Microsoft has released a new rapid prototyping toolkit that promises to let electronic enthusiasts put together small gadgets in a matter of hours. Devices built with the kit, dubbed .NET Gadgeteer, include an MP3 player, digital camera, and a mini arcade cabinet. At the heart of the kit is a main circuit board with an embedded processor and a variety of sockets that can be linked with other .NET Gadgeteer modules. These include a touchscreen, a camera, LEDs, buttons, and USB and SD card interfaces, all of which can be slotted together like electronic Lego without the need for soldering. On the software side, Microsoft has set up a website to share the open-source code that controls the various .NET Gadgeteer modules. Users can also write their own software in C#, a popular programming language. “It started out as an internal tool at Microsoft Research Cambridge, but its appeal to people outside the lab quickly became evident,” says Steve Hodges, principal hardware engineer at Microsoft Research Cambridge. “The open source release will make this powerful technology available to others, including the hobbyists, teachers, researchers and developers who have given us such positive feedback to date,” he says. Microsoft is also working on ways to turn your loose collection of circuit boards into a more serious construction, such as building a case to house your electronics using a 3D printer. For more on how 3D printing is changing the way we make things, check out our recent special report. (via One Per Cent: Build your own gadget with Microsoft’s Lego for adults)