes.com

iamwil• 19 years ago

homepage: http://www.gomboc.eu/gomboc_english.html paper: http://www.szt.bme.hu/Munkatrs/domokos/cikk_archiv/100/final...

pg3• 19 years ago

http://www.everyoneforever.com/images_fullsize/165-585.jpg

rontr• 19 years ago

Ugh. I tried to order one but couldn't get past the 'enter desired serial number' page due to a Javascript bug.

I hope it doesn't take another 2 years of research to find the forumula for a correct implementation of a Javascript event handler.

soundsop• 19 years ago

After sampling a few serial numbers, the cheapest ones cost 1000 euros. Serial #2 is a mere 100,900 euros.

tocomment• 19 years ago

Why are they so expensive?

pg3• 19 years ago

The site says there are an infinite number of shapes with these properties. Anyone know if there are any that look dramatically different from theirs?

ivankirigin2• 19 years ago

quantify different and I'm sure they can find it

DaniFong• 19 years ago

How about scaling each shape to the unit volume, and then rotating to maximize the overlap. What's not overlapping is the shape delta.

pg3• 19 years ago

With a different number of surfaces, for example?

streblo• 19 years ago

only a matter of time before you can just CAD your own.

dreish• 19 years ago

And this is different from a Weeble how, exactly? I'm going to guess it's of uniform density, unlike a Weeble, but the article completely misses that point. Maybe the author was never a child?

brlewis• 19 years ago

"It doesn't have a hidden counterweight inside that helps it perform this trick"

Self-righting object - the Gomboc

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