Circuit bending: Hacking a Furby in the name of music

Circuit bending consists of dismantling toys, household objects and synths in order to rebuild them as new instruments. To most people, old toys like a Furby are just toys, but for musicians who circuit bend, these are instruments waiting to happen. In this episode of The Future of Music, Dani Deahl visited Sam Battle, also known as Look Mum No Computer. He is at the forefront of the circuit bending scene and creates the top circuit bent instruments out of things like bikes, flamethrowers and yes, Furbies.
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[@TheVerge]

What toy or household object would you like to circuit bend?

[@lettersandnumbersuc]

Any vintage sound that we grew up with will be extremely rewarding to here again. Love the bike!!

[@lettersandnumbersuc]

Michael knight kit car...sounds of the car...buttons

[@petergreek8482]

Gameboy dmg

[@not3oF]

some Finnish toys or an 3DS XL

[@jonasj.1028]

Moms rubber toys...

[@alnoose6494]

“Kill me” - Furby 2018

[@Coconut7403]

He is the Hannibal lecter of Furbys

[@XiXora]

Look mum no computer is getting around a lot recently…

[@geokramer1711]

Wow what's up with the like-dislike ratio?

[@agbhargihad7325]

she kept her top on..

[@You-tv5io]

You need a Swiss Army knife with a phillips screwdriver installed and “tweezers” to watch this video!

[@melo7572]

@@You-tv5io Don't forget the table! And you can never have too much thermalpaste, either!

[@CASHXRAT]

I once bought a naturally circuit-bent Furby from a rummage sale. It spoke in tongues like a demon, it was terrifying.

[@Schnort]

Iirc, Furbys that were produced in a certain factory tended to have this problem, even in fresh batteries. I think it's more common on the halloween themed one with the hat?
Also, eventually, they just wear out. Somethings probably corroded in there.

[@Schnort]

Yes, I did a bit of research, and JT factory Furbys tend to be of worse quality than those that came out of other factories.
The issue I mentioned with the halloween edition Furby is unrelated, actually. It's a problem with many RL factory holiday editions.

[@ItsaDaPope-a]

If you love hearing the words "circuit bending" every 10 seconds, you're gonna love this!

[@guys-in9vd]

i found a broken 1999 furby inside a bush, washed it and FIXED IT WITH A PIPE SOLDERING IRON

[@youfube-]

Can't wait you to publish a video, where you attempt to correctly assemble an ordinary kid's puzzle.

[@nithinravi4401]

What's with the dislikes ??
Are everyone so narrow minded ??
This video is well produced.

[@icednightcores]

I staarted crying when it went ‘Dada me scared’ 😂😭

[@Cynnabuns]

Am I the only one who feels bad for the lil guys?

[@annosayu]

As a furby collector, It Hurts me How he ripped the fur without cutting the ears threads and broke one of his ears💔

[@marcf7044]

Long ago, Furbys lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the circuit nation attacked

[@voicedrifter]

Love this guy. Thanks for looking in on his project!

[@im_kamil]

Wow, they've been deleting comments telling them how they should address their bad computer building video...

[@MrGamelover23]

Because this isn't the place for it. Wait, but then again no place is if this isn't, um... But Twitter seems like a better way to get in touch I guess.

[@zeromax695]

3:13 "You get that and you have a fiddle, there's no right or wrong" - yep, words to live by

[@BimBurger]

What's up with the dislike to like ratio. What's wrong with the video?

[@Captain_Pizza]

He's like the Colin Furze of music!

[@inactiveinactive3380]

Accurate

[@tanmaywho]

When I saw circuit bending I knew I was about to watch a video with look mum no computer.

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

Thanks for coming round!!! 😃😃😃😃😃😃 it was well fun 😃

[@ozule1782]

Hi Sam 😀

[@lunazet721]

Marry me Sam!
Love your music and videos even tho I dont know much about electronics.

[@komjungin7174]

First i saw his hair, I knew what his capable of

[@alexsabber]

Breaking News: He's actually got a computer.

[@Wydad_forza]

In the wait for the furby time machine

[@poorkidd]

He is still my favorite CZcamsr. LMNC you da man!

[@Digalog]

Nowadays modular synthesis is the closest we get from circuit bending I guess

[@pspdeepti]

This looks so cool man and it is sad to know that it is dimiishing in the future!!

[@Povilaz]

Circuit bending old toys (especially that make sound) is the best way to produce amazing sound. Really interesting.

[@gregburdine4373]

Sam is an absolute genius!!

[@nickdelavega5450]

I love this series!

[@rea8585]

I haven't seen something so "The Internet" in a while! It's fascinating how this guy's passion and creativity are without borders. As long as Look mum no computer will be alive, circuit bending won't be dead!

[@anthonybessete2336]

Wait what does look mom no computer mean anyway?

[@TMWYTM]

This is so cool! I can see how they're appreciated by some folks only

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

Sid Phillips meets Ludwig Von Beethoven meets Daft Punk

[@LemonEyed_Stand]

the last circuit bender

[@DraggyBDragon]

Really great video. Learned stuff, saw crazier stuff. All round good job!

[@LongclawGG]

This is rad as hell.

[@JogsMovies]

In Germany there is a band called GeekOrchester, which plays sometimes in a Latenight-show called "NeoMagazin Royale". They used also old tech like printer and other machines for the sounds. I don't know which old tech in details, because I'm too young 😉

[@jan_harald]

too bad modern toys are not very bendable...if at all...
everything except the power circuits is in one tiny blob chip, which is specifically engineered to only do that one single thing it was meant to do, no more are there lots of parts you could tweak and short and modify, it's all in one place...

[@grefsteel3989]

I'm sure this goth chick slays vampires

[@aleknitka]

Guy is a genius

[@temptor7585]

"with all of the advancements made in electronics, something that could be done on a laptop, why put all of the effort and time into curcuit bending"
Why put any effort into anything these days, everything is already done for you!
that question kinda pissed me off

[@starcubey]

Usually, when composing, you are more worried about how a song sounds than anything else. If you were chasing after a specific sound, learning how to do circuit bending would be ridiculous, but this is less about making music and more about doing something cool.

[@bearshield7138]

thank you
this gives me ideas

[@birgithagn5227]

The first mechanical demon

[@jjjjulian]

LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER

[@mee_is_sus]

You didn't realise the furby was a furbling!
So that was sus

[@patinaries1]

Can someone please open the stopwatch in his pocket? That's Doctor who trapped in a human body XD

[@mechalooneybird9768]

I have furbys from every year

[@microknife19]

That was really cool

[@RogerPodacter]

will it short-circuit if it touches the system?

[@19.DK.91]

shoutout for my boy david

[@spong667]

YAY LOOK MUM IS ON HERE!!!!

[@EpicFurbynerd76YO]

Cool!

[@anthonybessete2336]

No my childhood

[@Panda16575]

It looks like taking a shower removes your circuit bending capabilities

[@jonathanpalmquist4894]

Water and circuit bending don't mesh well

[@Panda16575]

@@jonathanpalmquist4894 no I meant the guy in the video looks like he doesnt remember the last time he showered

[@mechalooneybird9768]

The furby organ

[@Aditya19971000]

How can i get a synth bike?

[@ciro_costa]

build one

[@natecw4164]

Good content but the video was fluffy as all fluff.

[@hein_mcleod]

I wonder where they got the idea from... Might Car Mods did this almost a year ago...

[@qislegit.donttrustthemedia6232]

This has been around for decades. Anyone with an interest in electronics but not the knowledge to understand how they work....this is what they do. Stimulants help.

[@ragamjagoan5862]

i think he is high during this interview

[@olive7831]

Nope, he’s always like that.
Look at his channel

[@meultoitau7683]

Or he is just alway high on his videos.

[@jonathanpalmquist4894]

i think Dani wasn't high enough during this interview

[@personalsugardadda1353]

Best hack ever

[@shadowrylander]

He looks and sounds like a combination of Arthur Darvill, Tom Holland, and James McAvoy!

[@DisBuilder]

sam sounds like dantdm

[@wuzihuzi]

Look mum no computer!!!

[@poop_poop796]

Circuit band vintage version of Teddy ruxpin

[@asianboi.mp5922]

Wow furby piano

[@leftspeaker2000]

I thought this was really interesting. Dude is crazy, though.

[@jakenelson1366]

does anyone know why it has 1.4k dislikes or did someone bot it?

[@trulyinfamous]

Why so many dislikes?

[@devpal3288]

Very good

[@awesomedude9576]

OH, like the TV show Avatar the last Air Bender.

[@Zen_Power]

Reminds me of mugwai

[@keirebuuishi4353]

In before Robots have human rights

[@blewyd]

Nice like to dislike ratio. Seems like s good video hub

[@badoorenc6598]

🙂

[@TomyIneXtriCable]

WOW,dude! omg...

[@kushsingh3307]

MKG after kilshot

[@theonlywj]

Five nights of Freddy vibes

[@Andre-bi3gq]

PLAY WITH ME
aaaaHHh....

[@darnitimstuckstudios]

Lmao you’re so late to the Look Mum no Computer Ferbie popularity

[@-peridys8346]

Nice

[@mechalooneybird9768]

Even when I had on as a baby

[@ananasjuice7059]

Hey

[@blackcat4589]

"the future of music"-----> doing a 40 yeas old activity like Circuit Bending?

[@coolduder1001]

Ay it mum

[@serenameep8565]

Oh a video by the Verge, quickly skipping by!

[@thwaitesglacier]

LOL!

[@justinpietro5853]

i think sam is less of a circuit bender and more just an electronics creative the interview kinda seemed posed in the wrong direction for what sam is really into

[@zer0b0t]

Made it to 1:24 something is wrong with my video 😑

[@sharkang0243]

N O F U R B Y H A R M E D I N T H I S V I D E O

[@turtleh]

Your outlet is so out of touch with reality.

[@spartafxrs5]

Cyberpunk 2077

[@NloboLobo]

Smashhh

[@oleg3250]

Жалко игрушки

[@babubapbapbabuAKAjeffyandfrenz]

63ß

[@user-rm9mw5bw1m]

Burfy

[@superblitz2274]

Epic!!👍👍

[@tbrowntracyj]

Don't be divided by politics we are the light of liberty and all are a piece of the pi

[@babubapbapbabuAKAjeffyandfrenz]

E

[@DrINTJ]

Lots of empty talk and not enough bending.

[@qislegit.donttrustthemedia6232]

Meth

[@canadiansplootdoggo9333]

It's like gordan Ramsay but for Furbies

[@MrFlexNC]

Fascinating guy, but that hair tho

[@Zero-ed8gd]

He attac
He protecc
But most of all
He circuit bent

[@CodyMatheson]

Thank you Verge. Incredible video.

[@numetalinkin]

It seems they don't get sarcasm either.

[@ridzuanamran4906]

haha. ignorance man.