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LEGO CandyBot handing out Halloween candy

by Thita (admin) on October 29, 2016

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought to share with you a super fun candy dispensing LEGO robot called the CandyBot. Created by LEGO fan Andrew Milluzzi, a software engineer, the robot was built using couple of LEGO Technic sets and powered by the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3. In the video below you can see the CandyBot in action, and also learn a bit about how it was made. Happy Halloween! 🙂

The CandyBot is packed with personality as the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 brick serves as his face, completed with red teeth. The robot has two arms; one holding the candy bowl and the other ready to lift the hopper and distribute candy. He also got a wheel for a tail for scooping up candy, which moves along the conveyor belt body before landing in the candy hopper.

The CandyBot takes full advantage of many of the sensors and motors of the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 set. The bot fills up the hopper until there is enough candy (determined by a light sensor). When you get close (using the IR sensor), he opens the hopper and candy falls into your bag. The CandyBot was created using the #31313 LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3, the #42043 LEGO Technic Mercedez-Benz Arocs 3245, and the recently released #42055 LEGO Technic Bucket Wheel Excavator.

Fun, isn’t it? Andrew is a Ph.D. student at the University of Florida studying computer engineering. A LEGO MINDSTORMS Community Partner and maker, Andy spends his free time playing with everything electronic. From Arduino and EV3 to custom reconfigurable systems, he is at home working on innovative and challenging problems. As a big supporter of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition and Inspiration of Science and Technology) and encouraging children to pursue a degree in science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM), Andrew is also the FIRST Senior Mentor for Florida, starting and supporting teams all over the state. Andy is also a licensed amateur extra class radio operator (ham) with callsign KK4LWR, and serves as President of the Gator Amateur Radio Club, W4DFU at the University of Florida. Many of his more recent projects are centered around his radio hobby. You can follow him through his blog Milluzzi Labs and his YouTube channel.

If you would like to build your own programmable robots, you can check out the #31313 LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 set at LEGO’s website. Many schools and libraries also run programs to work with the EV3. For motorized LEGO Technic sets like the #42043 LEGO Technic Mercedez-Benz Arocs 3245, and the #42055 LEGO Technic Bucket Wheel Excavator, see the LEGO Technic section of the Online LEGO Shop.

So what do you think? How do you like the CandyBot? Have you ever built your own custom LEGO robot? Feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

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LEGO sets retiring soon & sales and deals

by Thita (admin) on October 28, 2016

in LEGO Sales & Deals

The Sales and Deals section of the Online LEGO Shop was recently updated with some interesting surprises. In addition, the Online LEGO Shop in the UK listed all the large sets that will be retiring soon, which is also interesting to see. Below we will take a look at both lists and see what is worth to buy before getting retired, and before the Double VIP Points period expires in a few days. So let’s begin. 🙂

➡ ONLINE LEGO SHOP SALES & DEALS: A number of the older LEGO Dimensions packs are on sale, but this is not particularly a new development. You can buy most LEGO Dimensions packs at about half price both directly from LEGO and at other retailers. What is more interesting is that several newly released larger sets are on sale as well, with 20% off the regular price. This includes the #21127 LEGO Minecraft The Fortress, the #70322 LEGO Nexo Knights Axl’s Tower Carrier, and the #41067 LEGO Disney Princess Belle’s Enchanted Castle. Other notable sets on sale are some of the LEGO Nexo Knights Ultimate Knight packs, and the #40203 LEGO Vampire and Bat Halloween set. Also, the #41068 LEGO Disney Princess Arendelle Castle Celebration, and the #41066 LEGO Disney Princess Anne & Kristoff’s Sleigh Adventure have been on sale for many months now. They are great sets, but it is possible that LEGO made too many of them and they are not selling fast enough. You can find all the discounted sets under the Sales and Deals section of the Online LEGO Shop.

➡ ONLINE LEGO SHOP RETIRING SOON: While the US version of the Online LEGO Shop hasn’t been updated yet with sets retiring soon, the UK version lists a number of large and exclusive sets that are scheduled to retire. This means that once the current stock is gone, LEGO will make no more of these sets. Four of the sets are from the LEGO Ideas line, which are limited release to begin with. The four sets are: #21108 LEGO Ideas Ghostbusters Ecto-1, #21302 LEGO Ideas The Big Bang Theory, #21303 LEGO Ideas WALL-E, and #21304 LEGO Ideas Doctor Who. None of these sets are on sale, but if you want one, it is best to get them now before they will disappear and prices on the secondary market go up. You can find them under the LEGO Ideas section of the Online LEGO Shop.

There are also two large LEGO Star Wars sets retiring soon. The #10236 LEGO Star Wars Ewok Village (released in 2013), and the #75059 LEGO Star Wars Sandcrawler (released in 2014) have both been around for a while, so it makes sense that LEGO is retiring them, even though they are both excellent sets. The LEGO Star Wars Ewok Village, in particular, is a great set even for non-Star Wars fans, who would like to build a nice forest scene for elves, Na’vi, or Robin Hood and his merry band of outlaws. You can find both sets under the LEGO Star Wars section of the Online LEGO Shop.

Two last two sets retiring soon are the #10218 LEGO Creator Pet Shop and the #10234 LEGO Creator Sydney Opera House. The LEGO Creator Pet Shop has been the longest standing LEGO Modular Buildings, first released back in 2011. It is the only building in the series that has a split footprint, making it extremely versatile. Even if you already have one, I would recommend getting another, just in case you ever need it in your layout. Half of the building is a generic apartment, while the pet shop side can easily be converted into other stores to create more variety. And the LEGO Creator Sydney Opera House is a beautiful and accurate display piece. You can find both sets under the LEGO Creator section of the Online LEGO Shop.

Also, remember that LEGO is offering Double VIP Points until the end of October. This is the best time to get large sets to maximize your VIP Points. There will be another Double VIP Points period in December, but by that time many of these retiring sets could be gone.

What do you think? Are you planning to get any of the sets on sale or retiring soon? Which ones do you think are a must buy? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

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LEGO CandyBot handing out Halloween candy

LEGO sets retiring soon & sales and deals

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