Hasta La Gadget!

YouTuber Hknssn may be missing a few vowels, but that hasn’t kept him from being awesome. He was able to make a LEGO machine that can automatically take a sheet of paper, fold it into a paper plane and then launch it on its own. In other words, Hknssn made a toy that makes its own toys.

The machine is about 59″ long and 16″ wide. As you might have guessed, Hknssn relies heavily on LEGO Mindstorms NXT parts to make the machine work, including two NXT Intelligent Brains, five NXT servo motors, four NXT color sensors and an NXT accelerometer. It also uses five Power Function XL motors and between 6,000 to 7,000 LEGO pieces. Check it out in action in the video below, which Hknssn hiked up to about three times the normal speed.

Hknssn shared the parts list of the machine on YouTube and a shot of its 3D model on ImageShack, but it seems he didn’t make a guide for building one. He’s probably working on a LEGO machine that can do that for him.

[via BuzzFeed]

If you think it’s hard putting the “Lego Discovery Fire Station” together, how about building and wiring a fully-functioning Mindstorm EV3 robot? To give you a leg up, the Danish toy outfit’s joining forces with Autodesk to put together 3D interactive building instructions for the latest generation of Mindstorm mechs. The effects and 3D software firm will use its Inventor Publisher software to create interactive plans that run on iPads, Android devices and web browsers for five different ‘bots. That way, you’ll be able to actually put on your builder’s hat and not just giggle enthusiastically at the final result.

Filed under: Robots, Software, Alt

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Most Lego Mindstorms constructions have never slipped the surly bonds of Earth. The Flying Fortress Lego Blimp from Tyler Westmoreland and Chris Shepard won’t be similarly held down, however. Courtesy of two NXTBee wireless adapters, Tyler and Chris can fly the Mindstorms NXT-driven airship using a remote control and adjustable propellers. There’s no secret tricks involved, as everything is an off-the-shelf part that anyone can find, including the 55-inch helium balloons. We have proof: Tyler has shared the source code for both the blimp and the controller, so anyone with the resources can recreate the Flying Fortress for themselves. While the thought of homemade drone blimps looming overhead is slightly disconcerting, we’ll steel our resolve when it means that most any enterprising builder can take Lego airborne.

[Thanks, @frankiebit]

Filed under: Misc, Robots

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Source: Dexter Industries

Lego is back with another generation of MindStorms, the company’s consumer robotics line aimed at introducing application programming to a younger generation. Kids these days grow up with so much focus on the virtual self, but MindStorms works as a bridge to connect software programming with real-world, physical actions.

The new kit includes directions for up to 17 different robots, most of which look like scary-style animals, such as snakes and scorpions.

Mindstorms has been around for almost 14 years now, but Mindstorms EV3 marks the first time that users can program directly onto the brand-new EV3 Intelligent Brick. In past iterations, users were only allowed to program their robots from the computer and then run the application through the robot. The Intelligent Brick allows users to add or change commands and actions directly from the brick.

This not only appeals to younger MindStorms users but also programming and robotics enthusiasts. Kids have a super simple, block-by-block interface with which to learn the basics of programming, while hobbyists can debug programs without going all the way back to the computer.

The Mindstorms EV3 kit also adds an infrared sensor to the mix, giving robots the ability to see and detect various objects. The system runs on Linux-based firmware and sports USB and SD ports. Of course, as Lego gets more and more comfortable in the software space, integration with iOS and Android is to be expected straight out of the box, along with a 3D virtual instructional guide available on the iPad.

The new kit will be available starting in the second half of 2013 for an MSRP of $349.99.

Lego savant Hans Andersson has created an updated version of his Time Twister clock that’s even more fascinating to watch. If you’re in a hurry the complicated spinning mechanisms that slowly update the display will drive you crazy. But if you’re a fan of brilliant Lego designers finding new uses for Mindstorms, this is right up your alley. More »