Have you ever wondered what it might be like for someone who struggles to build with Lego? Perhaps they they have a visual impairment, or a disability which limits how they can build with bricks.

Whatever is stopping them, V.A.L.B.A is the solution.

The Voice Activated Lego Building Assistant is a device (made from Lego elements itself), which has been specially designed for those who need help building Lego sets or their own designs.

V.A.L.B.A consists of 4 units, and 2 routines.

ROUTINE 1 - Sorting

Unit 1 - Conveyor belt 1. Built mainly out of Technic pieces, it's used to begin the sorting process. Unsorted bricks are placed onto it and pass through a sensor. The sensor scans the bricks and determines their size, colour, and shape.

Unit 2 - The Organiser - built mostly out of Technic elements and wheels, it functions like a CNC machine. The data gathered by the sensor is used to locate the correct drawer on any organising cabinet, which the 'head' moves to and opens (using a sticky pad). The brick is dropped onto the ramp and slides into the drawer. This process repeats for each new brick which has been scanned.

ROUTINE 2 - Building

Unit 2 - The Organiser is used for searching too. A person commands the machine to scan Lego instructions, or to perform a custom task. For example, "V.A.L.B.A, Connect a 2x4 to a 2x2" (more complicated commands can be used, e.g. specifying the position of the brick on top of another), The organiser fetches this brick, using a sticky pad to open the drawer and pick it up.

Unit 3 - Conveyor belt 2. Bricks are placed down and a second scanner determines the bricks orientation.

Unit 4 - The Arm. Technic pieces allow this arm to move in all directions. Moving above the conveyor belt, it picks up a brick and places it onto the 'build zone'. When another cycle completes, two bricks can be connected as specified.

Eventually, the speaker will have a fully built Lego model to look at, feel, touch, or admire - something which many of us take for granted.

V.A.L.B.A - (Voice Activated Lego Building Assistant)

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