Posts Tagged: Lego
Lego is discontinuing its Mindstorms robotics kits by the end of the year
Lego’s Mindstorms robotics kits have been on the market since 1998, born from a collaboration between Lego and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Now, Lego has announced it will be discontinuing Mindstorms at the end of the year and providing support for the mobile app for at least another two years beyond that, Gizmodo has reported.
Starting as the Lego Mindstorms Robotics Invention System over 24 years ago, the kits used Lego’s advanced Technics pieces with gears and other robotics parts, powered by the basic “Brick” processing unit. They took a big step forward in 2006 with the introduction of the company’s next generation of Mindstorms kits, dubbed NXT.
Another big jump came in 2013 with the EV3 robotics platform. This new lineup was backwards-compatible with the NXT series, offering enhancements to its sensor load and processing power. Lego also launched dedicated mobile apps, turning iOS and Android devices into remote controls for Mindstorms projects. Finally, it set up a Mindstorms community where users could share their creations and collaborate with other builders.
The last official product was the Robot Inventor lineup from 2020, but with nothing seen since, the writing seemed on the wall for Mindstorms — particularly as Lego was focusing on other educational ventures.
“Now having a number of priorities in LEGO Education and other Build & Code experiences, we have decided to focus our resources and future plans by redirecting our Mindstorms Robot Inventor team and their expertise into different areas of the business,” the company said in a statement to Brick Fanatics. “This means the physical Mindstorms Robot Inventor product (51515) and its related elements (88016 and 88018) are to exit our portfolio from the end of 2022, whilst digital platforms—such as the LEGO Mindstorms Robot Inventor App—will remain live until at least the end of 2024.”
It was one of the first toys to actively promote STEM learning while getting kids and adults alike interested in robotics. (Engadget collaborated with Lego on a Mindstorms robotics contest in 2014.) While it’s the end of an era in robotics education, there are now plenty of kits on the market, including Lego’s own Boost robotics kit for beginners. And if you happen to own a Mindstorms robot, it might soon become a collector’s item.
Raspberry Pi’s Build HAT helps students build LEGO robots
Raspberry Pi has launched a new product that would make it easier to build robots out of LEGO components. The Build HAT (or Hardware Attached on Top), as it is called, is an add-on device that plugs into the Pi's 40-pin GPIO header. It was specifically designed to make it easy to use Pi hardware to control up to four LEGO Technic motors and sensors from the the toy company's Education Spike kits. Those sets are meant as a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) learning tool for young students. The HAT also works with motors and sensors from the Mindstorms Robot Inventor kit.
In addition to the Build HAT itself, the company has created a Python library that can help students build prototypes using a Raspberry Pi and LEGO components. Plus, Raspberry Pi designed a $ 15 power supply for the HAT that can also power the motors and sensors attached to it. The Build HAT will set buyers back $ 25 each, and it works with all 40-pin GPIO Raspberry Pi boards, including the Raspberry Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi Zero.
Those who want to make sure that their LEGO components will work with the HAT can also check out Raspberry Pi's handy list of compatible components. Finally, those who need a bit of help to get started can try follow one of Pi's project guides, which include a DIY game controller, a robot buggy that can be controlled via Bluetooth and a robotic face.
Lego Super Mario is a charming attempt at real-life ‘Mario Maker’
Lego is no stranger to video game collaborations. The legendary brick maker has already developed sets based on Mojang's Minecraft phenomenon and Blizzard’s popular Overwatch shooter, for instance. The company’s upcoming Mario range is a little diffe…
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2018 Bugatti Chiron Lego Technic kit is amazingly detailed
By Joel Stocksdale Lego has finally followed up its amazing Porsche 911 GT3 Technic kit with a kit that's arguably more amazing, and certainly has more pieces. It's the 2018 Bugatti Chiron, and the 1/8 scale kit features 3,599 pieces, which is nearl…
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Oscar is a 3D-printed organic Lego set … and it’s creepy as hell
Introduced in The Modular Body, a 56-video series narrating The Oscar Project, “Oscar” is described as a 3D printed modular body. The new creation looks like a butchered hen returned to life, but there’s no telling how long it would live — were it really alive.
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Download these 5 hot new apps: Reddit, Miitomo, Lego Jurassic World, and more
Need a game to kill some time? Lego Jurassic World has landed on iOS and Android — and lets you hunt as a dinosaur. Also, check out Reddit’s new app, a minimalist writing app, and more.
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