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I love projects like this because, while it doesn't necessarily have a direct application right away, it solves a piece of a problem that could go a long way to

I love projects like this because, while it doesn't necessarily have a direct application right away, it solves a piece of a problem that could go a long way to help something else. Reminds me of the skittles/M&M sorting machine that someone built a little while ago. As more projects like this develop, we're teaching computers more and more about visual recognition. Can't wait for Skynet to go live! :-P

ziikutv 9y ago
For anyone wondering, this[1] is the Skittles sorting machine. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceGlMV4sHnk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceGlMV4sHnk
gus_massa 9y ago
> while it doesn't necessarily have a direct application right away This is one part I didn't fully understand. In the previous post jacquesm said that the sorted Lego sets are more expensive than the unsorted one (and a fake piece destroys the price). So: * Is he planning to make a few additional buck buying unsorting sets and selling them after sorting? * Does he have a huge collection and is bored to try to find the pieces? * Just a project for fun?
- egypturnash 9y ago
  Go re-read the first few paragraphs of the first post: > After doing some minimal research I noticed that sets do roughly 40 euros / Kg and that bulk lego is about 10, rare parts and lego technic go for 100’s of euros per kg. So, there exists a cottage industry of people that buy lego in bulk, buy new sets and then part this all out or sort it (manually) into more desirable and thus more valuable groupings. > I figured this would be a fun thing to get in on and to build an automated sorter. He then impulsively bid on a ton of bulk lego on eBay and ended up with a garage completely full of the stuff. Sounds like it started for fun, then spiraled out of control and is now a thing he would very much like to do to get all this lego the hell out of his life for at least enough of a profit to cover shipping it to and from his place, if not much more.

ziikutv 9y ago

For anyone wondering, this[1] is the Skittles sorting machine. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceGlMV4sHnk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceGlMV4sHnk

gus_massa 9y ago

> while it doesn't necessarily have a direct application right away This is one part I didn't fully understand. In the previous post jacquesm said that the sorted Lego sets are more expensive than the unsorted one (and a fake piece destroys the price). So: * Is he planning to make a few additional buck buying unsorting sets and selling them after sorting? * Does he have a huge collection and is bored to try to find the pieces? * Just a project for fun?

egypturnash 9y ago
Go re-read the first few paragraphs of the first post: > After doing some minimal research I noticed that sets do roughly 40 euros / Kg and that bulk lego is about 10, rare parts and lego technic go for 100’s of euros per kg. So, there exists a cottage industry of people that buy lego in bulk, buy new sets and then part this all out or sort it (manually) into more desirable and thus more valuable groupings. > I figured this would be a fun thing to get in on and to build an automated sorter. He then impulsively bid on a ton of bulk lego on eBay and ended up with a garage completely full of the stuff. Sounds like it started for fun, then spiraled out of control and is now a thing he would very much like to do to get all this lego the hell out of his life for at least enough of a profit to cover shipping it to and from his place, if not much more.