Float-O-Matic

I built the Float-O-Matic game in the spring of 2026 and shared it for the first time at the Lynchburg Maker Faire that same spring. 

The goal of the game is to land the balloon on one of the circular rings ("landing pads"). There are three landing pads - easier (lowest), medium, hardest (tallest). 

The black cylinder you see in the photos is a fan and the fan speed can be controlled  by the person playing the game. Turn the dial up to increase fan speed and that makes the balloon fly higher.  The balloon stays inside the fan vortex.  Not familiar with a vortex created by a fan? Well, perhaps you've been to one of the big box stores in the summer and you've seen a fan pointing up towards the ceiling and a beachball floating inside the vortex created by the fan (video). 

The balloon can be moved around side-to-side and back-to-front by moving the white PVC pipe which is attached to the fan. Because the fan is suspended by four springs, the operator can move the vortex column of air, and thus move the balloon.

Adults and kids love the Float-O-Matic!