Nestlé Japan has created a massive, 1,450-part coffee-mug-shaped contraption that plays Christmas songs as a wooden ball navigates its way through a series of 180 xylophone keys.
The 11-foot tall Rube Goldberg — that is, an overly complicated machine engineered for a simple task — is currently on display at the Nescafé Harajuku location in Shibuya, Tokyo, playing seasonal songs on demand. The installation is there to promote the company’s Bluetooth-enabled brewing device, as part of the Nescafé Goldblend Barista i Coffee Moment campaign.
To trigger a song, users must load the app related to the campaign, choose an emoticon that best reflects their mood, and when they press “brew,” a mood-reflective cartoon bird flutters up onto a digital display above the massive contraption. As the bird drops its cartoon ball, a large, actual wooden ball also drops to begin its musical journey.
In true Rube Goldbergian spirit, the machine took five months to build, according to Nestlé. Here it is in action:
Nick Brown
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. Feedback and story ideas are welcome. See the "About Us" page located at the bottom of this site for contact information.
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