Light Stax: Bricks with LEDs inside
Posted by Huw,
We have mentioned a few Kickstarter campaigns in the past that aim to make it easier to illuminate your LEGO models but few have been successful. However, the latest one, Light Stax, looks like it will succeed where others have failed, thanks in part to its simplicity.
Essentially, the proposal is to produce LEGO compatible bricks with LEDs inside that conduct electricity to each other via small metal connectors on each stud. They can be powered via a USB brick or rechargeable LiPo battery block. You can make entire models from them with every brick illuminated or use cables to connect several together in different parts of a larger model.
Here's the USB connector that can be used to power the bricks. The rechargeable LiPo battery block is a 4x4 brick which is charged via a micro USB port.
As well as transparent bricks shown above, solid colours will be available too.
Here, every brick is a LightStax brick.
As well as 2x4s, 2x2s will be available too, allowing all manner of cool creations to be fully illuminated.
This picture shows everything that the campaign proposes to produce, which includes a street light, which is sure to be a very useful and popular item:
The company has produced Duplo-sized bricks using the same technology which won a number of industry awards.
If they take your fancy you can pledge now at Kickstarter, from just €15 for 18 bricks, a cable and battery block and if you can read Dutch you will find a review of pre-production samples, and photos of them integrated into LEGO models, at the LowLug website.
Personally I think they look pretty cool and I have already pledged. Currently the campaign has €12,800 of a required €20,000 so with your support it should achieve its target.
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18 comments on this article
Excellent idea and really simple to its implementation! Gogogo bring us LEGO System bricks! :)
The ultimate Green Lantern MOC kit!
Thanks for highlighting @Huw - backed! This is what my winter village set up has been crying out for - a non-invasive way to light it up. I went for the €44 pledge to get the lamp posts - I'll be very disappointed if it doesn't get funded now.
The DUPLO size Light Stax bricks have been available for a while now (in the USA you can get them through Amazon). I have a bunch of them and they are very high quality, and lots of fun. I have been hoping that they will make standard size bricks as well, so very happy about this Kickstarter. :)
Once I did a DIY 2x1 block with a blue led and two LR41 batteries. It was small enough to light StarWars starships.
Sadly it broke.
What's the USB brick mentioned here? I'm not familiar with it.
The most elegant light solution I've ever seen for LEGO is i-Brix:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426110532/i-brix-wireless-lighting-system-for-lego-building
A damn shame the kickstarter didn't take off. I would have bought so much of it :-(
Looks like Christmas!
Still leaning towards LifeLites for lighting MOC's... more compact.
Has anybody tried Brick Loot's lights, particularly the lampposts? I'm wondering what their quality is like.
@VictorvanSchagen according to their website they found alternative funding and are looking to start selling this year.
the brick blogger, cool! love your site it would make my day if you could replay!
Backed, it seems like this one might become a reality compared to the others so I hope they are successful.
I want to back it but all the images on the lamp posts are fudged. I guess this just means they need to finalise the design but they haven't been clear on that. Going to email them first to find out.
Maybe Huw you could do an interview and get them to give more details?
Wonder what the purists would say ? As they are not Lego. Would purists simply refuse to use these bricks or would they allow it as its unique ? Just seen a UCS millennium falcon on ebay which says replica, assumed it was parts only or nearest match but no. Entire model out of the right looking parts without a single Lego stud anywhere. Made in China.
@white dove I highly recommend brick loot's lights. They are cheaper than most lights and they have pre made kits so you can light up your sets.
Thanks Parkerlegomaster :-)
They got back to me
"We are still working on the design of the Lamp STAX so that’s why we didn’t provide clear pictures yet.
A thing we have to consider is that the Lamp STAX should look familiar but shouldn’t be an exact copy of the LEGO street lamp. Both to avoid copyright issues and because we don’t want to be copy cats.
One thing we do know: we won’t use a minifig head as lamp and we will try to make the lamp part usable as a 1x1 stand alone LIGHT STAX part as well.
I will post an update as soon as we have a design we can communicate!"
This is a confused answer. I assume they mean they are moulding their own lamp posts and are worried about the design being protected, it might be but i'm doubtful, although you should never underestimate the gleefulness of IP courts to extend copyright. I am a little disappointed they wont use the minifig head an accurate lampost is far more important to me than a detachable lamp part.
I was going to back for a large number of lamps but I think I'll hold off now. Incompatibility with power functions is an issue too as it would have been useful to have a unified control and power system.