Here I've created an automata of a starfish. When you twist the handle the starfish spins around and goes up and down.
It took a bit of trial and error to create this out of cardboard and wood. I used Adobe Illustrator and laser cutting to create the pieces of the automata.
While the up and down and spinning movements of the automata aren't the normal actions of a starfish (which are largely stationary creatures) it makes for an interesting and delightful experience.
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/c9109253cd023c339df6cf21a2f9d5c7/3a984213-f7a8-44b4-8d7e-0c41d104d9af_rw_1920.jpg?h=7509e446a253a5083bd347d380c1fba2)