New TECHNIC-esque set discovered!

[Toa_Of_Justice]

FAIR WARNING: If you don't like mixing LEGO bricks with (seemingly) non-LEGO elements, you might want to turn back!

What do you get when you cross LEGO with Erector?

TETRIX.

I recently received this really cool set from my former high school robotics teacher as a 21st birthday present. Has anyone here heard of it before?

Note: If you're wondering about the price, it's because the product can only be bought in cases of 25 ($5 per item * 25 items per case = $125) each. The point is to sell each one for a little more than $5 in order to make a profit. ($_$)

-Toa Of Justice

Edited February 1, 2010 by Toa_Of_Justice

[Big Cam]

I think it's cool, and what a great way to raise funds for a school function

[Darth Legolas]

I've never seen that site before! That's where everyone's getting all of those pieces! Heck, I find the metal stuff weird but I don't care because I'm about to go on a shopping spree!

[roamingstop]

Tetrix is a Lego Education spin off in conjuction with another company (Pitsco) in the USA. (info from Swiss / UK distributor of Lego Education). The idea is for metalic parts which have much higher accuracy in movement (no backlash on gears etc) and more rigidity - but with the compatability of using Lego for most of the other part; and Mindstorms building blocks and s/w to make it move. Ive been tempted... apart from the price.

Main target: Lego Robotics and Highschool / Uni clubs.

http://shop.educatec.ch/legoeducationaldiv...etrix/index.php

Edited January 31, 2010 by roamingstudio

[DLuders]

Yes, the Lego Education website sells lots of robotics-related gear that is compatible with Lego elements. For US users, there are 5 pages of goodies listed (some of which is TETRIX) starting on the website http://www.legoeducation.us/store/default....;c=1&bhcp=1 . The TETRIX Robotics system is explained on the website http://www.legotetrix.org/ .

I know, I know, some of this is "not Lego". Well, so what? Lego doesn't make (and has not made) everything it endorses over the years. Remember the large Samsonite gears? They're just as much "Lego" as is HiTechnic.com sensors and Mindsensors.com stuff. If you simply dismiss TETRIX and other robotics stuff as not being "worthy" of Lego, you're missing out. If it is directly (or indirectly) sold through the Lego Education website, isn't that enough for the Lego "purists" out there?

[Toa_Of_Justice]

Yes, the Lego Education website sells lots of robotics-related gear that is compatible with Lego elements. For US users, there are 5 pages of goodies listed (some of which is TETRIX) starting on the website http://www.legoeducation.us/store/default....;c=1&bhcp=1 . The TETRIX Robotics system is explained on the website http://www.legotetrix.org/ .

I know, I know, some of this is "not Lego". Well, so what? Lego doesn't make (and has not made) everything it endorses over the years. Remember the large Samsonite gears? They're just as much "Lego" as is HiTechnic.com sensors and Mindsensors.com stuff. If you simply dismiss TETRIX and other robotics stuff as not being "worthy" of Lego, you're missing out. If it is directly (or indirectly) sold through the Lego Education website, isn't that enough for the Lego "purists" out there?

Actually, I think TETRIX is very worthy of LEGO. In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing a few TETRIX elements in some regular LEGO TECHNIC models (that you don't have to be an educator to buy) someday. My warning at the beginning of the topic was intended for hardcore LEGO purists that would get ticked off at seeing something that didn't really look like a traditional LEGO element on a model.

-Toa Of Justice