3D-printed adapter bricks allow interconnection between ten kids' construction toys

Golan sez, "The Free Universal Construction Kit is a collection of adapter bricks that enable complete interoperability between ten popular children’s construction toys. By allowing any piece to join to any other, the Kit encourages totally new forms of intercourse between otherwise closed systems—enabling the creation of previously impossible designs, and ultimately, more creative opportunities for kids. As with other grassroots interoperability remedies, the Free Universal Construction Kit implements proprietary protocols in order to provide a public service unmet, or unmeetable, by corporate interests."

F.A.T. Lab and Sy-Lab are pleased to present the Free Universal Construction Kit: a matrix of nearly 80 adapter bricks that enable complete interoperability between ten* popular children’s construction toys. By allowing any piece to join to any other, the Kit encourages totally new forms of intercourse between otherwise closed systems—enabling radically hybrid constructive play, the creation of previously impossible designs, and ultimately, more creative opportunities for kids. As with other grassroots interoperability remedies, the Free Universal Construction Kit implements proprietary protocols in order to provide a public service unmet—or unmeetable—by corporate interests.
The Free Universal Construction Kit offers adapters between Lego, Duplo, Fischertechnik, Gears! Gears! Gears!, K’Nex, Krinkles (Bristle Blocks), Lincoln Logs, Tinkertoys, Zome, and Zoob. Our adapters can be downloaded from Thingiverse.com and other sharing sites as a set of 3D models in .STL format, suitable for reproduction by personal manufacturing devices like the Makerbot (an inexpensive, open-source 3D printer).

OK, that's pretty badass right there.

The Free Universal Construction Kit

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: 3d printing • Copyfight • Gadgets • happy mutants • Kids • thingiverse

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chriscombs

The “Free Universal Construction Kit” has a great abbreviation too.
http://blog.andrewkinnear.com/ andrewkinnear

Free Universal Construction Kit. Clever acronym. You can give a F*CK for Christmas or share them with your FU*K buddies… Hilarious? On Purpose? Awesome!
- guanto
  
  Dude, they totally didn’t think of that, good catch!
  
  (Also, pure coincidence that FUCK “encourages totally new forms of intercourse.”)
EH

C&D in 5…4…3…
- cellocgw
  
  Streisand Effect in (5…4…3…) + 5
show me

Before F.A.T. Lab was involved this was known as the Sy-lab Heterogeneous Interconnection Thingy.
Greg Miller

They should add some for 80/20 to Lego interoperability.
bardfinn

There’s a gear. On a Lincoln log single.

Help me, Internets: other than glorious entropic acceleration, what could possibly be the utility of such a piece?
- Zac Brier
  
  The gear is for K’nex.
  - http://profiles.google.com/greeneggsandsamuel Sam Archer
    
    Right, it’s not a gear, that’s just how K’nex connectors look.
- Robert Cruickshank
  
  Trebuchet.
http://twitter.com/kpkpkp Kevin Pierce

more like “some assembly inspired”
awjt

OK, they need to change the name for the kids, BUT…. on the technology… It’s about FREAKING TIME. I have been trying to finish my Duplo block structure for decades, but all I have is Legos and I need to get this damn thing done before mom gets back.
- Jorpho
  
  Ironically, Lego blocks and Duplo already interconnect quite nicely.
  - awjt
    
    Now you tell me.
http://www.mrericsir.com MrEricSir

Do these fake Legos snap together, though? I thought Legos had to be made out of a certain type of plastic and to within a fairly high precision.
- http://www.nathanhornby.com/ Nathan Hornby
  
  Lego is made to such a high precision that robotics labs and people that use lasers occasionally use it, as it can be relied on to such a fine detail.
  
  I’d be surprised if these would actually work, as even if the design is spot on the printing won’t be. Nice idea though, if not for the glaring trademark and patent issues that will shoot it down in the next couple of days. I can imagine a company like Lego is gearing up for when 3D printing Lego bricks is cheaper than buying them, as it could kill their entire business; and a big part of me feels for them. Ideally you should be able to print 3D Lego bricks (as preventing it will be impossible) but at the same time there should probably be some kind of license involved, or the purchase of the design from Lego itself.
  
  Of course what’s more likely is that there’ll be a fake Lego 3D printing set, like an off-brand variety that doesn’t infringe on whatever patents are involved (a la Megablocks).
  - http://twitter.com/CodonAUG Joseph Elsbernd
    
    Lego bricks are not under patent. See mega-blocks.
  - Ian Anthony
    
    “Lego is made to such a high precision that robotics labs and people that use lasers occasionally use it, as it can be relied on to such a fine detail.”
    
    Citation needed. Not because I don’t believe you, but because that sounds amazing and I want to learn more.
Gtmac

A truly outstanding idea! However, if they want to use the word “universal” they should be adapting to older building sets as well, like Erector.
- cellocgw
  
  In all seriousness, all it takes is a few clearance holes for #6 hardware (IIRC) and you can connect Erector beams to your heart’s delight. Now, Bridge and (forgot the other half-name) along with it’s brother Girder and Panel might be a bit tougher
Jorpho

Free! Except for the $1750 Makerbot. Oh well.
technogeekagain

Uhm… At least one of the items which goes by reminds me of the IBM ad which included the Universal Business Adapter. (“Does it work in Europe?” “… You need an adapter.”)

Given that, and the acronym, I’m betting this is just a well-produced joke.
- digi_owl
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIOqOxI0K_I
- http://twitter.com/CuriousAgilist Bob Allen
  
  Think again. Search http://www.thingiverse.com/ for “free universal construction kit”.
http://twitter.com/criminalcrafts Miss Demeanor

I LOVE this, so cool, such a great idea, really hoping my kid’s school will get a printer one of these days
Guest

“The artist’s proof shown here was created in a UV-cured white resin using a commercial-grade Objet (“polyjet”) 3D printer, which has a horizontal resolution of 42 microns, and a layer thickness of 16 microns.”