Rolling ball sculptures
Also see Rolling Ball Sim
I now have Kace working/started. It would be a good point to start going between physical and digital models. I could make some good prototypes with cardboard, and possibly the popsicle sticks from a craft store. I should be able to get some models built marble size, later I can scale them down to BB size.
Architecture
Clock
In a Clock architecture the marble represents the data and a clock signal is either propagated with a marble or mechanically. I like propagating with a marble because then there is always a marble available for output.
Track
In a track architecture, the track that the marble takes represents the computation.
Bin Computer
Need to find the right, only has 3 instructions. The models allows for registers of unlimited size, but that would not be possible. Instead I think the bins can be constructed of clear tube. The add would work like subtract that there would be an overflow condition. There are a few useful operations that could be easily added like empty a bin.
I also think the bins could be arranged in banks and I could have one reader and one writer in each bank. With operations to increment, decrement or reset either.