Lego robotics kit yields bone-like material

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have used a Lego Mindstorms robotics kit to build a novel bone-like material.

According to Michelle Oyen, a lecturer at the university's Department of Engineering, the robots saved the team from repeating dull, arduous tasks, and meant that they didn't have to outsource to expensive industrial research and manufacturing robots. "The great thing about the robots is once you tell them what to do they can do it precisely over and over and over again. So, a day later I can come back and see a fully-made sample," said PhD student Daniel Strange. The bone-like material is designed for use in medical implants, but is also expected to have use as a building material. More details are available in the video below, which was produced to inspire entrants into the Google Science Fair 2012.