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Design

Connecting K'Nex: The Free Universal Construction Kit

F.A.T. Lab and Sy-Lab find a way to attach your Legos to your Tinkertoys.

F.A.T. Lab and Sy-Lab have just released what we expect to be on every child's birthday list this year: the Free Universal Construction Kit, a collection of 80 adapter bricks capable of connecting ten different construction toys. From K'Nex to Lincoln Logs, the kit allows for new forms of interoperability between otherwise closed systems, encouraging more creative potential for children.

Here's the catch: F.A.T. Lab and Sy-Lab aren't actually producing the physical kits, but rather releasing the downloadable .STL file for printing via 3D printer. But kids aren’t the only ones having all the fun, adults can play along too by improving upon the open source software.

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As this deeply endearing motivational video demonstrates, kids are begging for this type of hybridity in their toys. And so why should corporate interests hinder their creative pursuits?

Have access to your own 3D printer? Download the individual adapters from Thingiverse.com, or the complete Free Universal Construction Kit as a 29MB .zip archive from the F.A.T. Lab web site, here.

[via F.A.T. Lab]

@packyouralex