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Lego Spectrometer

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This is the latest version of Public Lab's DIY Desktop Spectrometry Kit -- the Lego Spectrometer. It addresses issues of rigidity, sourcing, modularity, and image quality over previous versions.

We've been making and distributing Do-It-Yourself spectrometers since 2011, and have been through 4 major kit versions and hundreds of different community contributed modifications, new versions, changes, and more.

Get a kit

This is an open source kit, so you can just build your own -- but to order parts for a kit, visit the Public Lab Store:

Design goals

Over the years, we've identified a few really critical improvements that have been tough to solve:

  • rigidity
  • easy to source parts
  • modularity - working together
  • image quality

Our mission is to make it easier, cheaper, and more accessible to do environmental monitoring, and to do that as an open source, collaborative community. And of course part of that is cost -- while people build upon our kits with more expensive options and upgrades, we want the basic kit to be extremely affordable.

Quick start




Questions

Title Author Updated Likes Comments
Can the lego spectrometer work well for emission spectrometry? @carpdiem over 3 years ago 0
How can I get spectral lines thin? @Solkin over 3 years ago 2
Do you have any tips for splicing DVD-Rs for spectrometer builds? @mimiss over 3 years ago 4
Spectral Workbench so slow on raspberry pi zero @danieisnietgek over 4 years ago 3
Spectral Workbench @danieisnietgek over 4 years ago 0
Which No IR 12mm lens should I get for 640x480 webcam? @jevs over 4 years ago 2
Removing IR filter from basic webcam? @jevs over 4 years ago 13
Possibilities to use the dvd in reflection in the spectrometer ? @vnourrit over 4 years ago 2
Can't access pi camera in Spectral Workbench @lukemcpheters over 4 years ago 4
What size cuvettes are used for the lego spectrometer? @joquendo almost 5 years ago 5
What could be some applications of a hand-powered paper centrifuge? @mimiss almost 5 years ago 9
Lego Spectrometer cardboard cut out template? @aga over 5 years ago 2
Does the image quality of the raspberry camera higher than the webcam? @Builder6274 over 5 years ago 0
Does the image quality of the raspberry camera higher than the webcam? @Builder6274 over 5 years ago 5
Raspberry pi operating system for Lego spectrometer @Aleksi12358 over 5 years ago 6
Do a DVD is provided with the LEGO kit ? ty ! @adamsanta almost 6 years ago 1
Can I use the lego spectrometer to measure enviromental light spectrum? @baxamook about 6 years ago 2
Uploading images from raspberry pi. @cedarlodge about 6 years ago 12
Do I need to use a DVD-R? Will a CD-R work too? @jordankc about 6 years ago 2
Lego Spectrometer suitable for studying sunlight? @jsbonillam about 6 years ago 12
normal or noIR camera? @iamben about 6 years ago 3
Quantifying Phytonutrients using a Spectrometer, Possible? @zayas about 6 years ago 7
How do I... @Sahil about 6 years ago 0
I want to know a method to quantify milk proteins using the foldable mini spectrometer, Is this possible? @julsmill about 6 years ago 2

Building your Lego Spectrometer


Activities should include a materials list, costs and a step-by-step guide to construction with photos. Learn what makes a good activity here.

Spectrometry activities

Purpose Category Status Author Time Difficulty Replications
Detecting Pesticides in Organic and Conventional Raspberries using Open Source Instrumentation - - @silverhammer - hard 0 replications: Try it »
First "PIG Oil Only Absorbent Mat Pad" Test - - @Matej - - 0 replications: Try it »
Preliminary LED and isopropyl alcohol solvent tests for oil fluorescence analysis - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »
Using the Spectroscope for Analysis of Concentration (Beer's Law) test-limits - @straylight 3h medium 0 replications: Try it »
Oil Testing Beta --plus Grand Isle tar - - @eustatic - - 0 replications: Try it »
Separating Oil from Water by Freezing the Water - - @Matej - - 0 replications: Try it »
Testing the Oil Testing Kit: identifying a "somewhat unknown" sample - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »
Spectrometry Sample Extraction at the Parts & Crafts Toolshed-Raising - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »
Testing high-brightness 405nm LEDs in fluorescence spectroscopy of oils - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »
Spectrometer 3.0 add-on v2 - - @programmer1200 - - 0 replications: Try it »
Mobile cuvette holder - - @cfastie - - 0 replications: Try it »
Honlian 60s LED nail polish hardener, various LED fluorescence updates - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »

Activities should include a materials list, costs and a step-by-step guide to construction with photos. Learn what makes a good activity here.


Spectrometer calibration


Activities should include a materials list, costs and a step-by-step guide to construction with photos. Learn what makes a good activity here.


tinkercad.png

Tinkercad model, below

Parts

3D models

  • Tinkercad: https://tinkercad.com/things/43IqCTHE7Iz
  • Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2711528

3D brick models

Lots of great brick models are available here: https://printabrick.org/ and on http://thingiverse.com

  • assorted standard bricks: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2626413
  • holey bricks: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1095326
  • sloped brick: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:527185
  • corner L brick: https://printabrick.org/bricks/2357
  • brick w/ peg: https://printabrick.org/bricks/2458 (I used this instead of a 1x2 hole brick + a friction peg, because I couldn't find a model for the brick)

Brick dimensions are nicely described in this diagram from Wikipedia:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lego_dimensions.svg

Print files for the black cardstock insert can be found here.