Sheer Engineering Genius: Melvin The Machine Lets You Send a Postcard, Rube Goldberg-style

Some people send a postcard the easy way (as in, the regular way). They write their message, the address, throw on a stamp and pop it in the mailbox. Other people get a little more into it. They build a transportable Rube Goldberg machine designed to stamp and write a message on a postcard and they take it to the park and let it loose.

Let us tell you what we're talking about here.

Two years ago, the Eindhoven-based design studio HEYHEYHEY built a big, expensive machine that took photos and video of its own performance; a four-minute spectacle involving pyrotechnics and printmaking that is quite literally jaw-dropping. (Upon watching, tell us if your jaw doesn't physically drop and you don't gasp like a little, excited child).

Well now they've bested themselves and made a traveling version--which they've deemed Melvin Light. The entire contraption fits into two suitcases that you position side by side, unpack, make a few adjustments to and start it up. After all the bells and whistles go off and some loop-de-loops between suitcases, a metal ball triggers a bent ruler to snap a rubber stamp with your message against a postcard, followed by a plastic thumb that affixes the stamp.

After it's first run in Eindhoven back in April, Melvin traveled to Milan for three successful runs. Here's what "Melvin" had to say about his trip there:

"Melvin here. Wasn't really feeling run 3 but finished it nonetheless. Not many peoples around these parts. I counted just 1! By the way, did you know this is the first time I've ever been to Milano?"

Want Melvin to make a pitstop in your hometown? Contact HEYHEYHEY to put in a request (or follow his whereabouts on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.)