May 2, 2012
Rube Goldberg Machine in a Suitcase
As the sun regrettably sets on the art of letter writing, the inventive folks at design studio HEYHEYHEY have pieced together a clever contraption that promises to keep the art of travel postcards a thing of the present. Kind of. Melvin the Traveling Mini Machine is an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine that fits in a pair of suitcases that executes the simple task of “writing” and stamping a postcard of your choice, that is, if the absurdly elaborate sequence of steps goes off without a hitch. Whether or not these suitcases will make it through TSA remains to be seen. The piece is a sequel to a much larger device from early last year by a similar name, Melvin the Magical Mixed Media Machine.