During the competition, as teams are eliminated, rounds arise that have an odd number of competitors. Rather than automatically promote the unpaired team to the next round, they must successfully compete against the placebo. A team must score at least one positive point against the placebo in order to count that round as a win. Any points scored by the placebo, intentionally or accidently, do not count. The placebo cannot win, but the team paired against it can lose if they are unable to score.

The placebo is generally not a capable machine. It is not subject to the contest constraints on size, weight, or included parts. Historically, the placebo has been built as a labor of love by course TA's and others involved in the class ... and not by students taking the course, since their time is fully committed to their own devices.

2000

For the 2000 competition, Jim Chang and Dev Kumar (two of the ME72 TA's) each modified their 1999 contest devices to accomodate a Caltech beaver. Jim Chang resurrected the Energizer Bunny Beaver from one of the old Placebos.

1999

For the 1999 competition, the TAs (Eric Hale & Nathan Schara) are designing and constructing a new placebo. A photographic record of their progress will be included here as the term proceeds. Our challenge to you is: "Can you guess what it is?"

**NOTE: the spherical SI (45 mm diameter) is included in the photos as a scale reference

• October 21, 1999 Key element photo.
• October 28, 1999 Side of placebo.
• November 9, 1999 2 Sides of placebo.
• November 18, 1999 The arm of placebo.
• November 30, 1999 The whole placebo.
• CONTEST DAY -- December 2, 1999 Dr. Placebo in contest regalia.

Previous Years

I will also try to track down photos of old placebos (if you have any, please let me know) or take photos of placebos that still exist. These will be included here as they are found/taken.

Here's what I have so far:

• A tracked placebo that was adapted from a students device used during a previous contest in the late 1980's.
• The Energizer Bunny Placebo ... actually the Caltech beaver in disguise. (circa early 1990's)
• The Caltech Beaver Placebo that was used during the 1998 competition and some earlier ones also.

If you know who built these or whose machine was modified to produce these placebos, please drop us some email.