We've all seen Lego Mindstorms kits, right? Those advanced Lego kits with little motors and linkages and a little computer brain box? Sure, you know them. Usually, they're used to make little robots or table-top Rubik's cube solving machines or possibly advanced, immobile, closet-occupying robots. Normally they're things you carry around.
Not to Eric Steenstra, though. He uses Lego Mindstorms kits to make things to carry you.
Well, that's if you is an 88-lb kid, but that's still pretty damn impressive. Steenstra built a Lego go-kart that actually moves. And steers, and even has working head and tail lights. It's even more amazing when you realize that the whole cart was built from what has to be thousands of Lego Technix-sized pieces, even the huge wheels and entire chassis.
There's not many details online, but there are a number of build photos, and from them it looks like the cart is powered by 12 small motors in a complex, geared, in-hub assembly for each rear wheel. The front wheels appear to have independent steering actuators. At least four NXT brain box units are used to control the car, I'd guess one per wheel, with two for propulsion and two for steering. Battery units seem to be housed within the chassis and possibly the equally-lego seat. It must use a drive-by-wire system, as no mechanical linkages are apparent.
It's an incredible, insane project. It's one of those things you'd possibly idly wonder if was possible, and then never really consider it. Because you're not nuts, right? Well, I'm sure as hell glad someone is this kind of nuts, and I bet there's a kid with the world's only all-Lego go-kart out there really, really glad he has the dad he has.
(Thanks, Make: Magazine! You're great.)