MachinePix Weekly #43

This week's most popular post was a Disney robot. Next week's interview: the CEO of Vestaboard and the challenges of recreating the split-flap display.

Next week’s interview guest is Dorrian Porter, the CEO of Vestaboard and Chairman of the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco.

Vestaboard is a modern version of the deliciously analog split-flap displays you may have seen in train stations and airports. We’ll explore the history and challenges of designing split-flap displays.

The most popular post this week was a Baby Groot robot by Disney Research. Disney’s Imagineers have a ton of incredible work in robotics.

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Baby Groot robot by Disney Research, designed to be a free-roaming character around Disney theme parks.

I’m always looking for interesting people to interview, have anyone in mind?

—Kane

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The Week in Review

I’m not sure what I expected a tulip planter to look like but it wasn’t this.

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Tulip planter by Holland Transplanter Company.

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Butter and paper are devilishly tricky materials to handle, and this machine does both.

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JSC FASA butter filling and wrapping machine.

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I never get tired of watching IFRs. Previously I posted a terrifying incident saved by a pilot’s quick reflexes, and a flight instructor silently judging a student pilot that just wasn’t getting it.

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Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet in-flight refueling from a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.

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Metal foundry vehicles are something else.

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A front end loader with tire chains working at a steelworks, via Kepçeci Mühendis ("Bucket Engineer").

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Postscript

Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, who inspired my love for machines and engineering.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it to friends (and interesting enemies). I am always looking to connect with interesting people and learn about interesting machines—reach out.

—Kane