Rube Goldberg Machine Contest

Teams of students arrive at the competition with a Rube Goldberg machine designed to accomplish the task of the year.

Scoring is based on reliability, task completion, most challenging transfers of energy, artistry, creativity, theme, teamwork, and the "Goldberg spirit" of humor.

If the machine malfunctions, team members are permitted to manually guide it to the next step; a penalty is assessed for each intervention.

The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest originated at Purdue University in 1949 as a competition between Theta Tau and Triangle fraternities, and it was held annually until 1956.

Past winners of the contest have made appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 contest was held virtually, and the challenge was to drop a bar of soap into a hand.

In 2022, the national contest director, Zach Umperovitch used his Rube Goldberg experience to break into the television world as the host for the Discovery series Crazy Contraptions.

The World Green Mech contest, based in Taiwan, invites high school winners of regional competitions to build the most creative, complex Rube Goldberg Machines possible.

[6] The Japanese educational television program PythagoraSwitch features Rube Goldberg machines during each episode.

In 2024, teams from 14 different countries and 22 USA states participated in the Live and Online Rube Goldberg Machines competitions.

The team made a video special for Newtons Apple show that year as well as a commercial for the United Way campaign.

Kathleen Sullivan and Harry Smith interviewed Jeff Cottingham on Good Morning America, promoting Purdue, Theta Tau, the School of Technology, and the hard work by all the team members.

It was won by a team from Ferris State University, located in Big Rapids, MI, with a toy factory themed machine.

Ms George also announced the task for the 2012 contest which will be to "Blow Up and Pop a Balloon" with the National Contest being held again at Purdue University in March 2012 The Purdue Society of Professional Engineers, set a new Guinness World Record for most steps in a Rube Goldberg Machine with 244 steps shattering the previous record of 230.

Washington University in St. Louis took the first place prize, as well as the award for Best Single Step with their machine titled Rube's Office.

Washington University in St. Louis took second place, as well as the prizes for People's Choice and Best Single Step with their machine themed "Going Green".