Way, way back, several months, I happened across an ad for Nexus Cube: Your Very Own Infinity Dice Cube, a Kickstarter project that seemed to lean in a bit too heavily into AI renders and imaginary situations where having this device would be useful. I did a lot of research and decided for myself that while they could definitely produce a fidget toy of some sort, their timelines, materials, heavy use of AI in their engineering diagrams that in no way could produce the device they were selling meant the whole thing was likely a scam.
But, of course, I could be wrong. I have been known to be wrong. So I backed it for a buck so that I could keep up to date on the project.
Smash cut to today, as we’re approaching the original ship date for the device. There has been radio silence from the developers for some time. Paypal has locked their account. The developers keep re-opening the pledge manager to charge ever more outrageous shipping fees and tax, when they promised no shipping fees at all.
Even I, who backed for only a dollar and no physical rewards, received a bill from them. I kid you not.
I donated a dollar to them, and now they are insisting I owe them 20% tax on the dollar I donated. They’re spamming me to get me to pay. I’m not going to, of course, but those who have backed for actual physical rewards are panicking. They have been asked to choose their rewards again and again, with ever-increasing fees, and no indication that their devices are manufactured or shipping. They’ve only shown a probably AI generated image of a CNC machine as proof.
As near as I can tell, they have made just the one prototype, and it looked like they just kept changing the colors of that one prototype in Photoshop to generate all the other models they show.
I saw from one of the comments that they were selling the device and buyers were leaving comments; I didn’t see any sign of that. I don’t see any sign that there is any real device to be had.
Well, except for Liam Callahan. “He” apparently has the device and loves it. I was thrilled to read about the embedded electronic haptic sensors, gyroscopes and accelerometers in it.
But here’s where it gets really clever. Nestled within this mechanical origami is a full suite of embedded electronics that elevate it from a clever puzzle to a true hybrid tool. A miniature Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)—that’s an accelerometer and gyroscope combo—detects a specific shake gesture. That’s your digital roll. A multi-zone RGB LED system then illuminates the result directly on the die faces. And my favorite touch? A tiny haptic feedback motor simulates the tumbling sensation of dice in your hand. It’s a complete sensory illusion. The microcontroller managing this show is running a pseudo-random number generator, ensuring fair rolls, all powered by a rechargeable battery accessed via USB-C. This isn’t just adding tech for tech’s sake; it’s using digital capabilities to augment the physical experience without replacing it. You get the heft and satisfaction of a premium metal object with the convenience and added flair of digital feedback. It’s the best of both worlds.
Well, poor Liam seems to be hallucinating. The Kickstarter doesn’t say anything about electronics; it’s purely mechanical. The most sophisticated thing on it would be bearings.
And who is Liam Cunningham?
Liam Callahan is a fictional writer generated by Backio AI, specializing in toys and games. Leveraging a rich and extensive training knowledge database, he delivers expert insights into interactive, educational, and smart play technologies. His content reflects a deep understanding of innovative toy development, offering professional and credible perspectives tailored for enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.
Oh, someone just dumped the project and some of the comments into a chatbot, where it hallucinated a bunch of extra functionality, and shat out this article.
I might have been wrong. I could have been wrong. Maybe, I should have been wrong, but I wasn’t.
I do feel sorry about all the people who lost their money. But hey, I backed DC Heroes United and then the company sunk $2.1 million into a NFT game developer. I truly do feel that pain.
I guess I should talk about my latest crowdfunding adventures on the other blog sometime.
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