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Binary marble adding machine

44 pointsby Ivoahover 8 years ago

2 comments

em3rgent0rdrover 8 years ago
This is great for convincing the average joe how computers are able to do math with ones &amp; zeroes, because this is a remarkably simple design and is visual.<p>I think clearly displaying the value of the internal state would be useful. One way would be to hide the numeral for power of 2 behind the top right of each rocker when unset, such that when each rocker gets set, that numeral would be exposed. Then wouldn&#x27;t need to have the reveal slider.<p>Oh, and could even include a simple Digital-to-Analog converter to display the binary number. If each power of two column could control some measurable entity, then could add up each power of two of that entity. For instance, could control a mass equal to its power of two, and then have a simple mechanical scale add up the weights.
desdivover 8 years ago
Related discussion from earlier today, in case you missed it: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=13008408" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=13008408</a>