The similar high quality and sturdiness that permits Lego bricks to be handed down from one technology to the subsequent additionally permits the brightly coloured constructing toy to be weaponized within the worst method possible: inside a foot-tracking cannon that intentionally sends the pieces sliding underfoot as somebody walks by.

Adam Beedle is seemingly a glutton for punishment in relation to children’ toys. After constructing an automatic turret for a Nerf blaster that sends foam darts harmling proper in direction of the face (their face, particularly), Beedle has constructed one other weapon of mass annoyance. This time, it’s a camera-equipped, custom-designed blaster that enormously will increase its goal’s danger of stepping on some of the painful objects identified to humanity: the Lego brick.

If you’re not wincing in ache on the thought, take a second to observe Beedle’s very unscientific experiment to seek out probably the most painful Lego brick to step on (don’t fear; he doesn’t enlist any unsuspecting buddies or household to endure this torture). Although it was a easy one-stud brick that induced probably the most ache, Beedle as an alternative designed and 3D-printed their elastic band-powered launching mechanism to fireside normal two-by-eight bricks, that are nonetheless no picnic to unintentionally uncover underfoot.

A fundamental computer-tethered webcam hooked up to the launcher and powered by the OpenCV computer vision library particularly targets the human foot, though given the restricted picture high quality of the cam, the addition of purple socks enormously will increase the cannon’s accuracy. When a foot is focused, the cannon sends the plastic bricks sliding throughout the ground in direction of it, making a minefield of pointy studs and sharp plastic edges.

If you’ve received roommates infamous for sneaking into the kitchen and stealing your meals, a contraption like this ensures you received’t have roommates for for much longer.