We’ve seen some awesome Lego creations, and this one is just as cool. Philo Hurbain built this 3D scanner because he was looking for a way to model complex Lego parts for use in the LDraw CAD program.

Even the drive components and sensors are made from Lego pieces, except for the probe needle, which is apparently a sewing needle. The “brains” of the device is the Mindstorms NXT. Below, you can watch the device in action as it models a Lego frog.

Who says there are no new ideas? The BBC are certainly not lacking in imagination. They commissioned this neat idea that combines social networking with a digital radio, and the end result is Olinda. On one hand, it’s a normal digital radio, but when you remove the clear orange cap, a plug-in interface is exposed.

You can add modules onto the end of it, like building with Legos. This one has small buttons that each correspond to one of your friends. A button lights up when one of your friends is listening to the radio, so if you push that button, you’ll hear the same radio station that your friend is listening to. The creators hope to develop more modules, thereby expanding the uses of the device.