Apple engineer builds programmable drawing machine out of Legos

Apple software engineer Andrew Carol is a true Lego enthusiast, devoting himself to building ever-more complicated contraptions using plastic bricks and posting them online for the world to see. Fast Co Design takes a look at the latest, an elaborate drawing machine made out of Legos that scribbles at the turn of a crank. Carol says he got the idea from watching the movie Hugo, which prominently features an automaton.

While Carol’s machine works slowly, it can be programmed to draw images using a complicated chain of plastic blocks, according to Fast Co Design. And while the machine is elaborate, Carol doesn’t like hearing it compared to the designs of Rube Goldberg. “Rube Goldberg machines were intentionally designed to be overly complicated ways to solve simple problems,” he says. “My machines are as simple as possible within the constraint of being purely mechanical and using Lego parts.” For a complete image gallery, check out the full report.