Maker faire: The Disgusting Spectacle – Giant human hamster wheel & nose picking machine

Here’s a fun interactive toy in the Rube Goldberg style. The “coin” is a 10′ human hamster wheel. Participants walk on the wheel. This turns a pulley which turns a large disc from an electrical spool which lifts a see-saw lever which lifts an “arm” which twists a finger into the nose of a 12 foot face suspended on a 23 foot tower. Of course, we hide the mechanism behind a sign just to irritate everyone…fun. Inspired by Tim Hunkin’s 1979 coin-op nose-picking machine, made bigger and grosser. It’s huge. It has nostrils. A finger goes in. Boogers come out. Eeeeew!

The Maker Faire is May 19 & 20 at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. Get your tickets in advance now, avoid the lines and save a few bucks.