Lego printers, robots, a candy machine: Coding projects made with bricks

As part of an event last week highlighting the role Lego can play in teaching kids about coding and engineering, Lego brought students to New York to show off their cool Lego-based projects, which included infrared-sensing robots, mobile printers and a tasty M&M candy machine.

Brothers Sanjay Seshan (left, 15) and Arvind Seshan (13) run the EV3Lessons Lego Mindstorms programming website.

This Lego printer developed by brothers Sanjay and Arvind Seshan can sync with a mobile app to print photos using just two ink colors.

That previous printer refines this earlier one they developed, which uses one color.

The Seshan brothers also brought an electronic shape-matching game, with boards that flip over. 

Kyle Markland, 17, runs the BuilderDude35 YouTube channel. He brought several robots.

Some of Kyle Markland's robots, such as this moving tank, respond to an infrared sensor. 

This car created by Kyle Markland can make use of GPS, much like a Google Maps app on a phone.

Marcel Bonnici, 19, of the Astonishing Studios YouTube channel put together an M&M's Chocolate Dispenser with Danish builder ElectryDragonite. It's gotten 10,000 supporters on the Lego Ideas website.

Much like the dispenser at New York's M&M's World store, flipping a switch on the Lego version dispenses colorful chocolates.

Those projects were on display as part of an event revealing a new educational set called Lego Education Coding Express.

Lego Education Coding Express teaches programming concepts to young kids through simple colors. Kids can play with a programmable train, caterpillar or other buildable creation that works with an optional mobile app.

Kids can place blue, yellow, green, red and white bricks on the track, and the Coding Express vehicle will recognize the colors as it travels and respond accordingly. 

The Coding Express train may change directions, refuel or stop.

The little caterpillar might sneeze or take a short nap. Students can watch these actions take place on the optional companion app.

Apart from the programming concepts, the Lego set is much like any other train set.

The Lego Education Coding Express will be available in the US and China for educators and administrators starting this October for $190.

It will be available in other regions in 2019, and while international pricing isn't yet available the US price converts roughly to £150 and AU$260.