Nico71's Lego Integraph (Graphic Planimeter)

[DLuders]

[WARNING: Heavy math content!]

Nico71 posted this

of his Lego Integraph (an instrument used in mathematics for plotting the integral of a graphically defined function). On SeTechnic, he explains his creation on this post (translated from French to English using Yahoo Babelfish). Here is a quick summary; click on the link above for more "mathématiques".

"And after step badly of study of diagram and thanks to Strawberry, I built my first integraphe. The goal of a integraphe is to plot the integral curve of a definite curve which one traverses with a pointer. For example the curve integral of the right-hand side Y=x and Y=1/2x² (parabola) with constant meadows."

[rgbrown]

What a nifty device - I hadn't come across one of these before. Clever use of geometry!

I wonder if they (real ones) ever had any practical use?

[MarcoB]

Very interesting stuff and creation. Nice to see something unusual!

[Erik Leppen]

Now this is something to remember for math class :D

[JunkstyleGio]

Math is not my "language"....

So this is all Russian (русский язык)/Farsi(فارسی)/Chinese (中文) (*) to me!

Nice work anyway.

* Or any any other language you don't understand

Edited January 27, 2011 by JunkstyleGio

[TheDesuComplex]

Interesting MOC. I'm just amazed by the mechanical functions, as all the math stuff just went straight over my head. Now, I feel like building a miniature one.

[nico71]

I have made the instruction as detailed pictures :

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=459249

http://www.nico71.fr/integraph-graphic-planimeter/

I encourage you to build it because it is a interesting device :)