Useless machine facts for kids
A useless machine is a device that does something, but it doesn't have a clear purpose. People create them for fun, as a clever engineering trick, or to make you think. If a device doesn't work at all, it's not a useless machine.
The most famous useless machines were designed by Marvin Minsky. Their only job is to turn themselves off. Some fancier useless machines and toys have been made based on these simple ideas.
Useless Machines You Can Buy
In the 1960s, a toy company called "Captain Co." sold a toy called "Monster Inside the Black Box." It was a simple black box. A mechanical hand would pop out and flip a switch, turning the box off. This toy might have been inspired by "Thing." "Thing" was a disembodied hand from the TV show The Addams Family. Other versions of these machines have been made. The purest ones do nothing but switch themselves off.
The "Little Black Box" Toy
It is said that Don Poynter first made and sold a toy called the "Little Black Box." This box simply switched itself off. He later added a feature where the hand would snatch a coin. He called this new invention "The Thing." He even worked with the creators of The Addams Family TV show. He also sold "Uncle Fester's Mystery Light Bulb" as another toy from the show.
Both the plain black box and the coin-snatching version were very popular. They were sold by Spencer Gifts in their stores and catalogs. This happened throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. As of 2015, a version of the coin-snatching black box is still sold. It is known as the "Black Box Money Trap Bank" or "Black Box Bank."
Making Your Own Useless Machine
Many people have made their own "useless machines." These are often called Do-it-yourself versions. Modern ones sometimes use small computers called microprocessors. These DIY machines have been shown in many online videos. They have also inspired more complex machines. Some can move around or use more than one switch. As of 2015, you can buy several useless machines. Some are already built, and some come as kits you can put together.
