Chrome + LEGO = New STEAM Fun

Many of us as mentors, as well as some of our students, struggle to do 3D modeling because seeing in 3D is hard for us. Maybe it’s that many of us are more used to text? So I’ve been noodling about how we bridge this gap. And maybe it’s not necessarily with different 3D modeling software. Maybe I need to be looking at how we can better help them translate the physical world to the virtual one.

SketchUp is great as a starting point for 3D modeling for young makers, but it is really easy to accidentally build something onscreen that actually isn’t a printable model on a 3D printer.

So I got excited when I saw today’s announcement from Google.

From the Google Official Blog:

[W]e think the creative freedom of LEGO bricks shouldn’t be limited to plastic bins—which is the idea behind Build with Chrome, a collaboration between Chrome and the LEGO Group that brought these colorful bricks to the web using WebGL, a 3D graphics technology …

We’ve added a few new features to make it easier to build and explore this digital world of LEGO creations. To start, you can now sign in with a Google+ account to help find stuff that people in your circles have created. A new categorization system for completed Builds will help you sort and filter for specific types of structures.

To hone your engineering skills and prepare for the upcoming “THE LEGOR MOVIETM,” you can explore the Build Academy, a series of short tutorials and challenges featuring characters and structures from the film.
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If it feels more natural to use your hands—rather than a mouse—you can build your creations using a touchscreen on your phone or tablet with Chrome for Android support for WebGL on devices with high-end graphics capabilities.

Maybe this is the kind of intermediate step — and I don’t want to discount that it’s a blast by itself — that would help students make that leap with a familiar metaphor.

To be clear: the Build with Chrome site is meant for onscreen builds only; you can’t export your finished product for 3D printing (but hint, hint: it would be an awesome feature). But I think it could help students “see” in 3D online before they leap into a 3D modeling software tool.

Check out the promotional video below:

I can’t wait to see kids playing with this …

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