ROBOTMAK3RS Blog

NXTasy Reader hansgong is trying to translate NXT OSEK into Chinese and to help him promote it in China. Since this is such a big job, he is looking for people to help him. Read the thread at NXTasy and contact him there: http://forums.nxtasy.org/index.php?showtopic=2493&st=0&gopid=18725&#entry18725 Also visit the NXT OSEK website here: http://lejos-osek.sourceforge.net/index.htm Hope to see this project more developed in the future! Richard PS... for those that know me, yes I can speak Chinese. I can even translate spoken English into Chinese and vice versa. But my written/typed Chinese is horrible. Need to brush up some. :-) I'll try to help though.

The following is a description of a remote-control application for your NXT: "NxtMgr is a utility that will allow you to control (your) Lego Mindstorms robots via Bluetooth. The program will allow you to define the port control, set the speed of different engines installed on the robot and the time of issuance of the order, among other possibilities. To use NxtMgr, you need Palm OS 3.0" The application costs 0.99USD and is available here in English and Spanish. I haven't used the app and make no claim regarding it or its seller.

After creating a money counting machine, a car factory and a bubblegum sorter , the students of the Veit-Höser-Gymnasium Bogen in Germany are back with a very nice construction. This time they created a plane assembling factory. The description of the video announced that the factory included 25 RCX’s, and 73 motors. Read more here (German). For those of you that use portable devices, a direct link to the video is here .

Have you ever had difficulty thinking of a good robot to make? Many times, some inspiration can help you think of a good idea. So we're starting a new blog series to provide ideas for robots. Each week, on Saturday, one of the contributors will post a robot idea on the blog. This may include examples, techniques, and anything else that might be helpful. We welcome any feedback on the posts, so please comment and tell us what you think. Any preferences for a certain type of robot ideas? (Such as simple or complex, programming- or building-focused, single-NXT or multiple-NXT, etc.). Here's the first inspiration: Vertical-Moving Robots Most mobile NXT robots move on the ground or something horizontal. So how about making something that moves in the other direction... up! There are several different kinds of robots that move vertically. Some examples include: "Chimmney-Climbing" robot: this kind of robot uses multiple walls surounding it (like the inside of a box) to move

All of you who are near to the Alsace in France: do not forget to attend the Fana'Briques 2008 event that will take place in Rosheim tomorrow and on Sunday (28th and 29th of June). Also the third run of Fana'Briques will be focused on the topic LEGO® in Locomotion : there will be an attempt for a speed world record with a LEGO® bullet train (TGV/ICE), a large DCC controlled roadway system, Mini- and Maxifigs at the Olympic Games and a building challenge for children as well as a particularly large Great Ball Contraption (targeting the size of 100 modules).

Two new projects on nxtprograms.com show how you can have some fun with a simple 1-button remote control using a simple touch sensor on a wire. With a little programming, you can get the single button to control driving, turning, and the use of an attachment. The 1-Button Remote Control project shows a simple way to control driving and turning with one button. And the Hammer Car project shows how you can control an attachment in addition to the driving and turning, still with only the one button. This fun little robot looks like something out of a cartoon, but I'm not sure where I am remembering (imagining?) this from.

This weekend many people would be able to see the Disney Pixar film Wall-e in Europe and USA. The film about a robot that falls in love is one of the most creative to come out of the Disney-Pixar studio for a while. To mark the release of the film, the oficial web site has a ' Build your own robot ' section where you get to choose the looks / behavour / mobility etc. And of course, if you got a NXT - you dont need to go to a web site to design a virtual robot. You can of course build your own real Wall-e! Well almost!! To get you started, here is some inspiration. This version, designed about a year ago was based on a leaked picture of the robot and it won one of the NXTLog building challenges last year. My kids and I had a lot of fun creating it - it can be built with the components from one NXT retail kit and one 2007 TECHNIC Bulldozer kit. If you want instructions on how to build it, check out the NXTLog instructions here . Edit: Thanks NXTFanatic - I have updated the NXTLog

Here's a card dealing robot that I've been tinkering with. This robot deals from the bottom of the pack using an NXT wheel to draw out a card. A second NXT wheel spinning 5 times quicker then 'spits' out the card. The whole device is mounted on a turntable to allow the robot to deal into different position. Nothing overly spectacular, but I like how well the different speeds of the two wheels work to kick out the card. The program is pretty straight forward and I've got image of it on the website, http://www.domabotics.com/projects.php -- Damien Kee

Hello LEGO community. I presented at Brickworld, and I want to share the LEGO Digital Designer files that I showed to the general community online. I have my LDD files and some other LEGO goodies on my site: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~KINZIEJH/lego/ I encourage you to use these files in your own creations! -Jay Kinzie

How'd you like to to spend a few days in this vault?

"Programming Lego Mindstorms NXT" by Owen Bishop is now in stock. A direct link to the table of contents is here . A direct link to the first chapter is here . More information is here .

The time to design a robot to be used in a real-world manufacturing setting is almost over! The Contest ends on July 1. The contest sponsor, DanM, has confirmed at least 9 different individuals have requested pellets or more information to help with designs. Good luck to those who are participating - this is one of those great opportunities to put your knowledge to the test and show off your engineering skills (building and programming) and your presentation and sales skills, too. The forum discussion can be found here . Prizes are: 1st place: $100 (US) LEGO Gift Certificate 2nd place: NXT Rersource Set 3rd place: NXT Resource Set

Some members of the NXTStep Blog are writing a NEW book, a sequel to the "NXT Idea Book". The working title of the book is: LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book, Volume 2: 10 More Amazing Robots for You to Build Now! All of the robots in the book can be built with the NXT retail kit. More details are here .

Even though most of the new Technic sets use the studless building style, it is sometimes hard to combine them with the NXT. Especially when the model is relatively small and you want to keep the total creation compact. There are many sets that have been motorized, but I didn't see a compact version of an 'nxtisized' Off Road Truck (LEGO #8273) yet. Therefore, I decided to give it a try. At the moment it moves aroud the room very smoothly, using the arrow keys on my keyboard and RobotC. I will implement sensors into this truck later, to allow it to move through the room autonomously. The four wheels in the back are all driven by two differentials and they can tilt, just like the original version. To place the driving motor, I had to remove the turntable of the the little crane. Now my question to you is, did you combine any LEGO set with the NXT? Or did you see some nice combinations on the web? Leave a comment here with a link to the robot and I'll start a new thread

The winner of the camel foot contest is Laurens Valk. You can download the instructions for his camel foot design HERE . If you are interested in seeing some creative design work, check out the camel foot contest forum . You may find some of their ideas useful in your designs. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

There are new animations in the movies section on mindstorms.com : a dancing and a fighting AlphaRex. Have a look!

The new book will come with a CD demo version of LabVIEW 8.5, the LabVIEW Toolkit and all programming code from the book. Details are here .

Well, it’s been far too long since I’ve blogged… well, anything . So I wanted to drop a quick line to mention three interesting datalogging examples I’ve hit upon during the last few months. In some cases, these are only ideas to be built upon, but they should give you food for thought on datalogging with the NXT. All these images are up in my Brickshelf gallery if you want to look – plus more. First, I was contacted by someone who wanted to know if it was possible to use the NXT to log the accelerations of a Hulahoop. So I said “I don’t know”… and tried it. The first task was trying to get a semi-balanced hoop with the weight of the NXT. So I used the b est thing I could to counterbalance an NXT… another NXT. Using duct tape (a lot of duct tape) I taped one NXT with a Hitechnic accelerometer to one side, and another NXT to the other side as a counterbalance. OK, now the next problem… I can’t Hula-hoop. At all. And a hula-hoop with a dozen AA batteries duct-taped to it isn’t the easies

AlphaRex has found his way to Paris for a visit with Philo, MDP/MCPer... new photos have been added for the Global Roadtrip - check them out here .

Brickworld will be happening from June 19th through the 22nd - next weekend. For anybody within striking distance of Chicago, I'd really recommend it. Several MDP's will be there, including Steve Hassenplug , John Brost , Bryan Bonahoom , and myself. Besides are great place to just meet other AFoL's and view some amazing creations, on Thursday three of us will be giving a talk on building robots with the NXT (it's already full I'm told, but it gives you an idea of our focus). I'm not sure what will end up at the event - but it will be a lot of fun, and include RoboMagellean robots , Serenity , GBC's , DigiCompII , LEGO trains, and lot of other stuff. If you don't want to pay the $50 ticket price for attending, Saturday and Sunday are public days from 10 AM to 3 PM for just $12. See you there? -- Brian Davis

There is a new conference on robotics in science and education on October 31, 2008, in Yokohama City, Japan. Their second announcement and call for papers can be found here. Does anyone have more information about this conference? This PDF download is the only information I have been able to find.

Participation in the "Regular Category" requires the NXT and/or RCX Education Set. The details are here .

Not NXT news, but someone I really enjoyed watching and listening to, Tim Russert, passed away today - he was the host and moderator of Meet the Press and he always made election night in the USA more interesting (even for people like me who don't enjoy politics). Age 58, he died of a heart attack today, June 13, 2008 - too young. His book about his Dad, "Big Russ" is a must read for all fathers and sons. Young readers (and older) - with Father's Day on Sunday, give your Dad a great gift by asking him to take a walk or bike ride with you... and make it a regular event. Invite Mom, too.

A few updates about Mars Base Command: 1. Instructions have been added to the zipped file containing the Mission Data Forms. The text file contains information on submitting photos and video links for inclusion in the Roster. The download location specified in the Module Booklet hasn't changed. 2. I've already received some emails from a few individuals about their attempts to solve the missions - thank you for sharing the details! Be sure to send me pictures, video links, and info when you're done so I can add it to the Roster area. 3. For right now, Mars Base Alpha: Plan B will remain in book format. I haven't found a suitable method (or price) for CDs or PDF digital delivery that I like - thanks to those who have emailed and let me know their books and the BIs look good. BIs in grayscale are always tricky, but I tried to enlarge as many images as I could to give you more detail. 4. I was asked if all modules will come with a color PDF mat that can be print

Back on June 5 , we announced that reader Dan M. and the company he works for are wanting to incorporate an NXT robot into a manufacturing process. They need YOU to design that robot and they've turned it into a contest. You can find more information in the special forum section for the Contest here . The prizes are nice, too: 1st place: $100 (US) LEGO Gift Certificate 2nd place: NXT Rersource Set 3rd place: NXT Resource Set Get building!

Check out this contest from Instructables. (If you haven't seen this site, check it out, also.) Contest is currently OPEN! Enter yours or start voting now! CONTEST STARTS:Apr 15, 2008 ENTRY DEADLINE:Jun 29, 2008 Instructables has teamed up with the folks at RoboGames to bring you the Robot Contest! Show them what you and your robots can do, and win a trip to go to RoboGames, flight and hotel room included! ( Contest Instructions and Official Rules )

Would these photos be the first ones showing NXT with living butterflies? Taking Alpha Rex and butterfly photos was the most interesting and exiting experience I had when preparing the Alpha Rex tour in Taipei! It took me more than an hour to get the chance to approach the butterfly in such close distance. The butterfly was so focusing on her flower and allowed me (Alpha Rex) to touch her! If you want to try taking photos in the wild and/or roadside in your area, be sure to consult local expert about the safety in the wild. The butterfly: Parantica sita niphonica The plant and flower: Eupatorium shimadai Hay The place: Datun Mountain, Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei, Taiwan

Amazon claims that a new NXT book is out, entitled, "Programming Mindstorms NXT". Amazon also claims that the book is temporarily out of stock, despite a purported publication date of June 9th, 2008. According to Amazon, the book includes the following: "1) a how-to guide for programming your robot, using NXT-G and Microsoft VPL 2) ten robot-specific projects show how to extend your robot's capabilities beyond the manufacturer's provided software. Examples of projects include: Maze solver, Robot House Builder, Search (obstacle avoidance), Song and Dance Act 3) flowcharts and data flow diagrams are used to illustrate how to develop programs 4) introduces basic programming structures 5) includes a DVD w/ e-text, programming code, and link to accompanying website" The problem is this: Syngress, the publisher, doesn't list this new book on their web site. I am guessing that the project has been delayed or dropped. I know I could email Syngress

AlphaRex has landed in Taipei, Taiwan... see some pictures here . His twin is currently visiting League City, TX, just outside of Houston.

Over at Steve Hassenplug's website, you'll find a fun article and some videos on a recent activity involving NXT and GPS. Check it out here .

Australian robotics teachers - You are invited to participate in SmartBots! SmartBots is an online robotics extension program for middle school students (aged 10 to 14 years). This successful initiative ran for the first time in Tasmania in 2007, and was the result of collaboration between the federally funded SiMERR project (Science, Information and Communication Technology and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia) and CELO (The Tasmanian Department of Education’s Centre for Extended Learning Opportunities), and is now also supported by LEGO Education. SmartBots provides teams of students with the opportunity to work through weekly lesson plans using LEGO MINDSTORMS robotics kits. The program provides an excellent demonstration of introducing a transformative Information and Communications Technology subject into rural & remote schools where local staff had little or no prior experience of this content. Following the success of SmartBots in Tasmania, we're no

Okay, so usually when I get a horrid case of Writer's Block and just can't seem to push through a project, I just walk away for a while and pick something that satisfies any or all of 3 conditions: (1) It has to be completely non-productive from a business angle. (2) It should involve some sort of purchase that I might regret later. (3) It should take away 2 to 3 hours that I won't get back. I'm happy to announce that my latest NXT project has satisfied all 3 conditions, making it a worthy blog news item - it's a non-autonomous tri-wheeled rover with virtual exploration capabilities. Okay, it's a remote controlled tribot with a wireless camera that feeds into some virtual goggles I bought and allows me to drive my tribot while I'm not in the room. Here's how it breaks down: 1. Tribot 2. 2nd NXT Remote Control 3. Wireless Camera (with microphone!) 4. Wireless Camera Receiver 5. Video Eyewear (goggles) The latest issue of MAKE magazine spurred me

A while back I completed the NXT color image scanner. With the scanner you can scan and save images as a BMP-file in the NXT's flash memory. Now there is good news for people who want to build their own LEGO scanner. Finally I have had the time to finish the building instructions. You can download/view the instructions at my website or simply get a quick run through by clicking on the video below. Please enjoy Anders

I'm already receiving email feedback about the first module/workbook in the Mars Base Command series - thank you all for your emails and kind words. Please keep in mind that the forum does have a place where you can post questions, observations, and discuss your robot ideas. And, of course, I'm always around to check on the discussions. Jim

We built this really fast NXT based vehicle over the weekend to see how far you can step up the rotations from a NXT motor before you reach the point where the power delivered to the wheel is no longer enough to make the vehicle move. And here is a video to go with it:

Remember this post ? This is another project from the extreme NXT book. The sensor is used to analyze the color of an object, such as LEGO bricks. Because of its three LEDs (red, blue and green), it can detect more colors than the LEGO light sensor. Below is a video of a brick sorter with the sensor. Read more about the sensor and the sorter here .

Reader Dan M. has an interesting challenge for The NXT Step readers. He has a manufacturing setup that he wants to replace and is considering using an actual NXT robotics kit. Right now, the machine in question uses color concentrate that comes out of a large container/hopper. When the color needs to be changed, the hopper must be cleaned so the colors don’t mix. Dan would like to replace the large hoppers with much smaller containers that can be changed very quickly. Your job? Help Dan design an NXT device or robot that can replace the color concentrate system by picking two or three of these color pellets at a time from a box or container and transferring them to a funnel system that feeds into a hopper. Now, when Dan needs to change colors, the hopper doesn’t need to be removed and cleaned – instead, he just replaces the color pellet box that the robot will pick from. This process will need to run 24 hours per day, 5 days per week. Interested? We’ve crea

Has anyone visited RoboChamps already, Microsoft 's new (?) web site for robot competitions (and for promoting its Robotics Studio in the end). Looks quite professional and entertaining. Note: the site requires Silverlight , Microsoft's competitor to Flash. As for me, my Firefox browser regularly crashes after a while since I've installed Silverlight. Hrmpfh!

The guys from battlebricks managed to control a NXT robot using an iPhone. How is that possible I hear you ask? First, build a robot that performs different movements based on the light sensor looking at different shades of grey. Then build a web application that displays those different shades on a website. Load one iPhone on the robot, and use another to remotely update the shade of grey on the other. Now why didn't I think of that? -- Damien Kee

I haven't had time to build or blog about one of my own creations for a while, so when I found myself with a few hours spare I put this together. Yes I know its a copy of one that I posted before but I've wanted to do my own version for quite a while. It's written in NXC and full source can be see here -- Damien Kee

Today I've published version 1.5 of Lemon on my web site for Download . Lemon is a Java -based application with a graphical user interface that allows for comparing two LEGO® models that are stored in LDraw or LDD format; the common parts are listed as well as the ones that are contained in one of the models only. It's also possible to check a model against the NXT Retail Kit or (new to 1.5) against the NXT Education Kit - comes in handy if you want to know whether a model can be built with one of these kits. Moreover, the new version supports multi module models now and contains numerous bugfixes. Give it a try, please, and provide feedback and proposals. Addendum: If someone is encountering problems with Lemon, please do not hesitate to contact me via the contact page on my web site.

UPDATE: Bear with me for a day or so - I've received a LOT of emails requesting digital versions. While I'm hesitant to do so, I'm willing to investigate it again as an option. Pricing is an issue because I need to build in the fact that electronic copies are going to find their way onto the Internet... I'm just not sure yet. Plus a single digital copy can be printed numerous times and can be used for a team of 5 or 10 teams of 20 - it's the quantity of unit sales that will keep this project going, so how can I cover my time invested into this project and still make it affordable? How do I handle the Roster when it comes to a single digital copy being used by multiple teams? (Adding data for teams and individuals to the Roster takes time.) I have a lot of questions, so let me ponder for a day or so. - Jim Thanks to everyone for their patience... the first module is titled "Mars Base Alpha: Plan B" and is available today - 100 pages, $14.50 from cafep

Event will take place July 28-August 2 in Reno, Nevada.