# Most complex human-powered device **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 17, 2011, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-complex-human-powered-device/571687 "2011-02-17T09:53:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-complex-human-powered-device/571687/1 "2011-02-17T09:53:16Z")
What is the most complex human-powered device? Such devices seem to come in two flavors: indirect and direct. Indirect are those where a human compresses a spring and then the expanding spring actually runs the device. Or humans could create potential energy by hand some other way (pulling up on a weight, for example) which then powers the device. Wind-up watches, grandfather clocks, and various other clock-work devices fall into the indirect human-powered devices. Direct are those where there’s no intermediate potential energy storage. Bicycles are a good example of this. Also calculators and cash registers (the kind you have to pull a lever after pressing the keys). Anyone know of any particularly complex examples of these two kinds? Some especially complicated watch or other clockwork mechanism? Or perhaps a very complex card sorter where you have to turn a handle to run it? Or perhaps some other device I haven’t thought of? Note: I’m not interested in cases where the potential energy is electricity stored in a battery. So wind up radios and computers are right out. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-complex-human-powered-device/571687/2 "2011-02-17T10:40:45Z")
The hand cranked [Difference Engine Number 2](http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/) has 8000 parts and was designed by Charles Babbage in 1847-1849 and was not completed until 2002. The Difference Engine Number 1 had over 25000 parts but was never built. I don’t know if that is anywhere close to the record, but it deserves mention. ---
**Author:** ![Vorpal\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9de0a6/32.png) [@Vorpal\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vorpal_Blade)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-complex-human-powered-device/571687/3 "2011-02-17T13:56:47Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > The hand cranked [Difference Engine Number 2](http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/) has 8000 parts and was designed by Charles Babbage in 1847-1849 and was not completed until 2002. The Difference Engine Number 1 had over 25000 parts but was never built. I don’t know if that is anywhere close to the record, but it deserves mention. Curta mechanical calculator? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-complex-human-powered-device/571687/4 "2011-02-17T16:27:06Z")
Pipe organs used to be human powered, but I’m not sure how complex they became before they switched to motor-driven bellows. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-complex-human-powered-device/571687/5 "2011-02-17T16:36:44Z")
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**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-complex-human-powered-device/571687/6 "2011-02-17T18:56:18Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > The hand cranked [Difference Engine Number 2](http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/) has 8000 parts and was designed by Charles Babbage in 1847-1849 and was not completed until 2002. The Difference Engine Number 1 had over 25000 parts but was never built. I don’t know if that is anywhere close to the record, but it deserves mention. At first, I thought the Jacquard loom would have been the most complex **directly** human powered device, but I forgot that a Babbage Engine was actually built a few years ago. I’d imagine that would be the most complex direct-powered device. As for indirect-powered devices, my bet is on an automatic watch of some sort that tracks moon phases and dates, with a chronograph. Does anyone know how many moving parts such a timepiece might have? ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-complex-human-powered-device/571687/7 "2011-02-17T23:19:42Z")
Try this Phillipe Patak with 686 parts. [Patek Philippe | All Models | Luxury Watches & Timepieces](http://www.patek.com/html/en/ref_5002J_001.html) A watch with just chronograph, date and moon phase is simple in comparison with this. They run a couple of hundred parts. The big ticket items in this watch are repeater (it chimes believe it or not) and the tourbillion escapement.