(via practicalwisdom)

So, as I promised, I was in the process of prototyping a LEGO segmented display. The analog version of which I frankly haven’t gotten around to because I’m just too damn busy. However, one very necessary part of this display is the device responsible for grabbing and placing the bricks. This is a very crude part of my design stage, but the idea is to offer a little bit of inspiration as well as to welcome any criticism.

What you see in the Back, Front, and Top is actually rotated 90 degrees upwards. The Bottom picture is the position it would be in, once operating. I haven’t quite figured out if I am going to have it pivot along the “Z” axis or not. Most likely, it will not, just for simplicity’s sake at the time being.

As for it’s operation, the axel that doesn’t have a cap on the end is meant to be turned either clockwise or counterclockwise and the adjacent gear reverses that such that both wheels rotate in opposite directions to “grab” the brick.

I only chose this format because it allows for more precise collection (I hope) and is simpler than the traditional “claw based” approach. It is obviously meant to be controlled by a NXT brick and motor, neither of which I show pictured because again, I haven’t quite worked out how I am going to mount either.

So there you have it, my first step. Maybe tomorrow or perhaps next week I will have a video of it in action (or should I say failing in action?). If you want to replicate this design, it is pretty straight forward, and I photographed it as such so you can see which parts I have used from the 2.0 kit. I have allowed for a bit of slack in the system, but not too much. Another item on the to do is likely a tear down and re-proto, so that if you’re curious enough or if I re-purpose the parts, it can be built.

stagedives-highfives:

okay so heres the deal, my mom bought me this camera not knowing my dad bought me the same one a couple weeks ago, and im unable to return it. its a canon ESO rebel T2i. so im giving it way to my amazing followers. all you have to do is be following me and reblog this,  seriously you gotta do both or i wont put your url in. ill put all your urls into a randomizer and announce the winner in a week. so february13th. when i announce the winner, ill post it and leave a message in your ask for you full address so i can ship it to you. so keep your asks open !

(via kazux-deactivated20120305)