Dec 10 2007Gömböc, The Self-Righting Piece Of Plastic
The Gömböc is “a mono-monostatic object, a three-dimensional thing that has only one way to stand up." No matter how you set it down it will wobble around until it comes to rest at its single point of stability. Pretty neat. Allegedly it's the world's first self-righting object with consistent density (Weebles don't count because of their weighted bottoms). You can get your hands on a plastic one like in the picture, but it'll run you a staggering $1,300 and change. More if you want one with a collectible serial number. I guess you're paying for all the R&D that went into the thing. However I'll sell you a signed 4 x 5" color glossy photo of myself for only $100. I too only have a single stable position – passed out on the Lay-Z-Boy with no shirt on, a hand down my pants, and a beer resting on my belly. Which is what the picture is of. I still have a bunch left over after sending out Christmas cards.
Note: If someone finds a good video of the thing in action that I can embed give me a holler, there's a couple video links off their website showing it, but they were lacking.
UPDATE: Video added after the jump (thanks Chaz). You can kind of see the thing rolling around on a table from a distance, but that's about it.
Gomboc: World's First Self-Righting Object [boingboing]
Reader Comments
1. TetterkeT - December 10, 2007 1:21 PM
Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down.
2. Chaz - December 10, 2007 1:43 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyI2DYl6aDw
Here is a distant shot of it rolling around on the table while some dudes speak a language i don't understand.
3. belinda - December 10, 2007 1:43 PM
i thought it was a mosquito stuck in amber.
4. creo - December 10, 2007 2:17 PM
That language is Hungarian. This is our next shot after rubik cube :). http://www.gomboc.eu
Unfortunatelly english language is not working :(.
5. Clint - December 10, 2007 3:51 PM
So what exactly is the significance for humans?
How does a Gomboc help human society and everything. I guess the big question is so what?
6. Bill - December 10, 2007 4:09 PM
I like the fact that the video of the presentation seems like some poorly planned highschool presentation where only a small group of pitying family members and friends decided to show up. You can even see the guy in the background just turn and starting reading the stuff on the wall. I'm sure that a small bit of the $1300 price will go towards the orange drink and cookies served after the presentation.
7. laughinglion - December 10, 2007 4:22 PM
Although the price tag is steep, this is a drastic improvement in the area of the concept of 'home'. Remember that awful LOGO program with the turtle? (forward 10, right 10) With this item, a robot could have a physical sense of home.
Through a thousand robots onto a floor, they right themselves without gyros and then begin domination (or cleaning, they could be cleaning).
8. Joe Mamma - December 10, 2007 6:03 PM
Wouldn't a "ball" count as the same thing? why do you have to have a wierd shape thingy
9. Yo Mamma - December 10, 2007 9:22 PM
No, a ball would not be the same thing, because a simple ball has an infinite amount of stable points really. It's actually quite the exact opposite of this thing sort of.
10. huckyducky - December 10, 2007 9:54 PM
I like how the camera pans over to show one of the Oak Ridge Boys.
11. guate6 - December 11, 2007 1:58 AM
I'm with #5...I mean yes, I'm a big supporter of ingenuity, creativity, Do-it-yourself-ers, and overall awesomeness...but seriously...why? Will they be making something large out of this that can help humanity? If it was being sold for a reasonable price (see: anything under $30), then I'd be supportive of this. But at this price, it's like they think they have found the cure to something elusive and are wanting to be compensated for it.
Oh and NO, it's not the world's first self-righting thing...C'mon now, don't ya'll remember the punch-me clowns? They had a similar concept, and if you have one with a weight on the bottom, even if you drop it upside down, it would still get back to position. Granted it was PVC (which is a type of plastic), but this idea isn't new...
I was at a country club one night (don't ask...) line dancin' and what not (or trying/learning to) and these girls were clearly celebrating a birthday party...they brought in a large (see: three foot long) blow-up penis with its own set of testicles...same concept, no matter how they left it (upside down, sideways, etc.) the thing would straighten itself to the same position every time...a good pun, I know (a blow-up penis that looks like it's erect), but, again, same concept...and those can be bought at places like spencers or other places I'm guessing.
Bottom line: not novel, and overpriced.
12. Brennan - December 11, 2007 2:53 AM
guate6: "Allegedly it's the world's first self-righting object with consistent density (Weebles don't count because of their weighted bottoms)."
Learn to read, maybe?
It doesn't seem so hard.. I think I'll make one from clay tomorrow.
13. creo - December 11, 2007 3:45 AM
For a starting point:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gomboc
14. CLICK HERE - December 11, 2007 5:48 AM
This is not somethin gnwe. I had something like that in my childhood...
15. guate6 - December 13, 2007 1:02 PM
#12. my apologies.
16. Ylorak - March 30, 2008 1:29 AM
A marine rescue craft could be designed following the same principal.
17. Ylorak - March 30, 2008 1:37 AM
A marine rescue craft could be designed following the same principal.
18. martin - April 5, 2008 11:43 AM
you foolish people just do not understand this invention. it could improve engineering materials, like things, that are not supposed to lie on on a specific site, like .....something will come to my mind, one day.
but yeah, i want to have one of these things, right here, on my desk, but that is awful expensive...maybe just another way to get someones money???
19. Z - January 29, 2009 7:40 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn811yIALPw
20. Bekka - December 16, 2009 12:48 AM
There's also some rather good shots of it in action in episode 8 of the 6th season of QI. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCAg5_vHFmI