Treading Water Scuba Man
Treading Water Scuba Man (left) and how it works (right)
· Treading Water Scuba Man is a wind-up plastic toy model simulating how a human treads water by taking advantage of Newton's First Law of Motion. That is, the toy (like a human) tries to keep itself steadily positioned at the surface of the water by counteracting gravitational pull until the net force is zero. The toy's "equal and opposite reaction" is achieved by stroking both arms and kicking both legs while remaining vertical in the water.
· The plastic-molded man has scuba gear on him so it doesn't look
like he drowns after the movement ceases. Otherwise, children may be
frightened.
· The principle behind the toy is a wind-up mechanism in the
man's back that stores potential energy in a coil. As the coil releases
its
energy, it powers one big gear. The big gear, in turn, powers four more
gears, one for each arm and leg. This gearwork must be fairly powerful
since treading water requires a lot of energy and Treading Water Scuba Man
is not hollow, so it will sink if it not moving. This construction will
cost more than your typical wind-up. Therefore, this toy isn't
your typical bath toy and should not be played with by
children under the age of 5. Estimated Retail Price: $10
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Send any feedback to Greg Nofi.