[1st of April] Electrivac I Technic Calculator

[2GodBDGlory]

So, as you may know, I’ve built a couple mechanical calculators before, my Technivac I and Technivac II. I’m pleased to have completed those, but I recently came up with an idea that should make even state-of-the-art mechanical calculators like those look obsolete: namely, electrical calculators!!! Electronics would allow me to make the calculator far more compact, give me far superior reliability, and even allow me to add the elusive (though arguably irrelevant) multiplication and division operators. Naturally, I jumped into the powerful and innovative Lego Powered UP app as the obvious choice to attempt such a calculator. I had a few difficulties along the way, but no great breakthrough is without them. And a breakthrough it was! After only a few hours of labor, I had successfully created a completely electrical calculator controlled from my phone, which didn’t even require a single Lego brick (they’re overpriced anyways). Beyond that, as projected, the reliability was flawless, allowing me to add, subtract, multiply, and divide single-digit numbers with ease.

 I think this idea has enormous implications for the world that go far beyond being a simple Lego MOC! People everywhere will be able to trade in their mechanical calculators for a simple, pocket-sized device, freeing up valuable space in their houses that can now be filled with Furbys, or whatever the latest fad is these days! Beyond that, there will no longer be glaring mistakes in complex calculations, which should allow engineers to build bridges that will last longer than a week. My patent is still pending, but before I reveal this breakthrough to the public, I wanted to make it available to the community here on Eurobricks, free of charge! All you have to do to add this digital revolution to your pocket is download the Powered UP app (if you don’t already have it) and then copy the code blocks and widgets from the images provided here. Enjoy!

Here’s a video, where you can see this marvel in action:

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by 2GodBDGlory

[Jurss]

Interesting - digital and real technical world combination.

[GerritvdG]

 need some time to see the whole video, but the idea is very funny! 

[technicfanatic]

Marvelous! I especially like the innovation that allows us to skip LEGO bricks altogether and transcend from the physical to the virtual plane of existence. Could you post videos of Technivac I and Technivac II please? My web searches only turned up photos of vacuum cleaners and now Amazon refuses to show me any product except Hoovers.

[JGW3000]

Can you automate a slide rule next?

[BrickBuildingFox]

Great idea and even better story-telling ... and the division by zero is just to fascinating

If we only had more space for the user-interface, then one could use multiple dials to introduce multiple digit numbers into the next version.

[2GodBDGlory]

17 hours ago, technicfanatic said:

Marvelous! I especially like the innovation that allows us to skip LEGO bricks altogether and transcend from the physical to the virtual plane of existence. Could you post videos of Technivac I and Technivac II please? My web searches only turned up photos of vacuum cleaners and now Amazon refuses to show me any product except Hoovers.

Thank you! I agree that the ability to build this MOC without physical bricks at all is its key feature. Here are my previous two mechanical calculators, should one have archaic preferences in calculation technology:

Spoiler

 

14 hours ago, JGW3000 said:

Can you automate a slide rule next?

I'd have to learn how one of those works first...

3 hours ago, BrickBuildingFox said:

Great idea and even better story-telling ... and the division by zero is just to fascinating

If we only had more space for the user-interface, then one could use multiple dials to introduce multiple digit numbers into the next version.

Thanks! If I had a tablet I could definitely make use of a larger user interface, but alas my phone is too small. It's also annoying how the only dials available take up a 2x2 space on the screen. A 1x1 one would be really handy!

--------------------------

So, in case I didn't make the tongue-in-cheek nature of this post clear enough, this was my idea of an April Fools joke--A MOC that isn't really Lego in any meaningful way.

In case you're wondering, I have actually been working on a third take on my Mechanical Calculator, and finished it a few days ago. It's still not as precise as I'd like, but I think it's nonetheless my best one yet. Once I get some more free time, I'll get around to posting it on here, so stay tuned for that.

[Jurss]

1 hour ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

this was my idea of an April Fools joke

It is too good to be true, to be april folls joke, in fact. Could be pretty possible to make it. 

[2GodBDGlory]

1 hour ago, Jurss said:

It is too good to be true, to be april folls joke, in fact. Could be pretty possible to make it. 

Well, in a way yes. I did actually make what I said I made; the joke was more in why someone wouldmake it.