This was a project done for Mitch Resnick's class at the Media Laboratory called Technological Tools for learning. Unfortunately, all the pages we created about this project got deleted off the old Media Lab web server, so here's a brief description.
Astro is a dog made out of legos and uses a device called the Programmable Brick developed by Fred Martin. Astro was developed by Media Lab graduate students Lisa Stifelman and Yin Yin Wong. As graduate students we aren't able to care for a real dog, so we decided to make one out of legos! He looks like a Scottish Terrier.
Astro can perform several fun tricks:
Astro performs these tricks using some simple sensors: two microphones (one attached to his front and one attached to his tail), a switch sensor in his mouth, and a light sensor in front. When you place the bone in his mouth you trigger the switch sensor; when you block his light sensor, you invoke his "fear" behavior.
Astro barks with the help of an ISD chip and speaker (from a greeting card). This gets triggered by turning on one of the low powered motors on the brick.
Astro's head and tail turn together when the associated motor is turned on.