Lego arm moves slowly, rocks mightily (video)

If you've made a Lego skull you're ultimately going to need some appendages to go with it, and Polish Lego-mistrz Paul (who goes by the handle Sariel) is the man behind this fully-articulated right arm. It uses a combination of electric motors and pneumatic valves that enable it to move... slowly. In a video embedded below that's overflowing with Marilyn Manson angst (turn down those speakers, office-bound readers) you can see it shambling from side to side and rotating at the wrist as the pneumatic fingers are actuated. The range of movement is impressive, but this thing looks about as easy to operate as a dockside crane and seems slightly less precise. Still, it's an impressive feat of plastic engineering; that it was whipped up over a weekend makes it even more so.

[hydrogenwv Posted Mar 3rd 2010 11:11AM]

But can it solve a Rubik's Cube in 12 seconds?

[Nokia N900 Posted Mar 3rd 2010 11:25AM]

well Nokia N95 can

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ3nN09yczY

[Ne0nguy Posted Mar 3rd 2010 11:37AM]

@Nokia N900

I believe he was referring to the CubeStormer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaRcWB3jwMo

[MoonWalkerCTE Posted Mar 3rd 2010 12:09PM]

@hydrogenwv Got an Iphone app for that but I gotta turn it myself though.

The App Is called Cube cheater and the good thing is you can make paterns at it will tell you how to twist it after scanning the sides.

[gmac Posted Mar 3rd 2010 11:14AM]

Nifty

[PlatinumSkeet Posted Mar 3rd 2010 11:22AM]

It surprises me the things people can build with Lego's.

[OttoMH Posted Mar 3rd 2010 11:29AM]

Is this some kind of trailer for terminator 5?

[TC Posted Mar 3rd 2010 6:12PM]

@OttoMH
The T100 series were easy to spot, they were made out of Lego; but the T800s were much more difficult.

[glamajamma Posted Mar 3rd 2010 11:40AM]

Can it play Crysis?

[CommentSystem Posted Mar 3rd 2010 11:42AM]

future member of the jersey shore

[m854 Posted Mar 3rd 2010 1:41PM]

2L bottles make great Lego air tanks. Put one of the stiff plastic straws (not sure what they are called/used for, but they are Lego parts) through the cap and seal with some hot glue or something. It will take a few minutes to pressurize with an array of 4 Lego hand pumps, then you may be able to keep it topped off with a compressor.

I also made a safety valve for my 2L air tank so that if a hose came disconnected the tank would not drain, but if there is a regular demand for air, the tank can still supply it. To make the safety valve, get two small balloons (water balloons) and cut a medium hole in the end of one and a slit or hole in the side of the other. Put the one with the hole in the side inside the other one, and secure to the part of the straw that extends into the 2L bottle with a rubber band. A large pressure difference (for example, if nothing is connected to the bottle) will cause the balloons to seal and keep most of the air in, but if the pressure difference is smaller, the balloons will allow air to flow. It may take some tweaking to get enough air flow if you want to actuate many large cylinders. I think my setup was able to run 4 large pistons with no problems.

Lego pneumatics are awesome!

[KrazyCalvin Posted Mar 3rd 2010 1:58PM]

I liked how he used the road curve for the base.

[Luffy Posted Mar 3rd 2010 4:10PM]

This music sounds like its out of an old Command and Conquer or Quake game

[ScottishDan Posted Mar 3rd 2010 6:10PM]

@Luffy
I believe it is from the score for the first Resident Evil film