Lego Spectrometer

question:lego-spectrometer

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](/w//spectrometry) since 2011, and have been through [4 major kit versions](http://store.publiclab.org/collections/spectrometry) 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 [notes:grid:lego-quickstart] ## Questions [questions:lego-spectrometer] ## Building your Lego Spectrometer [activities:lego-spectrometer] ## Spectrometry activities [activities:spectrometry-sampling] **** ## Spectrometer calibration [activities:spectrometry-calibration] **** [](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/022/935/original/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](https://publiclab.org/notes/abdul/10-19-2016/foldable-paper-spectrometer-instructions). ...