Lego-built "self tracker" train does things at its own pace

Got an immorally excessive amount of free time, and a good helping of patience to boot? Then peep the video after the break. We fell asleep a full three times watching the 1:44 video of David Wegmuller's Lego "self tracker," but that doesn't mean we don't recommend you give it a look yourself. The machine is basically a souped-up "train," which can place its own track, Wallace & Gromit style. The sluggish bot rolls onto a freshly lain track piece, and then turns to grab the one behind and swing it around in front. We're impressed greatly by the total lack of utility and all-around foolishness / ingenuity of the project, and can't wait to see what David brews up next.

[jaalin @ Apr 26th 2007 5:18PM]

that's really kinda cool, would have been nicer with some music or matrix/300 style camera work with the slow motion/acceleration stuff

[Stephen Sehr @ Apr 26th 2007 5:31PM]

um, anyone else see the wires hanging down to the robot? from those and the fact someone is standing right behind the robot, i dont think it is autonomous. its easy to build a lego robot to do something like that, its MUCH harder to program it to do it by itself.

[Anthony @ Apr 26th 2007 7:16PM]

As a lego RCX user I can assure that that wire is only power. These lego robots are miserable battery consumers. They go through batteries like they were made to. So you tend to find your self tethered all the time to save money.

Plus, the only way to communicate with the old RCX units is via infrared which only works within a couple of inches. So I assure you, it is autonomous.

I've been programming these things since they came out and this is definitely easily programmed.

[jeff @ Apr 26th 2007 7:18PM]

I love the slippers

[murray @ Apr 26th 2007 7:19PM]

"its easy to build a lego robot to do something like that, its MUCH harder to program it to do it by itself."

Actually you have that backwards. Designing and building this sort of thing is by far the hardest part. Programming it to perform this particular operation would be relatively easy.

[Brian @ Apr 26th 2007 8:56PM]

I don't know if you guys are trying to be cute, but it should be track that is "laid" down, not "lain". I don't see any track reclining anywhere, but it is being set down.

[Andrew @ Apr 26th 2007 7:44PM]

I believe they're called wheels. Useless...

[strider_mt2k @ Apr 26th 2007 10:24PM]

Boy is that thing slow.

However it works, so props for that to be sure.

[Pork Chop @ Apr 27th 2007 5:14PM]

Impressive, I like the wrist and gripper, just a few more joints and he would have a homemade 4 axis industrial robot made out of legos