Meet UberBlox: New modular machine building system arrives on Kickstarter

UberBlox is a new modular construction and prototyping system that is designed to help people easily conceptualize and build projects like 3D printers, smart systems and robots.

With a salute to the explosion of the maker scene, UberBlox offers a building-block style single-connector locking mechanism that uses a common tool to quickly and precisely lock the standard sized blocks together. The blocks themselves provide accurate, strong and rigid frames for a variety of structures and machines.

With UberBlox’s modular system, you start by assembling parts, mostly with a single small tool. You can re-configure your design using the same standard parts within the same system easily, quickly and repeatedly. The specifically built parts are designed to fit together precisely, making your project easy to assemble and dismantle.

While designing complex machines generally takes years of training in development, fabrication and assembly, the maker movement has given rise to a demand for systems that people can use to accomplish their goals without that level of training.

Thus, UberBlox seeks to eliminate the need to cut, drill, mill, redo or fret about fit to achieve the structure you want, or the knowhow to accurately operate tools and equipment that you may not have easy access to or expertise in.

Gone are the wide range of fastening options for connecting parts and the sometimes vexing decisions of which is the best  joint option or dealing with extrusions that are cut to custom lengths for a specific design, but that can rarely be re-used.

Major components for UberBlox are made of aluminum, zinc or steel-aluminum alloys. The system also includes a number of compatible and re-configurable parts, including moving components, sub-assemblies, motors, electronics and controllers (brain boxes) based on popular boards like Arduino and Raspberry Pi. These let you build, test and control your computer-programmed automated machines and robots.

A group of supporting electro-mechanic, electronic and software components and off- the-shelf parts also help you to put the finishing touches on your project.

UberBlox tackles the technical expertise dilemma, but that is not the only barrier to building a successful project. It also aims to improve the quality of the materials. Plastic building block sets are not strong enough to accurately support some of the projects people now want to build. UberBlox seeks to combine the simplicity of these systems with a more industrial strength output.

UberBlox launched as a Kickstarter project today, seeking to raise $100,000 by April 22. By the end of day one, the project had gained 46 backers who pledged a little over $19,000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=horLMASNLI8

➤ UberBlox