ROBOTMAK3RS Blog

ROBOTMAK3RS + LEGO SMART Play bricks and tiles resulted in some new play possibilities. Can SMART Play bricks and tiles be used to enhance LEGO Robotics?  The SMART bricks and tiles, although designed to be used in conjunction with Star Wars sets, have their uses in other models. Inspired by the dueling in set 75427, I decided to recreate the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots game using both LEGO robots and SMART Play components. In the classic two-player boxing game, two robots (Red Rocker and Blue Bomber) face off against each other. Human players use joysticks to move their robots and punch until the head falls off. To create a reasonable body shape and size, I used two small SPIKE Essential motors for the arms. I used the distance sensor as the head and utilized its lights to indicate emotion (when the head is hit, only the lower lights will be on). The head is on a hinge, allowing it to tilt back. To be true to the game, I created a manual joystick for turning the bodies of the ro...

Our very own Anika Brandsma has been selected to have her LEGO robotics models displayed at the LEGO Campus in Billund for an entire year. Anika is well-known for embedding LEGO robotics elements inside her animal-shaped models, allowing them to come to life. This butterfly model was made in collaboration with Harald Vijverberg. You can see it in action here.   The  shark model  uses an EV3 and ultrasonic sensor. The fish have an infrared beacon hidden inside. Watch her interactive EV3 hedgehog pets here . Visit Anika's  YouTube  and  Facebook  channels to see more projects.  You can also learn more about Anika  here .

I thought the LEGO River Steamboat would be an interesting set for a ROBOTMAK3R review for a few reasons. First, the LEGO designer of the model is Marina Stampoli, a long-time collaborator of the late ROBOTMAK3R Vassilis Chryssanthakopoulo s. From earlier collaborations with Vassilis, I  knew Marina was incredibly talented, with an eye for aesthetics and functionality. Her background in architecture is particularly useful for her relatively new position at LEGO. Her other sets include the Magic of Disney (21352), Message Board (41839), and Red London Telephone Box (21347). Second, watching Marina's reveal video  and reading her designer interview made this set even more tempting to build. The gearing mechanisms running through the model gave way to many opportunities for automation using LEGO robotics elements. Since ROBOTMAK3RS is all about adding interactivity and automation to LEGO brick, I thought it would be fun to see where and how LEGO robotics could be added to this s...

Combining a LEGO set with LEGO electronics is the fundamental part of a "ROBOTMAK3R Remix". This blog post focuses on the work of Jason Alleman (aka JK Brickworks), who has a tremendous knack for automating traditional LEGO sets and "bringing bricks to life."  We hope this blog and the sample projects discussed serve as an inspiration to readers to try their hand at automating LEGO sets. Option 1: Adding gears and a crank  Take, for example, the Shark from Deep Sea Creatures (31088). Alleman transforms this simple 3-in-1 Creator Set into a kinetic sculpture . Building instructions are provided here . Another similar remix was made with the Majectic Tiger set (31129) which Alleman use to create a kinetic sculpture koi fish.  Adding a motor and hub (PoweredUp or SPIKE Essential) can easily transform these models from crank-based to motorized with LEGO robotics. Option 2: Adding motors As you build your sets, think about how you might create movement in them. For inst...

Nino Guba is from Torrance, California, USA. He played with LEGO as a kid, but growing up in the Philippines, it wasn’t something he had easy access to. He only got reintroduced to LEGO when he moved to the US and had kids of his own. When his sons were younger, they received LEGO sets as gifts, but as they grew older, the sets got put into storage as their interest faded. Fast forward a few years, he started coming up with his own product ideas and thought about how he could quickly prototype them. That’s when he discovered LEGO MINDSTORMS—and was hooked! He raided his kids’ old collection, got everything organized, and now he's designing and building his own creations, blending his coding skills with LEGO robotics to bring ideas to life. Tell us about your Ghostbusters Remote Trap Vehicle (R.T.V) project. This project is a LEGO Technic adaptation of the Ghostbusters R.T.V.—a ghost trap converted into a remote-controlled vehicle. Its companion build is a prop replica of the Futaba...

By Lee Magpili 26August.   Your Mocs have been registered! So I'm going to LEGO fan weekend in Skaerbaek Fan Weekend this year and we have to register MOCs by 1st August, long before I would build them.  So I'm going for two.  One is the Converted Mario Kart, we've seen that already. Cool thing for me is to build a cool-looking controller so it's fun to drive around from the table.  Check out this inspiration that I found in my YouTube/Instagram algorithm!  The  second is a spaceship, the program. B asically, a 100-stud shiptember (look it up) with its tie to the ROBOTMAK3RS in that I'm making it in the shape of a Scratch block.  I've had the idea for a long time, actually, so I have sketches from some time ago, and now just trying to flesh it out. Check out some sketches and ideas, one was that it could have some smaller ships also in the same design that could attach to it.  Also thinking about landing gear and other functions.   At ...