The Mindstorms NXT gramophone, or, If Edison played with LEGOs

Lying somewhere between the roboflusher and LEGO car-producing LEGO factory on the practicality scale, José Pino's Mindstorms NXT gramophone brings together all the fun and tinny sound of this antiquated music system with today's modern DIY sensibilities. Using little more than an off-the-shelf NXT kit running at 25% power, and, um, a fast food beverage cup, Pino was able rig together a very basic platform for spinning his vinyl, although scratching is probably not recommended on this rather delicate setup. Keep reading for a quick video walkthrough accompanied by those old-timey tunes so popular among today's seniors.

[Via Hacked Gadgets]

[Josh @ Nov 22nd 2007 10:01PM]

my ears - ahhh!

[Alex Kozler @ Nov 22nd 2007 10:02PM]

thats really cool. now for cd's.

[4honor @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:11PM]

Does Lego make lasers for the NXT?

[ipodrulz @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:53PM]

whoa.. is that all it takes for one of those vinyl to play?.. just a little scratchy tihng?.. cause from what I saw.. the NXT was just there to spin the thing.

[Andrew @ Nov 23rd 2007 12:32AM]

you can play a vinyl with your fingernail (provided its sharp enough)

pretty much the vibrations are etched into the record, and they vibrate (usually) a diamond which vibrates back and fourth creating (in a way) AC electricity, which is applied to speakers. Thats VERY simplistic, theres lots of innards there that allow the vibrations to be converted to usable current and amplified and the such. If you think about it, records are actually really cool.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:03AM]

Sinatra for the win!

[Taryn @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:20AM]

lol! The first record used in the video: I pulled my record player out of the dump with that same record left in it. Neat gadget though.

[Rock Stone @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:21AM]

I love the last two lines in the article:

"Also, I would like to mention it destroys old vinyl disk. Do not build this project."

[Rymix @ Nov 23rd 2007 3:36AM]

Lego

[WhiteRTLNav @ Nov 23rd 2007 2:53PM]

Actually, it's LEGO, not Legos.

I hate to use Wikipedia as a reference, but it does have a capture of the LEGO website showing the correct usage:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego#Trademark

[Wilder.K.Wight @ Nov 23rd 2007 11:20PM]

First of all, concerning what WhiteRTLNav said, the LEGO company has been beating that particular horse- their stupid "corrent usage" crap-- for a long time, and it's time for them to give it up. NO CHILD on the face of the Earth will ever say "Mommy, can I play with my LEGO™ Bricks?" -- They say "LEGOs". Always have. Always will.

So deal with it, you pretentious Danes. You don't get to cry trademark dilution anymore. Shut up. I'll call them LEGOs if I damn well please.

Second, in response to the article, if Thomas Edison were alive today, he'd find some way to steal the patent for LEGO™ and call them his own invention which he alone created. Bank on it. Edison was a genius, but he was also an aggressive patent thief who profited off other people's ingenuity and hard work quite frequently. I'm sure Mr. Tesla (and a few dozen other inventors) would have agreed.