DLuders

Hoberman Spheres Using Lego Technic Parts

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The original Hoberman Sphere is an interesting toy. According to the Wikipedia acticle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoberman_sphere , "A Hoberman sphere is a structure that resembles a geodesic dome, but is capable of folding down to a fraction of its normal size by the scissor-like action of its joints....A Hoberman sphere is not a true sphere, but a polyhedron...."

Hoberman_Sphere.jpg

Several LEGO fans have attempted to replicate the Hoberman design using LEGO Technic parts:

1) Akos Kostyan built a "Magic Sphere Ball" with enough step-by-step photos to make your own ( http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/5599 ):

www.brickshelf.com_gallery_scrope_WAMALUG_20040911_08.jpg_SPLASH.jpg06.jpg_THUMB.jpg07.jpg_THUMB.jpg15.jpg_THUMB.jpg14.jpg_THUMB.jpg11.jpg_THUMB.jpg

2) Jason Allermann has this version which he displayed at Brickfest 2006 ( http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1990798 ):

hoberman.jpg

3) Inspired by Jason Allermann's design, Barman made this colorful interpretation ( http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=245253 ):

hoberman_sphere03.jpghoberman_sphere01.jpg_thumb.jpghoberman_sphere03.jpg_thumb.jpghoberman_sphere05.jpg_thumb.jpghoberman_sphere04.jpg_thumb.jpg

Maybe its possible to MOTORIZE the opening/closing action via Power Functions. :cry_happy: Perhaps you could use the entire range of TECHNIC colors, and make a Hoberman Sphere that looks like Chris Behren's Color Wheel ( http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=431972 ):

img_2398.jpg

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[bUMP]

On his Flickr photostream, True Dimensions recently posted the picture shown below and a Flickr video of a motorized Lego Hoberman Sphere mechanism that opens and closes the assembly. :classic: Centrifugal force makes the sphere expand, then collapse under its own weight when it slows down. True Dimensions wrote,

"Hoberman Sphere Spinner - Video

Although the Hoberman sphere is pretty stable, it can't really take the repeated abuse of being handled by the public at a show.

I built the spinner so that I didn't have to stand around and open and close it myself, or keep putting it back together.

It works really well when connected to a programmable controller to repeatedly start and stop it."

6258921818_6e31c5af88_z.jpg

Here is the closed Hoberman sphere and open sphere: :thumbup:

6258923206_e100fc6b3c_z.jpg6258396441_b3c06c985a_z.jpg

Edited by DLuders

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how have these wonderful pieces gone without comment?! allemann's design is so clean it's sublime, and the display stand is a perfect compliment. i'd have gone with blue instead of the green, but i suspect he was building with what was available in his inventory, hence the abundance of the neutral color.

KEvron

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