Jason Merrill has announced the pending availability of Blocko, a reproduction of the Technic Control (TC) interface card sold by LEGO in the 1980s for controlling LEGO Technic kits.
Evan Koblentz, a LEGO enthusiast unaffiliated with this project who last year built a Chevy V8 engine replica using LEGO and an Apple II, detailed in the 100th issue of Juiced.GS how to interface LEGO with the Apple II:
You build a technical LEGO model, such as a robot arm or anything else you imagine; plug in LEGO’s motors, lights, and sensors (optical, touch); attach those by wires to the LEGO interface box; attach the box to your computer through a cable; and use LEGO’s software or a language like BASIC to bring the model to life. Imagine the fun of building your own Apple II-controlled robot vehicle and then chasing the family cat from your desk!
Koblentz went on to detail the two essential components for getting LEGO Technic working with an Apple II:
- An interface box (“Interface A”, originally included in LEGO sets 1090, 1092, 1093, 9700, and 9750); and
- An interface card (LEGO part number 9767).
To fulfill that second requirement, Koblentz linked to Jonathan “Glitch” Chapman’s documentation for building a replica card. Courtesy Blocko, LEGO enthusiasts will soon have the option to buy a card instead of building their own.
Blocko will be available from Joe’s Computer Museum in November 2024; the retail price has yet to be announced.
(Hat tip to GutBomb via Kay Savetz)