We’ve always been in awe of people who can build custom LEGO models from scratch. Sure, anyone can follow instructions to build a pre-designed set (even something massive like the LEGO Colosseum or Eiffel Tower), but original creations just a little more special (and so much more challenging). The Brick My World app is a 3D scanner that can translate real-world objects into LEGO models, making it just that much easier to put together your own custom set.
That’s right, anyone can now design their own custom LEGO model, with no need to mess with 3D modeling software or do some painstaking manual design. Just launch the app, scan the object you want to turn into a model, and the software will take care of the hard stuff. From there, you just build the custom model based on the app’s design.
The Brick My World app uses the phone’s camera to scan the object being modeled, moving it around, so the scan captures it from every angle. From there, it uses photogrammetry to convert the 2D scan into a detailed 3D model, after which it applies voxelization to convert the 3D model into a structure that’s compatible with LEGO bricks. According to the outfit, it uses an AI algorithm to refine the voxelized model, optimize the geometry for an accurate representation of the original object, and cleans it up to ensure structural integrity.
After creating the final voxelized 3D model, the app then produces step-by-step building instructions, which it can output as a PDF file (so you can easily print it or view it on any document reader) or an LDR file for loading onto LDraw. From there, you just build it based on the instructions. According to the outfit, it uses standard LEGO bricks for all the model designs, complete with detailed listing of all the parts you need, so you can easily collect or order bricks as needed.
The Brick My World app can perform its scanning and voxelization function on objects of virtually any size. However, they do recommend sticking to items between four to 36 inches for best results, since excessively large items can lead to absurdly complicated builds (not to mention, equally complicated instructions). If you want to do larger objects, they recommend breaking it down into multiple sections, so you end up with simpler builds that you can put together afterwards.
You can scale the objects you scan according to your liking, by the way, so you can make the models bigger or smaller than the original scanned objects, with the app automatically adjusting the build to the size. It even lets you adjust the level of detail, so you can make it simpler or more detailed, then see how each variant will appear directly onscreen. According to the outfit, it can work with any iOS devices that has ARKit support and any Android devices with ARCore support, since it uses those technologies to get an accurate scan of the object.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Brick My World app. Lifetime access to the app requires just a pledge of $99, sparing you from the planned subscription plan once the full commercial version rolls out.