If you gave Lego brains, you might get something like Posey, a
new hands-on way of interacting with computers developed at
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, US. When Posey's plastic
pieces are snapped together, an exact copy of the construction
appears on a computer screen. Every twist of, say, a stick
figure's arm is mirrored in 3D modelling software. The project,
led by Mark Gross, aims to provide a more playful interface for
computers. "We're a big fan of construction kits, like Lego and
Zoob," says Michael Weller, who is also working on the project.
"One of the cool things about them is they allow undirected play
that allows you to explore your ideas." Posey's plastic pieces
are a mix of hubs and struts that connect with ball-and-socket
joints. The pieces have LEDs and sensors built into their ends
so that they can communicate using coded signals of light.
Pieces can also sense the angles between themselves and their
neighbours, allowing the software to model their overall shape.
Each piece's plasti