This video shows nine different coin-flipping machines designed and built by Nitipak Samsen of the Design Interactions program at the Royal College of Art. His aim is to build a machine that can predictably flip a coin to land either heads up or tails up.
It’s not easy to control the fate of a flipped coin. Samsen has identified 31 factors that influence the outcome, but believes it is possible to nail them down.
I’m impressed by the wide variety of prototypes he built, as well as his stick-to-it-iveness.
8 thoughts on “Nitipak Samsen’s coin-flipping machines”
Comments are closed.
“stick-to-it-iveness” – surely you mean tenacity
“”stick-to-it-iveness” – surely you mean tenacity”
This is MAKE – he just ‘made’ a word. What’s wrong with that?
Personally I think that stick-to-it-iveness sounds so much better.
I can control the flip of a coin, I’m 99% accurate at controling how it lands, and I don’t need a machine =D
I’m actually more impressed with the various ingenious methods used to actuate the flip than with the success or desired outcome. Nice mechanical design coupled with creative use of available materials. Proper engineering, right there.