Got Loose Change? 104 Pennies Help This Simple 3D-Printed Toy Walk

invent in 1981 by John W. Jameson , theWalking Gyrois a round-eyed toy that relies on a spinning flywheel and centrifugal personnel to take tiny , but firm , stride . Mattel patented the designing , but never really put it into production . And now that its patent has expired , there ’s afree 3-D - printable versionthat anyone can make themselves .

But do n’t worry if you do n’t have a perfectly balanced metal disk to use as a flywheel . Jeffrey Kerr ’s versionhas a plastic flywheel alternatively that you simply press down with 104 pennies . That heft , and the deception of motor forces , is what allow the tiny toy to lean from side to side and walk all by itself .

If you ’re golden enough to have access to a 3D printer , Kerr ’s posted meeting place educational activity for his creation over onInstructables . And the needed 3D models can be downloaded fromThingiverse . apprehend through your change bowl for weights , though ? That ’s all up to you . [ InstructablesviaThingiverseviaMake ]