Posey makes playing with snap-together blocks okay for adults

C'mon, be honest -- the unofficial cutoff age for playing with Legos sans kids is sometime way before puberty, but thanks to a new development from Carnegie Mellon University, we adults may soon be able to unashamedly indulge in those desires once more. Posey, hailed as a "hands-on way of interacting with computers," features a plethora of snap-together, sensor-laden parts that can communicate with PCs through ZigBee. When a user attaches a leg to a body, for instance, an on-screen representation immediately mimics the movement, providing hours of fun and some real promise for future applications. No word on whether these things are set to go commercial anytime soon, but we'd sure love to replace this aging (and seemingly busted) voodoo doll with one of these critters, pronto.

[Image courtesy of Posey Code Lab Wiki]

[dj-kenpo @ Feb 3rd 2008 10:41AM]

screw calling it a toy.

amatuer 3d animators around the world would love this thing. recording the motion off a stick figure? that would make animating a lot more flexible.

[Slawek @ Feb 3rd 2008 10:42AM]

I don't get it.

[silverblackvoid @ Feb 3rd 2008 10:42AM]

replace that dummy with optimus prime and it would be cool.

[Fleeman @ Feb 3rd 2008 11:38AM]

Why is that guy not wearing any pants?

[Jay @ Feb 3rd 2008 11:44AM]

Legos are elegant, high-quality toys. Some of the models are really works of art. To say they're only for kids is to admit defeat by time you old farts.

[MechaDEVO @ Feb 3rd 2008 11:47AM]

I resent your LEGO comments. I get paid to teach LEGO robotics and coach a small FLL team. There is no age cutoff, dammit.

[Johan Strandberg @ Feb 3rd 2008 12:38PM]

> Why is that guy not wearing any pants?

Maybe they misspelled the first word in the headline?

[Miles Ross @ Feb 3rd 2008 1:51PM]

That is a girl wearing a dress

[Lee @ Feb 3rd 2008 3:45PM]

Are they planning on marketing this thing to animators?

[absurdio @ Feb 3rd 2008 5:19PM]

Not to continue harping on the defense of Legos, but...
You're saying this thing's more adult-friendly because the computer knows how all thirteen of its blocks are moving? Gosh! now you can watch your figure move in your hand AND on a screen! Adult-friendly!

...Gimme a new Mindstorms kit over this guy, any day.

[Chuckles McGee @ Feb 3rd 2008 5:42PM]

He's from Carnegie Mellon University.

[James Cameron @ Feb 3rd 2008 9:24PM]

Cool stuff but I wouldn't say this would benefit 3d animators. More like stop motion animation.

[Tired_ @ Feb 3rd 2008 11:07PM]

@MechaDEVO: You get paid to play Lego with other people???

If I eat your brain, can I have your life?

[SteveMB @ Feb 3rd 2008 11:54PM]

Who wears short shorts

[robogeek @ Feb 4th 2008 9:31PM]

I agree, legos are fun to build at any age. Can any one say Star Destroyer? or Death Star II?