Yes, it is legal to use things like this in a solution. The team should remember, though, that the judges will be scoring them on the creative elements they themselves invent, not on the creativity of the engineers at the Lego company. Also, note that certain items from these construction kits are very expensive even at garage sale prices; used computer bricks for Lego MindStorms®, for example, typically sell for over $100 each on eBay or Craigslist.
Posted in: FAQs for Financial Costs, FAQs for Long-Term Problems, FAQs for Odyssey Team Members