Rube Goldberg

Rube Goldberg was an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor, best known for his popular cartoons depicting complicated gadgets performing simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. The cartoons led to the expression "Rube Goldberg machines". He received many honors in his lifetime, including a Pulitzer Prize for political cartooning. He was a founding member and first president of the National Cartoonists Society, which hosts the annual Reuben Award, honoring the top cartoonist of the year. He is also the inspiration for international competitions known as Rube Goldberg Machine Contests.