# Rise of the Machines: LEGO Aims to be the iPod of Robotics **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 13, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-lego-aims-to-be-the-ipod-of-robotics/344189 "2006-02-13T00:46:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-lego-aims-to-be-the-ipod-of-robotics/344189/1 "2006-02-13T00:46:59Z")
[_Their_ words, mind you.](http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.02/lego.html?pg=3&topic=lego&topic_set=) > [@](#): > > Last April, Hassenplug and Schilling flew to Billund for a Mindstorms tournament. They stayed an extra day and were ushered into Lego’s research sanctum - the high-security Global Innovation and Marketing building that’s strictly off-limits to nonemployees. Beneath a sign reading We will do for robotics what iPod did for music, Lund and the two MUPers examined prototypes for the NXT circuit boards, as well as the kit’s proposed assemblage of Technic pieces. You know, there’s a part of me that chuckles with glee at the thought of a kid being able to build his own T-800. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-lego-aims-to-be-the-ipod-of-robotics/344189/2 "2006-02-13T02:22:48Z")
I read the article (in the print version, even!) and although my Lego days are sadly over, I am really intrigued by where Lego is going with this. It would be very cool if America (er and uh…Denmark? Ok, the world) started producing some seriously engineering-savvy kids because of these toys. Granted, the article pointed out alot of their audience is adults for these sets but imagine the future of AI if kids were able to come to college already knowing how to build robots. And I love the way Lego is going about it - getting guys from their fan message boards to work on the insiders team 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-lego-aims-to-be-the-ipod-of-robotics/344189/3 "2006-02-13T03:22:14Z")
There are a plentof AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego)s around. Previous Mindstorms NXT thread: > **[Mindstorms NXT](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=352718)** > > http://mindstorms.lego.com/press/Whats%20NXT%20LEGO%20Group%20Unveils%20LEGO%20MINDSTORMS%20NXT%20Robotics%20Toolset%20at%20Consumer%20Electronics%20Show.aspx Wired article: ... Brian ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-lego-aims-to-be-the-ipod-of-robotics/344189/4 "2006-02-13T06:50:24Z")
They want to make a product that’s just as good as several others, but way more popular mainly because it’s pretty? Okay. I actually have the original Lego Mindstorms set. I’m sure there are some newer versions out there by now, but I should get mine out and play with it again sometime… ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-lego-aims-to-be-the-ipod-of-robotics/344189/5 "2006-02-13T07:54:26Z")
> [@TJdude825](#): > > They want to make a product that’s just as good as several others, but way more popular mainly because it’s pretty? Okay… Actually, every review of MP3 players I’ve ever read has always made comparisons to the iPod’s “ease of use” so the differences are a bit more than cosmetics. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-lego-aims-to-be-the-ipod-of-robotics/344189/6 "2006-02-13T19:44:55Z")
I happen to think my iRiver is much easier to use, although perhaps not as intuitive to a first-time user. Anyway, I know what Lego meant – just felt like being contrary, I suppose.