Khaby Lame Mechanism

The Khaby Lame Mechanism refers to a creepy robot machine created by YouTuber ATMUMAN in August 2021 that features the head of TikTok star Khaby Lame with mechanical arms that continuously rotate clockwise in a flopping motion (Know Your Meme) , mimicking Lame’s iconic palms-up shrug gesture.
The machine uses a chain drive mechanism that rotates two arm attachments to make the hands flop down repeatedly on a surface (Know Your Meme) , creating an eerie, hypnotic effect. While initially just a quirky DIY project, the mechanism became a viral meme phenomenon in October 2025 through TikTok videos that joked about being cursed and having your soul trapped inside the Khaby Lame Mechanism (Know Your Meme) .
The meme format typically shows someone experiencing a random mundane event, followed by text claiming “so your soul GENUINELY gets trapped in the Khaby Lame Mechanism,” before cutting to the unsettling footage of the robot endlessly performing its gesture. The mechanism was even added to the Roblox game “Thy Hood” in October 2025 (Thy hood roblox Wiki) , where it continuously rotates in front of the Auction House.
The phenomenon has spawned countless variations and parodies across social media, transforming what began as a tribute to Khaby Lame’s signature move into an absurdist internet horror meme about mechanical entrapment and endless repetition.