Those old enough to have encountered punch cards in their lifetime are probably glad to be rid of their extremely low data density and the propensity of tall stacks to tip over. But obsolete as they may be, they’re a great tool to show the basics of binary data storage: the bits are easily visible and can even be manipulated with simple tools. As an experiment to re-create those features in a more modern system, [Michael Kohn] made a punch card-like system based on LEGO bricks that stores machine code instructions for a 65C816 CPU, the 16-bit successor to the venerable 6502.
In childhood, many of us wondered — wouldn’t it be cool if our miniature toys had “real” functions? Say, that our toy cars actually were able to drive, or at least, that the headlights could light up. [James Brown] captures some of this childhood expectation of magic, recreating the 2×2 45°-sloped Lego bricks with computer screens and panels drawn on them by building a LEGO brick (thread, nitter) with an actual display inside of it.
LEGO and its Technic line is a great way to learn about all kinds of mechanical things, but it’s also just a whole lot of fun to play with. We suspect the latter reason is what got [Brick Technology] to pursue creating a trippy water vortex with the building toy.
The first design uses a transparent plastic sphere as a water vessel. Inside the sphere is placed a small turbine, turned from the outside via a magnetic coupling. This means the sphere can remain intact, with no holes required, nor complicated seals which can leak. It works well, and produces a vortex when the turbine is spun by a regular LEGO motor. A second attempt elects to rotate the entire sphere itself. Small LEGO wheels are then used to hold the sphere in place on the rapidly spinning turntable. The results are impressive, creating a large and relatively well-formed vortex.
A camera makes for an interesting build for anyone, because it’s an extremely accessible technology that can be made from materials as simple as cardboard. More robust cameras often require significant work, but what if you could make a usable camera from LEGO? It’s a project taken on by [Zung92], who hasn’t simply made a working 35 mm camera from everyone’s favorite construction toy — he’s also managed to make it exude retro style. Best of all, you can vote for it on the LEGO Ideas website, and you might even get the chance to have one for yourself.
Frustratingly there’s little in the way of in-depth technical detail on the Ideas website, but he does mention that it was a challenge to make it light proof. Even the lens is a LEGO part, and if diffraction-based photography isn’t for you there’s also a pinhole option.
The main lens is based on the existing magnifying part. I also made a special pinhole lens, which provides a pretty good effect and style that you can see in the samples.
Everyone already knows that Lego Technic is pretty rad when it comes to existing, pre-made kits, but there’s also quite a bit of hacking potential left. One such area is the lack of hydraulics in Lego Technic, an egregious oversight that simply had to correct. His effort results in a partially hydraulic, fully remote-controlled excavator. Rather than a traditional gear hydraulic pump as you’d expect in a real-life excavator, a custom peristaltic pump is used to move the fluid to the hydraulic cylinders (rams for our British and Oceanic friends)….
Everyone already knows that Lego Technic is pretty rad when it comes to existing, pre-made kits, but there’s also quite a bit of hacking potential left. One such area is the lack of hydraulics in Lego Technic, an egregious oversight that [Brick Technology] simply had to correct. His effort results in a partially hydraulic, fully remote-controlled excavator. Rather than a traditional gear hydraulic pump as you’d expect in a real-life excavator, a custom peristaltic pump is used to move the fluid to the hydraulic cylinders (rams for our British and Oceanic friends).
Although original Lego cylinders were used, these are only intended for pneumatics, where it’s hoped that the used mixture of water and windscreen wiper fluid will prevent corrosion.
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86 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/03/23/brick-and-motor-table-saw-delivers-paper-cuts-on-demand/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/03/24/lego-sorting-vacuum-defeats-the-problem/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/03/29/lego-string-winder-hints-at-greater-possibilities/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/03/30/building-7-segment-displays-with-lego/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How To Use LEGO Bricks For Data Storage
https://hackaday.com/2022/06/06/how-to-use-lego-bricks-for-data-storage/
Those old enough to have encountered punch cards in their lifetime are probably glad to be rid of their extremely low data density and the propensity of tall stacks to tip over. But obsolete as they may be, they’re a great tool to show the basics of binary data storage: the bits are easily visible and can even be manipulated with simple tools. As an experiment to re-create those features in a more modern system, [Michael Kohn] made a punch card-like system based on LEGO bricks that stores machine code instructions for a 65C816 CPU, the 16-bit successor to the venerable 6502.
https://www.mikekohn.net/micro/lego_data_reader.php
Tomi Engdahl says:
Computer-Shaped LEGO Brick Brought To Life
https://hackaday.com/2022/06/08/computer-shaped-lego-brick-brought-to-life/
In childhood, many of us wondered — wouldn’t it be cool if our miniature toys had “real” functions? Say, that our toy cars actually were able to drive, or at least, that the headlights could light up. [James Brown] captures some of this childhood expectation of magic, recreating the 2×2 45°-sloped Lego bricks with computer screens and panels drawn on them by building a LEGO brick (thread, nitter) with an actual display inside of it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
James Brown’s LEGO Computer Brick Hides a Fully-Functional, Programmable OLED Display
https://www.hackster.io/news/james-brown-s-lego-computer-brick-hides-a-fully-functional-programmable-oled-display-bf686c392057
Created using homebrew injection molding into a 3D-printed form, these semi-functional LEGO computers look like magic.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/06/16/theres-a-lego-suspension-dyno-now/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Brickit works
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T4WAi5ykQyc&feature=youtu.be
Tomi Engdahl says:
Get the app for iOS or Android: https://download.brickit.app
Tomi Engdahl says:
Simple Hacks To Make LEGO Train Track Out Of Other Pieces
https://hackaday.com/2022/08/30/simple-hacks-to-make-lego-train-track-out-of-other-pieces/
Tomi Engdahl says:
LEGO Rig Makes Pretty Water Vortexes
https://hackaday.com/2022/09/01/lego-rig-makes-pretty-water-vortexes/
LEGO and its Technic line is a great way to learn about all kinds of mechanical things, but it’s also just a whole lot of fun to play with. We suspect the latter reason is what got [Brick Technology] to pursue creating a trippy water vortex with the building toy.
The first design uses a transparent plastic sphere as a water vessel. Inside the sphere is placed a small turbine, turned from the outside via a magnetic coupling. This means the sphere can remain intact, with no holes required, nor complicated seals which can leak. It works well, and produces a vortex when the turbine is spun by a regular LEGO motor. A second attempt elects to rotate the entire sphere itself. Small LEGO wheels are then used to hold the sphere in place on the rapidly spinning turntable. The results are impressive, creating a large and relatively well-formed vortex.
Can Lego create a Vortex in a Sphere?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjk0RMjQpcY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjk0RMjQpcY
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/10/22/lego-plays-electronic-drums/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/11/01/exploring-piston-engine-design-with-lego/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/pixel-may-be-the-world-s-first-lego-compatible-mechanical-keyboard-85dda2cc82a8
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/11/14/lego-race-car-simulator-is-like-a-mechanical-arcade-game/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/11/15/blender-builds-lego-models/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building A LEGO Pneumatic Engine
https://hackaday.com/2022/11/17/building-a-lego-pneumatic-engine/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lego Mindstorms Dot Matrix Printer (for iPad)
Dot matrix printer made with Lego Mindstorms (Robot Inventor) controlled by an iPad app.
https://hackaday.io/project/188414-lego-mindstorms-dot-matrix-printer-for-ipad
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/12/10/gaze-upon-the-swimming-mechanical-stingray-made-with-lego/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Life-Size LEGO Christmas Tree with 20,000 Pieces
Created by TNVLC
Free instructions: https://bit.ly/3W4u2mZ
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can Lego Play the Drums?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlaY8kSTO28
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/12/20/more-detail-on-that-fantastic-lego-oled-brick/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The illegal Sequential LEGO Gearbox Transmission Real Performance
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cZhJX4pK0A8
Tomi Engdahl says:
Destroying 28 Lego Mechanisms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI0rDaEpTvI
Testing 28 different mechanisms and kinetic sculptures made out of Lego.
Chapters:
00:00 Mechanisms
01:06 Sponsor
02:12 More Mechanisms
06:33 Destruction in Slow Motion
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/12/27/esphome-powers-festive-lego-train-set/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/01/25/a-simple-air-suspension-demo-with-lego-technic/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/01/26/lego-guitar-is-really-an-ultrasonically-controlled-synth/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/09/domino-ring-machine-tips-tiles-in-a-never-ending-wave/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/03/18/doom-ported-to-a-single-lego-brick/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Working Artificial Horizon Built Into A Single LEGO Brick
https://hackaday.com/2023/03/20/working-artificial-horizon-built-into-a-single-lego-brick/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNJpRXlfKQE
Tomi Engdahl says:
A LEGO Camera You Just Might Own Yourself
https://hackaday.com/2023/03/25/a-lego-camera-you-just-might-own-yourself/
A camera makes for an interesting build for anyone, because it’s an extremely accessible technology that can be made from materials as simple as cardboard. More robust cameras often require significant work, but what if you could make a usable camera from LEGO? It’s a project taken on by [Zung92], who hasn’t simply made a working 35 mm camera from everyone’s favorite construction toy — he’s also managed to make it exude retro style. Best of all, you can vote for it on the LEGO Ideas website, and you might even get the chance to have one for yourself.
Frustratingly there’s little in the way of in-depth technical detail on the Ideas website, but he does mention that it was a challenge to make it light proof. Even the lens is a LEGO part, and if diffraction-based photography isn’t for you there’s also a pinhole option.
Product Idea | Jul 21, 2022
LEGO ZH1 – Functional 35mm Vintage Camera
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/87367099-a72a-4796-afa7-895a58ed932a
The main lens is based on the existing magnifying part. I also made a special pinhole lens, which provides a pretty good effect and style that you can see in the samples.
Tomi Engdahl says:
DSLR Camera
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/71b225fe-14f3-42f9-931e-22d2e10c85f6
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/06/07/billion-year-clock-is-lego-genius-or-madness/
Tomi Engdahl says:
LEGO: Eurovision 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvCFPB738qc
The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 from Liverpool (United Kingdom) with Lego bricks and figures. Created by Alexandro Kröger.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Everyone already knows that Lego Technic is pretty rad when it comes to existing, pre-made kits, but there’s also quite a bit of hacking potential left. One such area is the lack of hydraulics in Lego Technic, an egregious oversight that simply had to correct. His effort results in a partially hydraulic, fully remote-controlled excavator. Rather than a traditional gear hydraulic pump as you’d expect in a real-life excavator, a custom peristaltic pump is used to move the fluid to the hydraulic cylinders (rams for our British and Oceanic friends)….
BUILDING A HYDRAULIC LEGO EXCAVATOR USING STANDARD PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS
https://hackaday.com/2023/08/21/building-a-hydraulic-lego-excavator-using-standard-pneumatic-cylinders/?fbclid=IwAR15SZdDtjjt9I0rKixuFY6GlzGz5fUGKzr9WScOfmufv1Sjb1WLp_T9WZI
Everyone already knows that Lego Technic is pretty rad when it comes to existing, pre-made kits, but there’s also quite a bit of hacking potential left. One such area is the lack of hydraulics in Lego Technic, an egregious oversight that [Brick Technology] simply had to correct. His effort results in a partially hydraulic, fully remote-controlled excavator. Rather than a traditional gear hydraulic pump as you’d expect in a real-life excavator, a custom peristaltic pump is used to move the fluid to the hydraulic cylinders (rams for our British and Oceanic friends).
Although original Lego cylinders were used, these are only intended for pneumatics, where it’s hoped that the used mixture of water and windscreen wiper fluid will prevent corrosion.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gWCI2NTTzEA