Behold the Pactuator: A Clockwork Pac-Man

[Greg Tito]

Behold the Pactuator: A Clockwork Pac-Man

DIY engineer Jonathan Guberman has done it again with a Pac-Man sculpture that chomps by turning a hand-crank.

We last saw Guberman's handiwork with a typewriter-computer hybrid that allowed you to play Zork [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104904-Play-Zork-on-a-Real-Typewriter], the classic text adventure from Infocom, by typing on a real typewriter, with the responses printed onto the paper. Not content to rest on his laurels, or his screwdriver, Guberman has whipped up something that he calls the Pactuator. Turning a bronze crank on the intricately carved frame makes the cogs and gears go round and powers the yellow Pac-Man's mouth to open and close. The elegance of the design, not to mention the authentic sound effects in the video, are really impressive.

[vimeo=19733412]

The Pactuator is actually a prototype for a much more extensive project. "I'm working on a playable, mechanical Pac-Man cabinet, which I'm calling 'Pac Machina,'" Guberman wrote on his blog, Up, Not North [http://upnotnorth.net/2011/02/09/a-clockwork-pac-man-introducing-pac-machina-and-the-pactuator/]. "My dream, if I can pull it off, is to auction the finished product to raise money for Child's Play."

If the Pactuator is any indication, Pac Machina is going to be pretty dang sweet. I'll be following Guberman's progress with equal parts glee and anticipation.

Also, what self-respecting gamer wouldn't want the Pactuator on his wall. If Guberman is looking for funding to complete his project, he could come up with a worse business model than putting Pactuators up on Etsy.

Step one: Make clockwork Pac-Man.
Step Two: ????
Step Three: Profit!

​

Source: Up not North [http://upnotnorth.net/]

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[Darth IB]

From the headline I was expecting a pacman - clockwork orange crossover.
This is not quite as awesome, but rather cool still I guess.

 

[scw55]

It looks cool, but I can't help but notice that you can't continuously wind the handle. It sort of breaks up the flow of movement.

 

[Mumonk]

Sounds cool, I don't see myself buying one =P but I would love to see it.

 

[Daemascus]

If he makes a playable verson make sure you keep you fingers away from Pacman...

 

[0986875533423]

It looks cool, but I can't help but notice that you can't continuously wind the handle. It sort of breaks up the flow of movement.

Look closer. He's breaking up the movement to change his angle of grip on the handle. I think the problem is that the handle is too small to wind properly.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I love this guy. Clockwork Pac-Man, automatic Zork typewriter, and "Up not North". Fantastic! I sure can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

 

[TRR]

From the headline I was expecting a pacman - clockwork orange crossover.
This is not quite as awesome, but rather cool still I guess.

See that's exactly what I thought.

Yes I guess it is kind of cool.

 

[darthricardo]

It looks cool, but I can't help but notice that you can't continuously wind the handle. It sort of breaks up the flow of movement.

Look closer. He's breaking up the movement to change his angle of grip on the handle. I think the problem is that the handle is too small to wind properly.

Actually, it doesn't seem to be a proper crank. He just has a stick of metal by the looks of it, and if you really wanted it to work properly, you'd need it to have a rotating head, like a bike pedal. Still cool though.

 

[0986875533423]

It looks cool, but I can't help but notice that you can't continuously wind the handle. It sort of breaks up the flow of movement.

Look closer. He's breaking up the movement to change his angle of grip on the handle. I think the problem is that the handle is too small to wind properly.

Actually, it doesn't seem to be a proper crank. He just has a stick of metal by the looks of it, and if you really wanted it to work properly, you'd need it to have a rotating head, like a bike pedal. Still cool though.

Well at this size the lack of friction could act as a substitute for a rotating head.

 

[Ultima Shadow]

Watching this video has made me realise that a clock in this style, complete with a moving Pacman, would sell MILLIONS.

 

[Bloodstain]

I want a clock that looks like this. You know, with gear-y Pac-Man moving on his own.

Edit: Damn ninjas.