Purpose:

In the spirit of joyous and whimsical inefficiency epitomized by the works of Rube Goldberg, this is your opportunity to express your engineering creativity! Demonstrate one of the zaniest machines possible! Each participant -- in the spirit of Rube Goldberg -- to assemble a hamburger consisting of no less than: one precooked meat patty, two vegetables and two condiments, sandwiched between two bun halves.

Named after, and inspired by the cartoonist Reuben Lucius Goldberg, the contest is designed to pull students away from their matter-of-fact way of looking at a problem and send intuitive thought spinning into a chaos of imagination. The end result is usually a collection of bits and pieces of found objects and mechanical parts put together in a whimsical and unlikely working configuration to build a new machine that actually conquers the current year's challenge.

Rube Goldberg drew his "inventions" as contraptions which satirized new technology and gadgets. His drawings, using simple machines and household items already in use, were incredibly complex and wacky, but somehow (perhaps it was because Rube was a graduate engineer) the "inventions" always had an ingenious, logical progression at their root.

Location: 207 RGAN

Set up any time after 9am. Judging is at 11:30am.

Register in Advance: By emailing alumni@engr.uky.edu. Send your name, address, phone, email, name of your school and grade year in school

Rules:

1. The machine must have a minimum of twenty (20) steps. There is no maximum number of steps.
2. The machine must run for no more than two (2) minutes per run.
3. The machine will have a maximum twenty (20) minute reset time.
4. No corporate logos or names may be displayed on the machines unless provided by RGI.
5. No live animals may be used in the machine.
6. The machine must not imply profane, indecent or lewd expressions.
7. Any loose or flying objects must remain within the set boundaries of the machine. This includes, but is not limited to, drops of water, slivers of balloon, and other “small” objects. Steam and other gasses are exempt from this rule.
8. The machine may utilize one (1) air compressor hose and one (1) power cord. No other cords may be run to or from the machine. (Host site determines availability)
9. No flames may be used on the machine.
10. No hazardous materials or explosives can be used on the machine.
11. The machine must be safe to the satisfaction of the RGMC officials. The contest Chairman must approve any questionable items prior to competition.
12. Any destructive action against another machine is grounds for disqualification.

Prizes:

• First Place :
• TBA


• Second place:
• TBA

Contact Information:

• Lisa Atkinson
• Email: alumni@engr.uky.edu
• Phone: (859) 257-1622