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Physics Students Build Drivable Couch

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the cookie-wierdness-that-makes-college-fun dept.

Radish03 writes "Some of my fellow members of The Society of Physics Students at Purdue University have, in an effort to preserve our beloved, antique couch, motorized it. The blue vinyl couch, named Mojo, was spotted driving around the Purdue campus on Thursday. Mojo, which has been extensively reupholstered with duct tape, features headlights, a glove box, and a radio and sound system will be added soon. Mojo has recently received sponsorship from Duck Tape and after appearing in several local newspapers, is in on the road to New York and set to appear Monday morning on Good Morning America. There are also a few pictures and videos of the couch in action."

13 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. Well, what else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are physics students going to do with a couch? Make-out? Have sex? Hahahaha!

    1. Re:Well, what else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      And sadly, you were a tenured professor.

  2. Arg by GigsVT · · Score: 4, Funny

    They need a sponsorship from Kodak to get a competant photographer.

    Those pictures look like they were taken by a drunk 5 year old.

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    1. Re:Arg by Radish03 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Yes, I apologize for the bad pictures, our webmaster is away with the couch so I couldn't get new ones on the club page, but here is a page of newer, much better quality pictures.

  3. so. fucking. old. by RomulusNR · · Score: 3, Informative

    like how many motorized couches have there been in geek history?
    burning man
    mit
    alabama-huntsville

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    Terrorists can attack freedom, but only Congress can destroy it.
  4. huh? by MustardMan · · Score: 4, Funny

    As someone who was once a physics student... how the hell do physics undergrads have the time for this stuff? If you have time to do things that are fun, your physics program isn't hard enough ;)

    1. Re:huh? by Jazzer_Techie · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As a physics major at MIT, I think I'm qualified to comment on this one. Technically, you probably don't have the time to do this kind of thing. However, by sacrificing sleep and working diligently, you make time for crazy projects. If you don't take time to have at least one fun, non-academic project/activity you will go crazy. It's well worth the time for self-preservation alone.

  5. Sorry to Troll by XBL · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This has been done before, as a previous post links. NOT an original idea. Also, I'd be more impressed if this thing was electric. Driving around with a 2-cycle lawnmower engine doesn't sound very... high tech or comfortable. Whatever... hope they enjoy their geeky short-term fame which is not deserved.

    1. Re:Sorry to Troll by mughi · · Score: 4, Insightful
      This has been done before, as a previous post links. NOT an original idea.

      True. But there is one that one bit that makes this somewhat more geek-worthy. They actually got sponsorship from the Duck tape people themselves. Not bad for a little week's hack.

  6. Must be the tractor transmission... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    The couch travels at about walking speed and can carry three people in the front and pull three more with a small trailer on the back.


    Awesome work, guys: I can't even get my lawnmower to cut grass.
    1. Re:Must be the tractor transmission... by Thatmushroom · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Yeah, it is the tractor transmission. Although it hasn't been tested yet, we pretty sure that we will be able to tow our trebuchet with the couch, albeit very slowly.

      Note: This is not a small trebuchet by any means, the counterweight is 750 lbs. and I would guess that the frame moves it close to a half-ton.

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  7. Call us back when.... by Dachannien · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'd be impressed if they managed to get the thing to be street legal and then got license plates for it.

    Police Officer: "Dispatch, I need you to run a plate for me."
    Dispatch: "Go ahead."
    Police Officer: "Adam Charlie Robert, Six Three Three Zero. It's a blue 1983 Barca."
    Dispatch: "Reported stolen 27 January '06."
    Police Officer: "I'm in pursuit. Send me some backup."

    Moments later....

    Police Officer: "TC! TC! 10-52! Oh, the humanity!!"

  8. the beuty is in the eyes of the beholder by wikinerd · · Score: 4, Funny
    • physics nerd: we have a drivable couch!!!
    • chemistry nerd: how can I make it to explode?
    • business marketroid: how can I squeeze money out of it?
    • mathematician: how long would it take to travel to Portland with the couch at half speed?
    • lawyer: where is the license plate?
    • insurance agent: you need to buy an insurance, Sir; this couch is prone to accidents!
    • tourism agent: looks like it could become a new tourist attraction, let's print some tickets
    • Eric S Raymond: Let's open source it!
    • Richard Stallman: I will create a copylefted version, GNC (GNU's not coach)
    • computer geek: doc, does it run GNU/Linux?
    • troll: not new, others did it in the past, nothing to see here
    • photographer: you should have hired me sir, your pix suck
    • RIAA: We have the copyright, you are screwed
    • government: Let's regulate it, so that we can tax it easier
    • urban planner: This will cause further traffic congestion, and people will sleep on their drivable coaches while on the road
    • network expert: Imagine a beowulf cluster made of those...
    • American: Can I sell it on ebay?
    • British: I am sure the inventor must have been British, let's knight them
    • Canadian: eh!
    • Ballmer: Developers! developers! developers! er...
    • 133t5p34k3r: n34t!