The real reason some people don’t subscribe is that when you hit this button, that’s all, that’s it, it’s done. It’s not special, it’s not enjoyable. So how do we make subscribing a fun, enjoyable process? Well, we do it by slowly chipping away at the content creator’s psyche every time someone subscribes.
His fix? The ‘fun’ interactive Subscriber Robot that is the subject of the video.
Be aware that Michael uses a couple of mild swear words in this video, so maybe don’t watch it with a child.
Software developer and student Michael Reeves started his YouTube account a mere four months ago, with the premiere of his robot that shines lasers into your eyes – now he has 110k+ subscribers. At only 19, Michael co-owns and manages a company together with friends, and is set on his career path in software and computing. So when he is not making videos, he works a nine-to-five job “to pay for college and, y’know, live”.
Michael shot to YouTube fame with the aforementioned laser robot built around an Arduino. But by now he has also be released videos for a few Raspberry Pi-based contraptions.
His Subscriber Robot uses a series of Python scripts running on a Raspberry Pi to check for new subscribers to Michael’s channel via the YouTube API. When it identifies one, the Pi uses a relay to make the ceiling lights in Michael’s office flash ten times a second while ear-splitting noise is emitted by a 102-decibel-rated buzzer. Needless to say, this buzzer is not recommended for home use, work use, or any use whatsoever! Moreover, the Raspberry Pi also connects to a speaker that announces the name of the new subscriber, so Michael knows who to thank.
Subscriber Robot: EEH! EEH! EEH! MoistPretzels has subscribed.
Given that Michael has gained a whopping 30,000 followers in the ten days since the release of this video, it’s fair to assume he is currently curled up in a ball on the office floor, quietly crying to himself.
If you think Michael only makes videos about ridiculous builds, you’re mistaken. He also uses YouTube to provide educational content, because he believes that “it’s super important for people to teach themselves how to program”. For example, he has just released a new C# beginners tutorial, the third in the series.
If you’d like to help Michael in his mission to fill the world with both tutorials and ridiculous robot builds, make sure to subscribe to his channel. You can also follow him on Twitter and support him on Patreon.
You may also want to check out the Useless Duck Company and Simone Giertz if you’re in the mood for more impractical, yet highly amusing, robot builds.
Good luck with your channel, Michael! We are looking forward to, and slightly dreading, more videos from one of our favourite new YouTubers.
There shouldn’t even be swears on this blog.
dude you are nuts :) good job!
Not as wanting to be fuddy duddy either but http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/12091803/Dozens-of-children-suffer-eye-damage-as-a-result-of-lasers.html lasers need respect. Yes I’m all up for kids trying things falling out of trees, but life changing injuries because people didn’t understand the risks properly is another level of severity. If nothing else having degraded vision makes doing future hardware builds harder.
Michael does go on to explain how low power the lasers are in the build video for the robot.
If the Raspberry Pi is made for kids, why post a video with swearing on the official blog? I am just asking.