Imagine a LEGO creation that can not only move but also see, hear, and talk back to you. That’s exactly what Creative Mindstorms has achieved with Dave, the world’s most advanced AI LEGO robotic head. Created over several months, this robotic head showcases the incredible potential of combining LEGO bricks with cutting-edge AI technology.
GET SECURITY ALERTS, EXPERT TIPS – SIGN UP FOR KURT’S NEWSLETTER – THE CYBERGUY REPORT HERE
Dave’s AI brain
What truly sets Dave apart is his integration with ChatGPT. This lets Dave engage in natural, flowing conversations, making interactions feel remarkably lifelike. He can even play games like rock-paper-scissors and respond in real time, creating a seamless dialogue experience.
Credit: Creative Mindstorms
Adding to his impressive capabilities, Dave is also bilingual. He can communicate fluently in English and Dutch, making him the world’s first bilingual LEGO robotic head. This feature showcases the potential for AI-powered LEGO creations to bridge language barriers and enhance global communication.
Credit: Creative Mindstorms
CHINA UNVEILS ITS FIRST FULL-SIZE ELECTRIC RUNNING HUMANOID ROBOT
The creative process
Building Dave was no small feat. The creator spent weeks designing complex mechanisms, such as the compact system that allows the eyes to move in multiple directions. The mouth mechanism alone took two weeks to perfect, involving more gears than the entire head.
Credit: Creative Mindstorms
BOSTON DYNAMICS’ CREEPY ROBOTIC CANINE DANCES IN SPARKLY BLUE COSTUME
How Dave works
Dave’s lifelike movements are powered by an intricate system of motors and gears. His eyes can move up, down, and side to side, while his eyebrows and mouth corners are also articulated to convey a range of emotions. The eyes, which are probably the most complicated parts of the machine, are connected to each other on a horizontal shaft with vertical axles on both ends. They can be turned up and down with a large motor and side to side using a rack and pinion setup.
Dave’s jaw is a simple hinge with a motor pushing and pulling it, while the corners of the mouth are moved by a lift arm that can be rotated up or down. But Dave isn’t just about hardware. He’s brought to life by nearly 1100 lines of code that enable him to track hands and faces, recognize faces and objects, read text, count, estimate emotions, age, and gender, plus tell time and weather.
Credit: Creative Mindstorms
ARE THESE ROBOTS MAKING HUMANS OBSOLETE FOR HOME AND REPAIR TASKS?
Challenges and solutions
One of the biggest challenges was creating Dave’s hair. After struggling with LEGO bricks, the creator chose a more practical solution – a wig. This creative workaround required some adjustments to the head’s shape but ultimately proved successful.
Credit: Creative Mindstorms
Credit: Creative Mindstorms
Kurt’s key takeaways
Dave represents a significant step forward in the world of LEGO robotics and AI integration. While he’s currently a unique creation and not available for public purchase, he demonstrates the incredible possibilities that arise when creativity, engineering, and artificial intelligence converge.
What innovative application or feature would you like to see implemented in future AI-powered LEGO creations? Let us know in the comments below.
FOR MORE OF MY SECURITY ALERTS, SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE CYBERGUY REPORT NEWSLETTER HERE