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LEGO® Mindstorms and Amazon Alexa roll-out voice-based robotics challenge 24 Sep 2019 5:00 AM (6 years ago)

Billund, September 24: The LEGO® MINDSTORMS Voice Challenge: Powered by Alexa announced today allows fans to enter for a chance to win from hundreds of prizes, including one grand prize winner who will take home $20,000 in Amazon Gift Cards, a powerful package of LEGO sets, and a trip to LEGO Headquarters in Denmark — where they will have an opportunity to tour the LEGO House and meet with LEGO designers. In addition, the winner’s creation will be displayed at the annual LEGO World event in Copenhagen.

Since the introduction of the very first LEGO brick, people of all ages have been able to build anything they can imagine. The LEGO product line-up has continued to evolve over the years, including the introduction of branded products and others which introduced new technological capabilities. Recently, the introduction of LEGO MINDSTORMS has delivered a fundamental step-change in the ability of builders to create advanced robotics, including prosthetic arms and a life-sized pinball machine. All of these LEGO products work together to create a universal system, which now has the opportunity to go one step further through the power of Alexa.

“Since its launch in 2013, LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 has delighted its customers by delivering powerful technology in an accessible way, allowing them to learn and build an endless array of imaginative projects,” said Tom Donaldson, Senior Vice President, LEGO Creative Play Lab. “We feel voice is a natural way to interface with technology, and believe it will be a large part of the world of play in the future. We are excited to collaborate with Amazon and provide our creators with the tools needed to create a whole new set of experiences with our iconic products.”

Using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit, fans can now connect LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 to Alexa, in order to unlock a new world of voice-powered experiences. Through this contest, you have the chance to activate your LEGO bin, and think outside the box with a new input — your own voice. Create voice-powered experiences such as an elephant that dances to music, an Ev3Storm robot that defends its territory from invaders, or an immersive skill-based world where your R3Ptar snake responds to voice commands and sensor-based triggers. The possibilities are endless.

“It’s still Day One, and we are just scratching the surface when it comes to the delightful experiences developers can create using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit,” said Miriam Daniel, VP of Alexa and Echo Devices, Amazon. “We feel LEGO and their powerful MINDSTORMS products will allow creators to build interactive experiences that delight, entertain, and inspire us all. We can’t wait to see what is possible with voice in the world of construction and robotics.”

How Does the Challenge Work?
Participants will build a LEGO MINDSTORMS creation that interacts with Alexa via voice using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit. Creations will be judged on voice interaction, innovative LEGO Build, and development process. The accompanying submission package must include a video demonstration and code snippets. With parental consent, 13- to 17-year-old creators can also participate in this challenge. See Official Rules for additional details.


Come for the Fun, Build for the Prizes
All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes:

· Grand Prize — Best Creation Overall (1 Winner):
One winner will receive $20,000 in Amazon.com Gift Cards, $700 in LEGO models, and a trip for two to the LEGO Headquarters in Denmark with an opportunity to showcase their creation at LEGO World in Copenhagen.

Get ready to celebrate 40 years of LEGO Technic 3 Sep 2017 9:15 AM (8 years ago)

LEGO has posted on their Facebook page this nifty animation teasing us for an upcoming celebration of 40 years of LEGO Technic.

According to its caption, "Wheels are spinning … get ready to celebrate 40 years of LEGO Technic! 🎂🎉🎈 Walk down memory lane with us when we are sending LIVE from the LEGO VAULTS, September 7 at 3pm GMT". You can see when in your part of the world the event is taking place by using a converter such as this one.

The animation is almost as mesmerising to watch as a GBC layout, but I couldn't overlook something: how is the pneumatic switch on the right moving? It's been said that no more sets will be released for the 40th anniversary of Technic, but who knows? Anyway I can't wait for the 7th of September!

UPDATE: Some more details have been revealed a moment ago:
On the 40 years anniversary of LEGO Technic, fans will have the unique chance to get a sneak peek into the LEGO Technic vaults. They will have the chance to take a trip down the memory lane and look back at some of milestones that have happened during the last 4 decades with 3 special guests: Jan Ryaa, the first LEGO Technic designer, Andrew Woodman, Senior Lead Designer on LEGO Technic and Signe Wiese, Culture Mediator at LEGO Idea House.

During the event, the fans will have the chance to ask questions to the guests and even get the chance to see their favorite (unbuilt) models right from the vault’s shelves.

Date: 7th of Sept 2017, 3 pm GMT at https://www.facebook.com/LEGOTechnic

Contest: Build to the Future 28 Mar 2017 8:16 AM (8 years ago)

Rebrick has a new contest that should please LEGO Technic and BMW fans: Build to the Future! Participants are asked to imagine the ultimate BMW Motorcycle of the future – looking 50 to 100 years into the future. Models should primarily be made out of LEGO Technic elements, and have a BMW look and feel.

One lucky grand prize winner will win a trip to BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, July 7-9th 2017, including airfare, hotel accommodations, and of course, entry into the event! They will also receive 42063 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure motorbike, signed by the design team, and a BMW Fan package, including a Silver BMW Motorrad roller pen, BMW notebook, Motersports hat, and Motorrad Lanyard.

Nine runner-ups will also receive the signed 42063 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure motorbike and BMW Fan Package.

The contest is open until May 4th 2017 at 10:00 a.m.

Enter and learn more at:

http://Rebrick.it/BMW

If you need inspiration, Milan "grohl666" Reindl, AFOL-turned-designer famous for his single-set MOCs (his 8294 Parrot being my all-time favourite) has made his own interpretation of how a futuristic BMW motorbike could look, using only elements from the 42063. You might want to take a look at the model and how it was built.


Time to hop on and ride out!

LDD (dis)continued - WeDo 2.0 elements 1 Mar 2017 6:07 AM (8 years ago)

A little over a year ago, LEGO issued a statement that initially appeared to indicate LEGO Digital Designer (LDD) had been discontinued. The exact phrasing was:

"For now, the program will continue to be offered to anyone interested in utilizing it but please do not expect any updates regarding functionality, the adding of new LEGO elements or glitch fixes. We have decided to pursue other digital experiences"

42063 B-Model revealed! 16 Feb 2017 3:45 AM (8 years ago)

This year marks the 40th anniversary of LEGO Technic® and the 1H2017 line-up is not just big (with no less than 10 sets), it also includes a licensed model, the 42063 - BMW R 1200 GS Adventure.

LDraw All-In-One-Installer 2016-01 23 Jan 2017 9:32 AM (8 years ago)

After the latest update of the LDraw library it was only to be expected that an update of the LDraw AIOI wouldn't take very long. Below the official announcement of this handy tool:

An updated version of the LDraw[1] All-In-One-Installer, in short AIOI, has been released.

The AIOI supports Windows XP (Home and Pro), Windows Vista or higher (all versions). On 64-Bit Operating Systems it will install in the "Program files (x86)" folder. The Installer will NOT run on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT Ver 4, 2000, or XP below SP2.

It contains the following changes:

* Update to Parts Library 2016-01 (published 31.12.2016)
* Update to MLCad.ini 2016-01
* Update to LDView 4.2
* Update to LPub3D 2.0.19.877.2
* Update to LeoCAD 0.83.2 - 9306
* Update to LDCad 1.6 beta 1a
* Update to Offline Parts Catalog 2016-01
* Addition of LICreator 3.0

You can download the AIOI from:

Home > Help > Get Started > LDraw All-In-One-Installer

Many thanks to all the programmers who contributed to this release.

Willy Tschager
(LDraw.org Content Manager)

LDraw.org 2016-01 Parts Update Now Available 1 Jan 2017 6:16 AM (8 years ago)

Bricks issue 15 16 Aug 2016 10:49 AM (9 years ago)

As you may know, the AFOL scene got in the past years, several generalist magazines about this great hobby. Among them we have Bricks magazine which have now reached issue 15, available in digital and print form.

Bricks 15 edition dedicates several articles to the Technic theme, models and their own LEGO Fan Media days interview.


As well it takes a look on inventive ways to use LEGO Technic elements in inventive and decorative ways.


Hence it is worth a note here, and we are glad to share the respective press release, which probably arises your interest.


The art of movement

Bricks issue 15 takes a look into the world of Technic and how it provides movement across all LEGO disciplines

The Age of Technic is here! A discipline that often plays second fiddle, considered by most a ‘love it or hate it’ theme, yet lets not underestimate the key role it has played in the development of LEGO models and their functionality. Technic is in almost every official set we see, from Nexo Knights and Ninjago to Star Wars and Super Heroes. Technic is not purely a range on its own; it’s the go-to-guy that provides engineering solutions, structurally sound frameworks and increasingly complex playable functions. Without the Technic system, most moving elements would not be possible.

This year the theme has firmly stood up to be counted with an onslaught of huge scale sets that have taken LEGO engineering to the next level; a voice that we could not ignore and so this month, we hail the wonderful world of Technic and its applications.

A great example of boundary-pushing design came in June with the release of 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS: a set like no other, hand-packaged in a black satin box adorned with luxurious artwork and a 500-plus page instructions booklet that’s more like a car manual. Racing past the Porsche, our Technic expert Ryan Welles moves his keen eye onto another licensed set, the new 42053 Volvo EW160E. Steven Jarratt gets all agricultural with 42054 Claas Xerion 5000 tractor before Ryan reappears to examine the role of Technic within System sets, and James Pegrum takes a different approach by showing you techniques for using Technic parts for their decorative rather than their functional qualities.

This issue, we also take a look at one of the new aftermarket LEGO-compatible controllers, BuWizz, before Tim Johnson takes a visit to Verona to see how shows are done ‘Italian-style’, while Li Li introduces us to the world of making LEGO circles in part two of his MOC Recipes series. This month also see the start of our new LEGO User Group section, where we showcase models of the month from Swebrick and Communidade 0937.

As ever, there’s also reviews, masterclass builds, Bright Bricks and much more. Enjoy the issue and keep building.

With 124 pages packed full of inspirational models and exclusive features Bricks is the premier LEGO fan magazine. With a price of just £4.99, why accept anything less?


Order your copy today and enjoy the reading!

SBrick universe in continuous expansion 9 Aug 2016 1:40 AM (9 years ago)

It has been time for Vengit to polish the rough edges from SBrick, specially on the Android app front, and add functionality to the overall solution (Firmware, App, Profile Designer).
While SBrick get matured and causes good impression/interest in the community, others have been demonstrating intent to develop their own SBrick like alternative prototypes via own Kickstarter campaigns, like BlueSmartControl and BuWizz or even quite different alternatives as RCBricks, with more or less success. So far only one of this terminated a KS campaign but without reaching its stretch goals.

Meanwhile SBrick continues to evolve with new features and options.


More Colors

Option to replace the default plastic LBG case, with brand new colored cases (black, withe, red, yellow)



You can order them in packs of four of the same color or one of each color, for a small bargain at SBrick Store.



More Programming Options

Scratch was added to SBrick ecosystem and allows to deploy pre-programed actions to any SBrick powered LEGO model.



Scratch is a free-to-use education platform available for an increasing number of robotics solutions, which uses drag and drop method to teach kids the possibilities of programming and robotics. This opens a new world of possibilities for SBrick in Education programs, something that creators of SBrick envisioned when they first imagined it.

Scratch is developed and maintained by the Scratch Team at the Lifelong Kindergarten group at MIT Media Lab.

Read more at SBrick Wiki and learn how to connect and program SBrick from your computer here, provided that you have an adequate BLE dongle. I've done it myself and can assure you it is really easy.


More (bigger) Market

Building-up on the possibilities offered by the recent SBrick compatibility with Scratch, Vengit is expanding their target market by creating their first "SBrick - Education Pack".



This pack has been designed around SBrick, a powerful remote control platform for LEGO, to teach programming to children aged as young as 7. Immersive lessons combine physical dexterity, mechanical thinking, programming fundamentals and robotics for a learning experience children love.

Each pack contains 20+ hours of lessons divided into short 40 minute activities, as well as the instructions needed to build 12 unique models. The pack also includes a teaching guide for educators.

Expected to be available by end of August, this pack is already available for pre-order from official SBrick Store.



And still more to come... Stay tuned!

4x4 A25F Articulated Hauler is a reality after all 9 Jul 2016 7:31 AM (9 years ago)

You might remember two years ago (Aug.2014) when the 42030 Remote-Controlled VOLVO L350F Wheel Loader was released, there were some wondering and discussions about the B-model Articulated Hauler for several reasons [1].

Main one was probably the fact the B-model was presented in a two axles version (4 wheels as there weren't more included with the main model). No one was able to find any online reference that proved the physical existence of a 4-wheeled A25F Articulated Hauler, unlike its predecessors A25D and A25E which were also made available in 4x4 variants.

A25F seemed to be available only in the 6-wheeled version at the time and digging into VOLVO CE catalogs I got the impression that 4x4 versions could eventually be possible to order as customized models.



The LEGO Technic team was also aware of the fan community discussions about this topic, and promoted the production of the video below asked us to share it with you. If you look carefully you can finally see the physical version of the 4-wheeled A25F Articulated Hauler.



So it seems now that licenses are getting more and more importance to the LEGO Technic line, the relations between TLG and VOLVO CE are kept live an strong. The release of the new 42053 VOLVO EW 160E Excavator is just another evidence of that and so I believe we will continue to see licensed VOLVO models at the LEGO Technic assortment in the years to come.


Other Articulated Hauler comments were related to the unrealistic longitudinal engine position and the "cage look" of the tipper because of it not being closed and having too many "holes", rendering it almost useless. But of course there was not enough panels in the main model to build it differently.


Thanks for the heads up to the LEGO Technic team, who demonstrates to listen to their fans!

LEGO Fan Medias Days, 2016 - LEGO Technic Interview 7 Jul 2016 12:22 AM (9 years ago)

Last 2nd and 3rd of June the LEGO Fan Media Days took place in Billund, where some guided visits to cult spots took place, like the LEGO Memory Lane (aka Vault) in the basement of the LEGO Idea House, and the Kornmarken LEGO Molding Factory.
They were great LEGO experiences, but probably the most fantastic and valuable moments were the interviews done with some LEGO Teams (Technic, Bionicle, LEGO Ideas, LEGO House, LEGO Rebrick, LEGO Worlds and LEGO Knights) that took place in the second day at Innovation House.

TBs did interviews with most of them, and we will publish here the resulting video interviews as they get released.
As it couldn't be otherwise we're starting with the interview to the LEGO Technic Team, where we spoke to Andrew Woodman (Andy), Senior Design Manager LEGO Technic and fellow AFOL Milan Reindl, Designer LEGO Technic well known in the community.

I and Paul (Sariel) agreed to join efforts and each to produce videos with the interview footage of booth. Unfortunately the hamsters were not present to help.

You can watch and listen to what we managed to get, and even have a sneak peak on the upcoming 2H16 LEGO Technic models.



Unfortunately many of the questions received from you and prepared beforehand did not fit in two 30 minute interviews and thus remained to be asked under the video cameras. Eventually we may have another opportunity next year...

And no, there were no saucy questions about the successful 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS caught on camera.



Have fun!

Build the Porsche of Your Dreams - Contest 20 Jun 2016 5:26 PM (9 years ago)

As you might have noticed LEGO Technic team as launched a new contest, using Rebrick as a platform to collect the participants entries.

As a side note, Rebrick moved from its initial mission where users could bookmark LEGO creations shared in other websites, into a LEGO contests platform. As I was never a big fan of the Rebrick bookmark philosophy, I can only applaud this strategic move.
It is also the first time LEGO Technic uses Rebrick as the platform for a contest, which makes full sense. If you remember the 9398 4x4 Crawler contest was run directly at LEGO Technic website, and so the loose ends finally ties up.

Back on topic, the contest description reveals the purpose...

“In the beginning I looked around but couldn’t find the car I dreamed of, so I decided to build it myself.” - Ferry Porsche
Now you can go in the legendary footsteps of Ferry Porsche and build the Porsche of your dreams using LEGO bricks.
We are giving you complete creative freedom to build within the Porsche brand design and LEGO Technic look and feel.
Whether you prefer to build a sports car, a race car, a historical Porsche tractor, or another Porsche model we invite you to build the Porsche of your dreams with no limitation to a specific era or model type.

The contest is open for submissions until 2016.08.01 at 10:00 PM CEST, and you may submit your creation at Rebrick contest page.

The 'How to Enter', contest rules and prizes can also be found at the same page.You can submit any physical or LDD model, but remember it must have a LEGO Technic look and feel, you can only use LEGO elements plus stickers, and your model must resemble a Porsche vehicle regardless whether you prefer to build a sports car, a race car, a historical Porsche tractor, or any other Porsche model.

If it makes you feel more likely to participate, here are the prizes

The Grand PrizeThere will be one grand prize winner. This person will receive
1. Trip from their home country to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart Germany
2. An exclusive guided tour of the Porsche Museum and the Porsche production facilities in Stuttgart
4. One 911 limited die cast model of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS scaled 1:18
5. One 42056 LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS signed by LEGO designer Uwe Wabra
6. One certificate of winning

Runner-up PrizesThere will be nine runner-ups. These will receive
1. One 911 limited die cast model of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS scaled 1:18
2. One 42056 LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS signed by LEGO designer Uwe Wabra
3. One certificate of winning

The judgement will be done in two stages, where first a panel of 3 expert LEGO Technic guest judges will select 20 semi-finalists, and later a panel of judges from LEGO Technic and Porsche will select one grand prize winner and nine runner-ups from the 20 semi-finalists.

In both stages, the judgement criteria will be:

• Overall coolness and originality (25%)
• Most inspired details and functions on the model (25%)
• Understanding of the Porsche brand design and competition theme (25%)
• Overall LEGO Technic look and feel of the model (25%)

Take your chance! The prizes are worth it!

42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS - Video Review 2 Jun 2016 6:54 PM (9 years ago)

We are just getting ready for Fan Media Day and interview the LEGO Technic team in Billund in a few hours, among other LEGO teams.
Unfortunately this means the full Porsche 911 GT3 RS written review won't be ready until I return home. Meanwhile the video review version of it has just been uploaded, and here you have it to see.

Stay tuned for more!

What would you ask the LEGO Technic Team, if you could? 15 May 2016 12:28 AM (9 years ago)

I was thrilled when I found out that TechnicBRICKs was invited to attend the FAN MEDIA DAY event happening next 3rd of June, at the LEGO headquarters in Billund, Denmark.

Can you imagine?... We will have the great pleasure to get together and interview the LEGO Technic team, and by the way also a few other LEGO teams and franchises.

Help us - What would you ask if it was you going there?

Post your questions and we'll take some with us.
But please understand certain questions may collide with TLG trade secrets and also LEGO does not comment on future products and releases. This means it is not worth to ask such questions like, will you ever do this set, release that new element, when will the first LPF 2.0 elements start to appear in Technic sets, etc.

Let your imagination run wild and ask about anything else Technic.

We still have no idea how to make it fit, but this could be also an opportunity to ask the designers about some technicalities that we never completely understood, like certain friction pins that sometimes are used where apparently their frictionless counterparts should have been used instead. We remember this happening for instance with the outriggers in 42009 Mobile Crane MK II and the shaft that turn changeover catches in 8043 Motorized Excavator. Both in parts of flagship hence large sets where friction penalizes performance and easily the batteries struggle to make the respective functions work flawlessly [1, 2]. Do you recall any similar situations which made you wonder .



If you fill likely you may also raise some other general questions. There will be opportunity to interview a few other teams and franchises (e.g LEGO Worlds, LEGO Ideas, Rebrick, etc.) and depending on the questions raised we will book a slot to interview them as well.


Thanks for your contribution. It is much appreciated!

Technicopedia New Update (1999) 5 May 2016 6:33 PM (9 years ago)

Today we made a return to tell you Technicopedia recently got yet another update. This time Eric Albrecht (Blakbird) added his usual detailed descriptions and images for all the LEGO Technic models released in the year of 1999.

This was a year with many new sets (25) but most of them were small vehicles and weird figures which I hardly can identify as Technic, but we all know these kind of obscure years when LEGO was entering in a dark era that almost took the company into bankruptcy...
But since not everything needed to be bad news, this was also the year that brought a major change for the Technic theme. A new supercar was born - 8448 Super Street Sensation aka Super Car Mk II.
By this time the innovative Technic beams had already been introduced, but a new world of curved panels and flex cables just emerged.

Out of curiosity this set resulted from styling exercise. LEGO sponsored a design project at Coventry University and used those ideas in creating the model. They used rounded beams and new fairing panels to suggest body panels and the new flexible cross axles and corrugated tubes to create a curves that were simply not possible with older construction techniques. The result was by far the most realistic looking of the auto chassis released to date.



Apart from the 8466 4x4 Off-Roader, which is super but not exactly a car, the 8448 was in the opinion of many the last LEGO Technic supercar released, but just until we get our hands in the upcoming 46056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS...

BlueSmartControl - automate your Technic creations 27 Apr 2016 12:48 AM (9 years ago)

A little over a yer ago TBs posted a first article about BlueSmartControl or BSC as the developers abbreviate it. Back then the product was still in very early development and while it showed some promise, it wasn't commercially available.

Since then a lot has happened.

Now I can hear you thinking: why would I need another BlueTooth controller for my Technic creations when there's already something like the SBrick. It's a fair question and one that merits a well thought answer, so let's take it in steps.


On the surface there are a number of similarities between the two platforms as well as some striking differences:



SBrick is a BLE controlled device with one input (battery power) and 4 outputs (motors/lights) in a slick and very LEGO-like casing, with a 4x4 footprint and includes a few pinholes for easy integration into a model.

BSC is a BT controlled device with 5 inputs (battery + sensors) and 6 outputs (motors/lights) in a simple non-proprietary casing with a 4x6 footprint that can easily be attached to a plate (bottom side) and is just under 2 bricks high (including connected cables - BSC comes with PF cables that have been modified on one end to fit the unit)








So far the SBrick looks to be the mor professional solution, or does it? If we think in terms of technology there are a few significant differences that can already be easily observed. A first difference is in the BlueTooth technology used. While BLE is a very promising new technology there are still large number of devices that don't support it. BLE requires Android version 4.4 and above. BSC on the other hand works with BT 2.1 and above meaning any Android 4.0 device (and above) is compatible. Another difference lies in the number of motor connection points - 4 for SBrick and 6 for BSC. In addition, BSC comes with a specific port for connecting sensors.

The app is very responsive as can be seen in this (quite long) video Sariel made last year, testing the functionality of the app, including buttons, sliders and a game pad that allows controlling 2 motors linked to the X and Y positions on the pad:



Are you starting to see the differences?

Then let's look at what BSC can do. The BSC Control Center is the app that is used to control the BSC unit (or units - up to 7 units can be controlled at the same time, meaning you can use 42 outputs in a single scenario!). This app is the heart of the power of BSC and is what sets it aside. While the SBrick app allows you to create beautiful scenarios and controls, in essence those controls are only digital renderings of the physical controls LEGO provides with the standard Technic remote ("bang bang" control, that is on/off) and the Train remote (specific power level settings). While this can obviously also be done in the BSC Control Center, this app takes control to the next level by introducing programmable sequences.

Probably the easiest way to explain the implications of this system is by going back to Sariels Automated Trafficators System, a mechanical solution to make the indicator lights on motorised vehicles blink while it steered in the corresponding direction. His solution involved an M-motor and 3 polarity switches. The BSC Control Center allows you to do the same thing with a single control (button/slider/...). How? By setting up a sequence in the app by which each time you move the slider you have assigned to the steering mechanism is moved to the right not only the motor assigned to steering is turned on, but the lights on the side of the vehicle you steer towards start blinking. This means that with a single control you can set in motion several simultaneous or sequential actions.

The next step would be adding sensors to this mix. Unfortunately, MINDSTORMS sensors are quite bulky and incorporating an EV3 into a Technic model can be challenging at best. The size and power of BSC open up completely new avenues in this regard. Have a look at this short and very simple video of a lift, controlled by BSC. The carriage incorporates a magnet and there are reed switches on each floor level:


The BSC also works with an RFID sensor which can read transponder tags. You can see an excellent application of this principle in the video below in which the RFID sensor is used to detect the position of a train:


These are only the first of a series of sensors that are proposed by the BSC team. RFID is especially interesting for application in Train layouts as it allows you to know where each train is and progam sequences accordingly - starting ans stopping trains automatically, think of signal lights, switch points, etc. But Hall sensors, light sensors, Reed switches and distance sensors can all be integrate with the BSC and programmed from the BSC Control Sensor

The BSC is currently on Kickstarter, and his is their promotional video:

42056 - The official video presentation 26 Apr 2016 3:21 AM (9 years ago)

Now, the real thing!

42056 - LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS was announced 25 Apr 2016 2:53 PM (9 years ago)

It was yesterday we've seen a new official LEGO Technic teaser at LEGO Tecnhic Facebbok page (Promobricks copy at YT below) with a statement - "Coming in 911 hours".

We didn't have to wait that long for more...

LEGO announced the next big thing and it... well it is orange!... it just reminded me the days we were discussing here why almost everything Technic was Yellow?... and how cool it would be to spread some orange tone, or even to turn this in one mainstream Techic color...
Well... it has happened since then but this is truly awesome!



The Press Release

The LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS: the art of engineering and design in 2,704 elements
One of the latest models in the legendary 911 family, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, is appearing as a detailed LEGO Technic model. The exclusive LEGO set of the exceptional sports car, which has been developed in close conjunction with Porsche AG, will initially be available at shop.LEGO.com from June 1st, 2016, as well as in the 13 LEGO stores throughout Germany and Austria. It will be available in other stores from August 1st, 2016.

Munich, April 25, 2016. Like every sports car with the Porsche emblem on the hood, the LEGO version of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS also combines design, performance, and functionality. Still concealed in black-and-white foil as a mystery model at the Nuremberg toy fair late January, the color of the characteristic bodywork has now been revealed and shines in bright orange. Thus, it corresponds to the special coating of the original sports car in lava orange authentically. The model, which has 2,704 elements, also delights the beholder with sleek, aerodynamic lines and an adjustable rear spoiler. Besides many authentic features, the packaging and accessories that come with this complex LEGO Technic model also contribute to a building experience rich in variety: among other things, the box contains a comprehensive collector’s book with exclusive background information on the development of the model. Furthermore, the elements of the individual assembly groups are packed in separate boxes for the first time and, together with the detailed instructions, provide an insight into the assembly process of the actual vehicle.

The LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS combines design and functionality
According to Ferry Porsche, driving enjoyment is not created by comfort - quite the opposite is the case. Consequently, the LEGO model also features a few rough edges that give it identity and character, just like the powerful original on which it is based: the authentically recreated bodywork is convincingly realistic with its characteristically low and sloping design, the large cooling air intakes at the front, the surface contouring of its roof and compartment lid, the unique front wheel arch air outlets of the lightweight carbon fenders and the striking rear wings.

Both the performance and the sportiness of the original have been realistically reproduced in various technical features on the LEGO model. One particular highlight is the fully functional Porsche double-clutch transmission with four gears and gearshift paddles on the steering wheel. But all technically minded LEGO fans will especially love building and playing with the six-cylinder boxer engine with moving pistons underneath the rear lid.

In addition to the technical features, the interior of the model is also authentic and close to the original. A detailed dashboard, a steering wheel with gearshift paddles, racing seats, and a glove compartment concealing a unique serial number can all be found in the easily accessible cockpit. Using this serial number, additional exclusive content can also be released from June 1st 2016 by following www.lego.com/technic.

Further product highlights on the LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS for master builders aged 16 and over include:

• Opening doors and hood
• A trunk with case
• Authentic stickers to give the model the faithful final touch
• Rims in the original design with RS emblem

The LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS is a 1:10 scale model and is 17 cm high, 57 cm long, and 25 cm wide.

And the RRPs are:
US $299.99 - CA $349.99 - DE 299.99€ - UK £249.99 - DK 2599.00 DKK
*Euro pricing varies by country.  Please visit shop.LEGO.com for regional pricing

There is also a detailed interview with the LEGO Technic designers Andrew Woodman and Uwe Wabra, but let's start with their bios.



The Designer Bios

Mini Bio: Andy Woodman
Current position: Senior Design Manager LEGO Technic



Andy Woodman, age 44, married with 1 daughter aged 4 who already shares her dad’s passion for speed and loves to ride around on her own Ducati.
Lives in a forest area of Denmark in a house they designed and built themselves.
Has a first class Hon’s degree in Industrial Design and Masters degree in Vehicle Design from the Royal College of Art, London.
Work experience includes RLE international, DAF Trucks Holland, Emap and Lego System A/S where he has worked since 2003.
Has a passion and interest for all forms of design especially Architecture, Vehicles and Yachts. Passes on this passion and knowledge for design by lecturing at local colleges, hopefully inspiring others to be interested in perusing a design career.
Loves cars and all things automotive, especially racing his rally prepared Porsche 911. Loves road trips and exploring new places, hates plane travel, not flying, just everything associated with it. Still looking for the ultimate family car, to use on a grand tour with the family and explore new places.


Mini Bio: Uwe Wabra
Current position: Senior Designer in the LEGO Technic department



Uwe Wabra, has worked at the LEGO Group since 1996.
Lives close to Billund in a home he has renovated over a number of years and is constantly evolving to accommodate his fantastic collection of Auto Memorabilia.
Originally trained as a chef at a prestigious Danish Hotel before turning to his other passion, carpentry. Then in 1996 he got the opportunity to reignite his childhood passion for LEGO Building by accepting a position with the LEGO Group in the LEGO Technic department.
Since then he has had many roles designing for other departments in the company but his passion is for the LEGO Technic models and is very happy to be back working with the LEGO Technic team.
Has a passion for all things automotive – just take a quick look in his garage or at his model collection, which is spread all over his garage and house. It really is an eclectic collection of cars, bikes and trucks.
His passion is for classic vehicles and of course, Porsche has a strong past. He has always had a Beetle and now that he has worked with Porsche, he really wants a 356.


And of course...


The Interview!

The designers of the LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS Andrew Woodman and Uwe Wabra are talking about their dream project – from the idea to the complete model.

What was the idea behind this project?

Andrew Woodman: As a lover of design and high-performance cars, it was a dream to make the Porsche 911 our first model. When we started to collect ideas for this new LEGO Technic model, we realized that we wanted to create more than just a great building experience. It should be all over special. We knew that we needed a partner with the perfect vehicle that was both highly desirable and a true icon. So we reached out to Porsche.

How did the cooperation with Porsche run?

Andrew Woodman: The cooperation with Porsche was fantastic. The employees are incredibly passionate for the Porsche brand and showed huge interest in our LEGO Technic model.
From our very first meeting it was clear that Porsche shared the same passion for the vision of this concept and together we decided upon using the current 911 GT3 RS as the first vehicle in this LEGO Technic series.

How much time did the whole process take and what were the particular development steps?

Andrew Woodman: The whole process took almost two ages: From the development of initial design ideas concerning the concept in winter 2013 to the final approval of the model by Porsche in fall 2015.

Uwe Wabra: When we started our initial drafts in 2013, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS project remained top secret. Therefore I had to build the first LEGO version using photos of the camouflaged prototype of the original from the internet. The first LEGO prototype was ready in a matter of weeks.

Andrew Woodman: We presented the result of the first model to the design team of the 911 GT3 RS at Porsche and discussed the basic technical functionalities as well as the shape of the body. On the basis of this feedback we designed the next model and simultaneously started with the development of the wheels rims which are an important part of the legendary design of the car. Afterwards we visited the Porsche Development Center in Weissach as well as the Porsche GT workshop area. During intensive working phases we worked out the elements and details of the car and perfected them. The final step was the approval by Porsche.

Did you experience a special moment during the development phase?

Andrew Woodman: During our visit at the Porsche GT workshop area we could see a preproduction 911 GT3 RS complete and finished in lava orange. This was the first time we saw the car in color – all the others had been black which made it difficult to see the proportions and details of the car.

How many persons were involved in the development process?

Andrew Woodman: Several persons participated in the development of this model: Among others, a graphic designer started working on the required decorations and stickers. In the meantime model designers worked further on the styling and on the development of particular components, for example the gearbox.

What were the challenges during the development of the LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS?

Andrew Woodman: One of the biggest challenges for us laid in designing an element that works on the 911 GT3 RS, but also in general with all others LEGO Technic elements. Furthermore something that could work in our system for years to come.

Uwe Wabra: It was important to integrate as many of the advanced technical functionalities from the real 911 GT3 RS as we could. The steering and suspension were difficult enough, but our biggest challenge was the creation of the functioning double-clutch transmission with gearshift paddles.

Now is my take

Well... the car looks amazing and is expected to feature quite nice features as advertised above, and already expected since we got to see its "spy pictures" taken in this season Toy Fairs. The curves, the proportions, the color, all seems to fit incredible well with the original from the Stuttgart manufacturer.

Although what I'm most enthusiastic about is the cocktail of new parts that seems coming with this one, new cool rims, new 11x7 curved panels, new fenders, this to talk about what is visible at the moment.
And if that was not enough, another set of parts will make their orange addition to the inventory (flex axles, panels,...).

For the rest of the descriptions you can find some more illustrations in the picture below.



As it seems, no more, no less... the first true LEGO Technic Supercar after 8448 Super Street Sensation from 1999!

Was 42054 steering mechanism uncovered? 10 Mar 2016 12:18 AM (9 years ago)

In the months preceding the release of new Technic models it is usual that some curious minds try to decipher the most hidden secrets about their mechanics.
And one of the most intriguing aspects related to the new 42054 Class Xerion 5000 TRAC VC, is the control of its steering modes combination (2WS, 4WS and Crab Steering).
We have seen it working at some videos from the model unveiling at recent Toy Fairs, but there was too few clues on how this was designed except there is a stick to switch modes when moved into three existing side-by-side slots.

Barman (barebos) made a guess exercise to find which mechanism could be in the heart of this Xerion, that's responsible to control the advanced steering modes. He came up with some amazing stuff and presented it to us in a cool video.

In a few months we will have the opportunity to see how accurate his guess was .

LDraw All-In-One-Installer 2015-02 1 Feb 2016 6:41 AM (9 years ago)

Willy Tschager  (LDraw.org Content Manager) has just sent us the following message:


An updated version of the LDraw[1] All-In-One-Installer, in short AIOI, has been released. 

The AIOI supports Windows XP (Home and Pro), Windows Vista or higher (all versions). On 64-Bit Operating Systems it will install in the "Program files (x86)" folder. The Installer will NOT run on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT Ver 4, 2000, or XP below SP2. 
It contains the following changes:

Upgraded to LDraw Parts Library 2015-02
Upgraded to LPub3D 1.3.4.591.2
Upgraded to LDCad 1.5
Added LSulpt 0.5.0
Added tons of OMR-Models
Lets you decide the location of the LDraw parts library
You can download the AIOI from: 

Home > Help > Get Started > LDraw All-In-One-Installer 

Many thanks to all the programmers who contributed to this release. 

Willy Tschager 
(LDraw.org Content Manager)


[1] LDraw is an open standard for LEGO CAD programs that allow the user to create virtual LEGO models and scenes. You can use it to document models you have physically built, create building instructions just like LEGO, render 3D photo realistic images of your virtual models and even make animations.


I have been building quite a lot with LDCad and using LPub3D to create instructions and a lot of improvements have been made to the programs over the last fe months. If you don't already have these programs installed be sure to update them, either using the AIOI or doing so manually one by one!

2H2016 Technic Sets - Part II 30 Jan 2016 6:10 AM (9 years ago)

As I mentioned in my first post on the 2H2016 Technic sets, each new toy fair reveals more details of the upcoming sets, and the Nuremberg Spielwarenmesse has been particularly generous in the amount of information that was revealed.

So let's have another look at the list of new sets.

• 42051 - Airport Rescue Vehicle

Technic Factory has the following to say about the set:

Lego Technic 42051 Airport Rescue Vehicle (cancelled)
This set was planned for mid-2016, but it has been cancelled and will never be produced. It was a big airport fire truck, with red color, modern style, arm with water canon which could be lift up and oriented. 6 wheels with 4 wheels steering and lots of details also: lights, mirrors, few stickers… Seats were designed with new white panel parts, like wing of set 42045 Hydroplane Racer.

Parts : approx 1100, without Power Functions or Pneumatic
Initially Estimated Price : USA: $74.99, Europe: 64.99€, but it will not be sold.

I always find it curious when this level of detail is presented for a set that apparently has been cancelled. We'll probably never know why, but from the description of the set, the set wasn't quite as exciting as the remaining sets for the second half of this year.

• 42053 - Volvo EW160E

Vrromm!... 26 Jan 2016 7:07 AM (9 years ago)

So it seems the secret project was not so secret after all!...

Jim just posted a couple of pictures at EB from an IP car, Porsche branded which seem take from some Toy Fair as we see the typical TLG exhibition turntables and the elements with the correspondent set number (42056 in the present case).

As we can see it is a 1:10 scale model and it looks gorgeous except the anticipated price... If correct one can say that licenses may hurt your wallet!

New fender panels and and rims look very appropriate.

For the size and rumored price tag, I still dream with the possibility of seeing PF 2.0 elements coming live into LEGO Technic sets sooner than expected, with some XL motors that can remotely drive this beast from my smartphone via BLE...

2H2016 Technic Sets 25 Jan 2016 5:55 AM (9 years ago)

It is Toy Fair season and all the big toy companies are showing off their new offerings for this year. The New York Toy Fair is held from February 13-16, the Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg will take place from 27 January to 1 February and the first reports about the 2016H2 technic sets are coming in from the London Toy Fair 2016.

Huw Millingtone visited the fair and paid has posted his observation in several blog entries on Brickset. These are his observations on the Technic sets he has seen:

• 42051 Airport rescue vehicle was not being displayed

It’s very little information to go on, but a google search returns mainly this kind of vehicle:


The set number is a little odd as is comes before the 42052 Heavy Lift Helicopter. Even so, that doesn’t really provide us with much information, because the Helicopter is a +1000 piece set and the two following sets that have been shown on the London Toy Fair are clearly smaller than the helicopter. LEGO has done a similar vehicle before. In 2003 it launched the 8454 Rescue Truck with 693 pieces and a retail price of around €70 it looks like this new model will be somewhat smaller and/or possible less technically complex.

• 42053 Volvo EW160E, Looks much like these, primarily yellow and black but with orange accents which looked very smart. It features pneumatics controlled with a pump but no reservoir. I'm not sure how many cylinders. £70

It looks like we will get a wheeled excavator instead of the (for LEGO) more traditional tracked base. I am particularly curious to know is this set will take advantage of the new longer pneumatic cylinders. In addition, while Hew indicates the model includes a (hand) pump, it is not entirely unlikely the model may come prepared to be motorized as was the 8049. You can check out the 2-part review of the model here and here. The second part reveals the possibility to motorize the set with a compressor built with the small pump included in the set.

As for the cylinder count, that again will depend on the size of the model. On the past LEGO has mechanically linked the movement of the second stage of the arm with the closing/opening of the bucket in smaller models, but I sincerely hope the model will feature 3 independent controls, with a single cylinder for each of them.

• 42054 Claas Xerion 5000 tractor. £120. A pretty faithful representation of the real thing. It's lime green, as you'd expect. It's fitted with a red log grabbing attachment and is motorised. It comes with new wheels which are massive. The cab rotates 90 degrees to enable the driver to get a better view at the back.

Lime green appears to be a favourite LEGO tractor colour. Lime green was also used in the Tractor with Log Loader referenced above, the small 8281 and the even smaller 8260.

The Claas Xerion 5000 was also proposed as a LEGO Ideas model, but only gathered 183 supporters. This version is not likely to anywhere as complex as the model proposed there and given the price I don’t think it likely it contains any motorized functions.



The images of that model do give us an idea of what that rotating cab might look like. The massive wheels are also something to look forward to!

• 42055 Bucket Wheel Excavator. £180 Oh. My. God. What a fantastic thing! It's absolutely huge! It's the largest Technic model in physical size, by some margin, and also piece count, over 3000. It looks something like the bottom vehicle shown on this page, in that there are two conveyer belts, one lifting material up from the buckets, the other taking it to a nearby truck, which is included. It's hard to estimate the size but it's probably 50cm high and slightly longer. The colour scheme is mostly grey but with a good smattering of yellow beams and dark blue panels. Definitely best in show for me!

The largest Technic set ever, both in piece count and size, by the sound of it. I remember seeing one of these monsters operating in Germany and they are absolutely massive. A single bucket on the bucket wheel can excavate more material than a large dumper truck can hold!



The dark blue panels are again something to look forward to. I’m surprised by the price though. With this kind of piece count I would have expected this to be the most expensive set in the 2H2016 range, but according to all the information I have seen so far, it isn’t…

• 42056 'confidential super car'. Exactly what this is was not revealed, and won't be for some months we were told. It's about the size of 8880 and we think it'll be black although, like when prototypes of real cars are test driven, it was covered in 'camouflage' stickers to make it difficult to determine what it is. I can tell you however that it comes with a lot of new curved panels, including mudguards, and weighs in at a massive £250! Chris has fallen in love with the set and thinks it could be a Porsche 911 GT, which is certainly possible.

According to another source, the name for the set is 42056 Confidential Technic Ultramotive, which basically means the same thing: one heck of an expensive supercar. Personally I hope this is not another collaboration for an existing model (Porche, MacLaren, or other). It would drive the price up unnecessarily (or maybe that explains the price tag) for a car which in my opinion is the perfect opportunity to take LEGO supercars to the next level, including all sorts of innovative solutions to include technical detail.

WeDo 2.0 - the new parts 6 Jan 2016 2:40 AM (9 years ago)

Yesterday I posted the announcement of the new WeDo 2.0 set, including some images of models that clearly show there are not only new electronics in the set, but also a new connection system.

Today I bring you some high resolution images of those new elements to whet your appetite and as an incentive to further speculation on where this may take us. Just in case you didn't read my earlier post on WeDo, what really sparked our imagination is the fact that this new set is marketed as using the Power Functions system, but it is not compatible with the previous WeDo set which uses PF as we all know it. As a matter of fact, the WeDo 2.0 FAQ says these new components belong to the LPF 2.0 system!! So what's in store for us?

Let's start off with the hub. The new WeDo 2.0 hub (part number 45301) consists of two parts. On the one hand there is a space for batteries (2x AA or a rechargeable Li-Po pack - more on this later), the bottom grey part. The white top contains the BLE module which enables the hub to communicate to a computer or tablet (Mac, PC, iPad or Android - Chrome Book will be added to this list in the second half of the year. The green spot appears to be the on/off switch, but the transparent area next to it is an RGB led that can be programmed from the software to display 10 different colours: none, pink, purple, blue, sky blue, teal, green, yellow, orange, red, and white.

Last but not least, a shout out to Vassilis Chryssanthakopoulos AKA Nextstorm from blast education for the additional images!

WeDo 2.0 - The future of PF 5 Jan 2016 1:49 PM (9 years ago)

CES (Computer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas is always an excellent reference and a showcase for the new technologies that will appear in the coming year. This year is no different. LEGO have just announced  a new product: WeDo 2.0

WeDo came to market in 2009, geared towards starting robotics with primary school children. The first version of WeDo had a USB tether or hub to which 1 motor and 1 sensor or 2 sensors could be connected. The software runs on a computer that acts as the brain of the gadgets that are built with LEGO elements that are mostly from the System catalogue (stackable rather modern "Technic").

Version 2.0, which was presented today, comes with several important updates to this earlier platform. The main novelty is the fact that the new hub is not tethered, but rather a kind of intelligent battery box (for standard batteries or a separately sold battery pack) which connects to the computer via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

This makes it possible to program the hub, not only via a computer, but also from a portable device (iPad/Android tablet) or even a Chrome Book (the latter in the second half of 2016).

Also new is the way motor and sensors connect to the hub. At first glance, the cables already look wider than usual, but upon closer examination it is clear to see that the connector type used is very similar to the one you see in MINDSTORMS. :



In the following image you can see all the electronic elements in the set: the hub, a new motor and two sensors. The sensors are said to be more advanced, but it remains to be seen whether that is because the software now includes options that were already available in Scratch or because they are really better.



The software for WeDo 2.0 can be downloaded free of charge, but LEGO also offers a paid curriculum pack with +40 hours of lesson plans.

It looks like the price of the new set will be around €160, which sounds quite good, taking into account the technological update, the fact that the software is now included and the larger number of elements that in the first WeDo set.

So now, after the "sales pitch" it's time to discuss something interesting and exciting that has come up while I was asking for additional information on this new platform. In the official press release the new elements are referred to as PF elements so I had to ask and this is what I was told:

Q: Why do you call the elements PF when the connectors are not compatible? 
A: We call them PF because it is linking up to the new platform. WeDo 2.0 is not compatible with the old WeDo. Although all future PF will be compatible with the new platform introduced with WeDo 2.0.

This has enormous implications as it sounds like PF is moving into a new direction, with 6 wire cables and different connectors that could enable completely new possibilities! Time to start speculating!!