David Bulte has programmed his Lego Mindstorms to function like a scanner that generates sound.  The scanner is set on an arm that moves back and forth over the 'score', which is a set of various colored blocks.  The different colors are then scanned and translated into sound.

On Bulte's website you can view a demo as well as listen to some mp3 Lego Music Machine examples.  If you are interested in duplicating this, you can also download Bulte's code.

[Link]

Previously:
Lego Chooses Mindstorms NXT Pioneers, 8900 Fans in Tears, LEGO Fanatics (LEGO Star Destroyer),  Grand Theft Lego, The Mindstorms Problem: Why the killer toy hasn't taken off, Create your own medium format pinhole Lego camera, Lazy Weekend Links (Hammerhead, the Lego CD thrower), LEGO Arena

It looks like Lego has finally determined the 100 "pioneers" who will be getting a sneak peek at the new product.

From my inbox:

Thank you very much for your interest in participating in the LEGO(r) MINDSTORMS(tm) Developer Program. We are very sorry but unfortunately you have not been selected to take part in the Program. Over 9000 fans sent in their applications and it was extremely difficult selecting 100 people only.

So I guess over 8900 Lego fanatics will be crying themselves to sleep tonight.  Me included.  On the bright side, they also sent along a link that'll allow everyone to be "one of the first" to be able to reserve a unit.  Boo.

So much for making FIRST training manuals this summer... 

We all know they chose wrong, but I guess it's only sour grapes until we start seeing some wicked creations from the lucky chosen. Time to move on, folks. Nothing to see here but 20-somethings crying about plastic toy bricks.

 In the Spring of 2005, I was surprised to see a sexbot posting on hackaday.com. I was even more surprised to see that Lego Mindstorm robots were being used to mimic evolution. As an AI researcher, I became extremely interested in the topic, especially because of genetic algorithm work in Artificial Intelligence studies. Needless to say, I just HAD to try this out for myself. After a great dialog with the creator of the sexbots, i.e. Robot God, I began to work with NQC and a Java OS to expand this project. Thanks to Jason for all of the guidance with the creation of my sexbot farm...

Kids love them. Parents love them. They are used as teaching aids in school and extra-curricular programs.

Nerd adults such as myself have their own secret stash in the basement.

Mindstorms seemed like the killer toy when they first appeared. The MIT programmable brick was reborn as a full fledged consumer product. Geek life was good.

Seven shopping seasons later, the product line has eroded into a single boxed set which, I can confirm, is relegated to a bottom shelf, back aisle position even at the Mall of America Lego store.

I visited the kickoff Minnesota First Lego League regional tournament the weekend before last. As the season progresses, kids all over the world will be testing their software design and mechanical engineering mettle. 4th graders will be solving robotics challenges that have parents scratching their heads.

So how does a product so well regarded, with so much appeal to both kids and educators, fall to the wayside?