tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214028522024-03-24T04:11:20.248+10:00ROBOTMAK3RS BlogThe ROBOTMAK3RS Blog brings together news and information related to the LEGO® MINDSTORMS®, SPIKE Prime, WeDo, BOOST and PoweredUp LEGO robotic platforms. It is operated by the ROBOTMAK3RS RLOC. Read more about us at robotmak3rs.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3278125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-77095374850842533862023-11-08T10:46:00.011+10:002023-12-11T02:07:49.389+10:00Celebrating MINDSTORMS with a Remix - Part 3<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The ROBOTMAK3RS continued their celebration of the 25th Anniversary of MINDSTORMS through these Fall and Winter remix projects. Each ROBOTMAK3R was tasked with selecting one LEGO set of their choice and combining it with a MINDSTORMS set. Below are the five amazing models they came up with.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Braill3 by Jerry Nicholls</h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqpCaEV71n6BBGhez9xDW9lSrElA-oB7Jz3RW8AK6_jlx_6PXbcS2Z7NbTEyOM8377WCzOvHzi9077-GXBdn2eteo0K4e3SaBdWIZELleIqX8FUNywk3m9VjK_9k-hx_eB9vS56OD7CR7QzhS82iHKnuycwXZEkyJyOu3PQy_5tpQ48Ju1oG0JQ/s4000/IMG_20231118_131613481_HDR.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqpCaEV71n6BBGhez9xDW9lSrElA-oB7Jz3RW8AK6_jlx_6PXbcS2Z7NbTEyOM8377WCzOvHzi9077-GXBdn2eteo0K4e3SaBdWIZELleIqX8FUNywk3m9VjK_9k-hx_eB9vS56OD7CR7QzhS82iHKnuycwXZEkyJyOu3PQy_5tpQ48Ju1oG0JQ/s320/IMG_20231118_131613481_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Braill3 is an EV3-based LEGO Braille bricks reader. This robot uses its fingertip, made from three touch switches, to read messages written using the LEGO Braille bricks and will speak out what it detected. If it sees a simple maths problem it will attempt to solve it and give the answer as well. To learn more about the process of creating this machine, read <a href="https://r.jander.me.uk/index.php/2023/12/09/braill3-an-ev3-based-braille-bricks-reader/?fbclid=IwAR2wyOVcfG7s9d6zfvxucnSbM364scNNvBz8ysQSFTVL-M1dGqa3NTxK448">Jerry's blog</a>. Braill3 can be viewed <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/307533968914977">here</a>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Set Review: </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Braille Bricks set is well thought out. The ratios of the letters is suitable for general use and the addition of some punctuation and arithmetic operators is excellent. There is a card showing what bricks there are and their quantities, but no form of sorting tray, so it can be a bit of a search to find the brick you're after. The choice of colours for the bricks doesn't appear to have any logic behind them. All the punctuation and maths bricks are white but so are a couple of the letter bricks. It seems that it would have made more sense to have all white for punctuation only, the vowels in one colour etc. There was no indication as to what some of the Braille bricks were, i.e. ⠐ (dot-5) and ⠿ (dot-123456). I had to find out that they represented a Braille contraction and the word 'for' respectively. The choice of the word 'for' compared to some of the other options seems a little odd. The associated online information is very comprehensive but too much for a generally interested person, e.g. a parent thinking that learning some Braille would be good for their child. I feel that a simpler "get you going" or basic Bra</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">ille online document would be good, e.g. to say how the dot-5 brick should be used.</span></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJrzLtEjoACA_7ks8Z0Qqy8S3hDe57xGViwsroSCJmkxTx67vlvpB5p_YC8Sd19P3TcjC77WEJWrHu2ZAuKjjeKuWY2ucfagnebQpA0FbABOc9zh93LInIXDcNPpSmghkSypLdKVA37yKl8ai6f5WAXkFV59KAF2LURgGvHI3JlGgmSAM10LBLA/s1280/LEGO%20Megayacht.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJrzLtEjoACA_7ks8Z0Qqy8S3hDe57xGViwsroSCJmkxTx67vlvpB5p_YC8Sd19P3TcjC77WEJWrHu2ZAuKjjeKuWY2ucfagnebQpA0FbABOc9zh93LInIXDcNPpSmghkSypLdKVA37yKl8ai6f5WAXkFV59KAF2LURgGvHI3JlGgmSAM10LBLA/w288-h162/LEGO%20Megayacht.jpeg" width="288" /></a></div>LEGO Megayacht by Dave Parker</h3><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"LEGO Megayacht" is a motorized boat in the style of a megayacht that can float in a pool and be controlled by remote control or autonomously with gyro and ultrasonic sensors. For this model, Dave used </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">LEGO City 60368 Arctic Explorer Ship and 51515 MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor. See the boat float and move <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/1131260584523456">here</a>.
</span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Set Review: This is a very n</span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">ice boat model based on a very capable hull with lots of flotation. The mini auxiliary builds are cute and great for family building. Nice design for overall strength. Although it looks like a good deal of work was put into making the submersible crane strong enough to play with, the result is too stiff in its actions to effectively play with, and the suggested knot in the string is extremely hard to tie. </span></span></div><p></p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perseverance by Anton Vanhoucke </h3><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpMxUGnupW6ikLtqtVCbIZdqlFH4Z5hFNsD6AeF9Yn1B7rgfJgEgcZD4R_B0vb7mAX18_B8gmMC41C708b5GgdVYG_4KAuBWorO2ASRSob9e13v3yk-BUkqHwnFW0GUDmFtO2Oa_cvhWcL0M_XeUgYYZkUEyzVTPVPbi9wFTrlTcRogFPctNAyA/s1280/20231030_093258.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpMxUGnupW6ikLtqtVCbIZdqlFH4Z5hFNsD6AeF9Yn1B7rgfJgEgcZD4R_B0vb7mAX18_B8gmMC41C708b5GgdVYG_4KAuBWorO2ASRSob9e13v3yk-BUkqHwnFW0GUDmFtO2Oa_cvhWcL0M_XeUgYYZkUEyzVTPVPbi9wFTrlTcRogFPctNAyA/s320/20231030_093258.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>For this project, Anton </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">converted the LEGO Technic Perseverance set into a fully programmable rover using MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor electronics. He spent a significant amount of him on the programming aspect of this project. He started with the official LEGO Technic Perseverance set, marveling at the intricate details and design but wanted it to explore his living room like the real Perseverance explores Mars. See this remix in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/1131260584523456">action</a>. You can access build instructions and code for his project <a href="https://www.antonsmindstorms.com/2023/11/16/remote-controlling-lego-technic-mars-rover-perseverance-with-mindstorms-robot-inventor/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: black;">Set Review: This project was more than building and coding. It was a deep dive into the engineering marvel that is the Mars Perseverance Rover. By reconstructing and modifying this LEGO model, I gained a profound appreciation for the real rover’s design and capabilities. The original LEGO model was less solid than other Technic models. The wheels tended fall off the model when lifting it. The rocker-bogie construction bends when the model is standing and can barely hold the model's weight.</span></span></p><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><h3 style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Fairy Tale Remix by Asha Seshan</h3></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSixWyVKqF9078adFzuMFFclhFTI3Y0dUGwu6L2ugdCo-I7kvttqRWBfInSifkpg489VqCe-q_8aKQPXu0bXA9Q9Pseif-oZl5ujzeytumWHlZGrwvZLQV08eiLLhyphenhyphenpLMN1gfX1PZTEesDKPD2_ZCpWJ0jUoIWV1n9-RbvA5zOBgq_mb_4UFHxnw/s4032/FairTale.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSixWyVKqF9078adFzuMFFclhFTI3Y0dUGwu6L2ugdCo-I7kvttqRWBfInSifkpg489VqCe-q_8aKQPXu0bXA9Q9Pseif-oZl5ujzeytumWHlZGrwvZLQV08eiLLhyphenhyphenpLMN1gfX1PZTEesDKPD2_ZCpWJ0jUoIWV1n9-RbvA5zOBgq_mb_4UFHxnw/w311-h233/FairTale.png" width="311" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This remix combines the Tranquil Garden Set No. 10315 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">with MINDSTO<span style="font-family: inherit;">RMS Robot Inventor (31313).</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> The objective of the model is to h</span></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">elp Little Red Riding Hood get to the Tranquil Garden. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The small red ball must get past the dark forest, the witch’s house, and the raging river, before falling into the tranquil garden. The game can be played in daylight or in the dark! </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Using the buttons on the hub, a player can control the angle of the golfer. Different colored blocks and a color sensor are used to control the swing (slow, medium, fast). Motors control the trees and the witch in the forest. A 3X3 light matrix illuminates the witch’s house. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You can see the remix in action </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/1669005430254952" style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">Set Review: </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Tranquil Garden set was a very satisfying build. As an adult, I especially liked that the instructions were not printed on a solid black background. Some sections were a bit challenging to see nevertheless (e.g. the roof of the house). A lot of the build required great attention to detail and patience (e.g. placing water, fish, rocks, etc in the right location). This was somewhat a challenge, but the end result was worth it. I would have preferred to place the elements under the black stand earlier (ie. not having to flip over after a significant amount was built on top). The trees were especially creative. I also appreciated the curved elements of the shrine. While the overall model was designed to be a peaceful Asian-themed garden, the elements lend themselves to other uses and worked very well in my reimagined Fairy Tale Remix project.</span></span></p><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f;"><div><span><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div><br /></div><br /></div></span></div></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-33425860881440568232023-09-12T22:57:00.007+10:002023-09-23T00:44:47.828+10:00Celebrating MINDSTORMS with a Remix - Part 2<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The ROBOTMAK3RS continued their celebration of the 25th Anniversary of MINDSTORMS through these summer and fall remix projects. Each ROBOTMAK3R was tasked with selecting one LEGO set of their choice and combining it with a MINDSTORMS set. Below are the five amazing models they came up with.</span></p><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><h3 style="color: black; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Remote controlled material handle</span><span style="color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">r by </span>Jozua van Ravenhorst (aka Mr Jo)</span></h3></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrWltNzZDxtHTih3MXO_ZCaxPwIaEGbsjZwLR5iqJbJQ1gIdiliyXehbMFuqb9RcW2VcIKp768eW7Q38alRrD_A6_CZyBuaE8EhT_xBulzdxNV-yIdN1qd_JFfj-uRrGY-ElmIZon1evsWQjUBYbr6UAWG1p07MDrHW0dYgt-KTrOfkHSp__qsgA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrWltNzZDxtHTih3MXO_ZCaxPwIaEGbsjZwLR5iqJbJQ1gIdiliyXehbMFuqb9RcW2VcIKp768eW7Q38alRrD_A6_CZyBuaE8EhT_xBulzdxNV-yIdN1qd_JFfj-uRrGY-ElmIZon1evsWQjUBYbr6UAWG1p07MDrHW0dYgt-KTrOfkHSp__qsgA" width="320" /></a></div></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This remix combines the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">LEGO Technic Material Handler (42144) with MINDSTORMS EV3 (31313)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> It uses</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> the power of pneumatic cylinders to move objects around. By using a bluetooth remote control, very precise movements can be made with this model. Touch sensors in the base chassis prevent the turret twisting the cables that go through the turntable to much. The program has several protections to prevent over pressurizing the system for each of the 3 individual pumps and valves that control the 2 booms and claws. The real version of this machine is mostly used in waste material sites to bring the material to machines that sort and recycle the scrap material. This LEGO version can bring mixed Technic pins to a hopper so an other machine can sort these pieces for a circular economy. You can see the remix in action <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/posts/pfbid0tMG324Y3UCYnCoJwXiWp5F8uHmbhjS4by4vm3gFZhXy8U7ZA99A6Pc3rBXsieq3Ll?__cft__[0]=AZVzmRaSHwoIzIIL5LZ_GYZ5qPhAmgeIkk4AUA-beux924oNVb21ydVIz4KYR4yEPwGD2odOIz4KZ9KRFfov6IyJDHQA1N4hCqQBdAy9fn6Xd3Un2E0v3MrWJmAjj7CZ0MbiHv4_sQwu7qxBIYVO_ofK&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">Set Review: </span>The Material Handler set was something I really enjoyed to build. I like pneumatic and complex mechanical machines, as I build/service big industrial machines for my work as well. This set met my expectations to be able to motorize it, although it was a fairly small machine with little space. The difficult part was putting the MINDSTORMS brick inside the build, as it is so big compared to the chassis. But eventually I managed to get 4 motors inside with 3 individual pumps/valves for smooth control over this great design. It offers a great playability, and I will take it to many LEGO shows so children will be able to control it and feed the other machines. I hope I can keep expanding my growing size of machines, and make them all work together, for material handling/sorting/storage and distribution.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzZCrzc4O87R60AZ0Zuq2Wg-H_NXF04CZxxN1lnaRKF5hJSrZG0xO26M9tlG4u5pSez70WB55TesknQCbt6_aIJXCNpbnLB9R4u_3WtU_lzdpSrQswS5KBmkWS8e6GdQJfpb9xwsfOKkjYdNepYPPjjhBGdrb88LPz4BgY7LJEKK_pm3D4IHdmzA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3166" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzZCrzc4O87R60AZ0Zuq2Wg-H_NXF04CZxxN1lnaRKF5hJSrZG0xO26M9tlG4u5pSez70WB55TesknQCbt6_aIJXCNpbnLB9R4u_3WtU_lzdpSrQswS5KBmkWS8e6GdQJfpb9xwsfOKkjYdNepYPPjjhBGdrb88LPz4BgY7LJEKK_pm3D4IHdmzA" width="229" /></a></div></span></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit;">MINDSTORMS Cake Stand by Anika Vuurzoon </span></span></span></h3></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this remix, Anika combines LEGO Disney The Little Mermaid Royal Clamshell 43225 and MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor 51515. She reimagines the Disney set into a cake stand that rotates a 25th Anniversary of MINDSTORMS cake. Based on what color is shown, the stand rotates such that you can cut the desired number of cake pieces (6, 8, or 12). In addition, the cake topper (made up of two miniature models from the 51515 set) also rotate.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Set Review: The s<span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">hell shape was really inventive. It was nice to see how this shape was designed and is very inspirational. You can watch the video of this model <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/1274895073217883" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f;"><div style="color: black; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigy8ZOUlYsWIg9b0rAw9l9Y2VkW0y720DExfKlUxLUXlfcSXRSW4H-kTf9WxmH30DVMKYJ7woo4RiXWG1hin9dHpfAFoa6xR6SZCjh2f-leMLhYGZkEvm8yFW0lESuPE5yHdtPUupNZBJwhwgdSEpD4_7X_57k6hU3szzqJeDBPmm4jC9--PdhDA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3695" data-original-width="5985" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigy8ZOUlYsWIg9b0rAw9l9Y2VkW0y720DExfKlUxLUXlfcSXRSW4H-kTf9WxmH30DVMKYJ7woo4RiXWG1hin9dHpfAFoa6xR6SZCjh2f-leMLhYGZkEvm8yFW0lESuPE5yHdtPUupNZBJwhwgdSEpD4_7X_57k6hU3szzqJeDBPmm4jC9--PdhDA" width="320" /></span></a></div></div><h3 style="color: black; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">LEGO Hockey by </span><span style="color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Guilherme Lima</span></span></h3><div style="color: black; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This remix combines Robot Inventor set 51515 and LEGO set 42154. Gui's</span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"> idea was based on an existing hockey game that is playable using xbox controllers. He wanted to use the panels in the LEGO set as the shooters and ball launchers. </span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Set Review: As a medium-sized car, it uses interesting techniques to integrate the chassis to the wheels, a new "hand of God" mechanism, good shock absorbers, and many others. Aesthetically, the white stripes have recreated the car shapes. Personally, I think that step 220 is a bit strange as it could be done with different pieces, but overall, it looks good. The new panels were really well used creating the curves and shapes that we could not do before, which is one of my favorite things in this set. As a grown-up, the car looks amazing in my room, and as a kid, I loved to play with it and see all the features this set has provided. </span><span style="color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You can learn more about this remix project <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/1025042855188214">here</a>.</span></div><div><span><h3 style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Blue Beetle by Nino Guba</h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPWj57QFMK9jrCO_xe74J0VUThhyL47ZtmDfJiqYo8Bk8MLfjU5h2TOoDal1ft8pgjqkHiCPbKEIkfNF1UDsqLfNWKXosPoJYoI9o_hKVJslyRp6fRACpLLzrwcJCF3ulEqcLZ1G25Q2cHwbxC8dqBZ1knlYHyGYs8CBY7KIC1aX8ueb1hnPwXEg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPWj57QFMK9jrCO_xe74J0VUThhyL47ZtmDfJiqYo8Bk8MLfjU5h2TOoDal1ft8pgjqkHiCPbKEIkfNF1UDsqLfNWKXosPoJYoI9o_hKVJslyRp6fRACpLLzrwcJCF3ulEqcLZ1G25Q2cHwbxC8dqBZ1knlYHyGYs8CBY7KIC1aX8ueb1hnPwXEg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ni<span style="font-family: inherit;">no combines the </span></span></span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">LEGO Technic Ford GT (42154) and MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor (51515) set in this model. In addition, he adds two elements from the Concrete Mixer Truck 42112 as the beetle's shell.</span><span face="Google Sans, Roboto, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Powered by MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor, this beetle can sense when something is close, extends its wings to fly, and then crawls using its six legs to safety. Once at ease and at rest, it closes its hard wing cases back.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Set Review: </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Ford GT set is a very technical and detailed build packed in relatively smaller scale than the usual Technic sports and hyper cars. A lot of the pieces are in dark blue and is very much a nice treat for those wanting to design MOCs in this color! There are also some new interesting parts on this set that surely will prove useful. Once the set is built, satisfaction is almost guaranteed for any car-enthused Technic fans. You can see a video of its features <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/977321793525500" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Playing Catch By Nard Strijbosch</h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUE7hGYQS99dVaAD1EnSayj-jUjMsQJq4AKp2HcEIXTyGbJLdDJ3VW6Q-jUh5zBojifY79tgertRosdu5PSgbV6u09En4fMWgps3_yT-j7tOmHXXlt2DEYQy2wX6rrJfD5W2PWBpYm-kCh69rtY9QSb1rhJUVMQCcWwhgFMYTX4-zBtBj8h0yq5Q" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1707" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUE7hGYQS99dVaAD1EnSayj-jUjMsQJq4AKp2HcEIXTyGbJLdDJ3VW6Q-jUh5zBojifY79tgertRosdu5PSgbV6u09En4fMWgps3_yT-j7tOmHXXlt2DEYQy2wX6rrJfD5W2PWBpYm-kCh69rtY9QSb1rhJUVMQCcWwhgFMYTX4-zBtBj8h0yq5Q" width="320" /></a></div>Nard uses two LEGO MINDSTORMS robots to play catch with the water pieces from the LEGO Technic Firefighter Aircraft 42152.
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
Set Review: The mechanism to rotate the propellors of the Firefighter aircraft is very original and is a great functionality. This makes the set a must have from the Technic line up. The size is quite impressive. Moreover the large number of pieces in the common red en yellow colors make it a great addition to my collection to build new robots. You can watch the robot playing catch <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/855822389082150" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div></span></div></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-79991509654270797512023-07-22T03:03:00.001+10:002023-09-03T06:14:27.134+10:00Meet the ROBOTMAK3R: Arvind Seshan<div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><h2 style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimY1vTG8qaR1qNcmpqptF3yEdqNoehxvT1BNZkNgX6WITuNOMB6tpn26ffB82DaY6gDn7iHiM1nv00hw34cjmm9YtLLqVMZ0FdphSbmyl_3kFekHBTqNEq_SxPl50lUl2_iPPYCQEN8EsYZK_X34_ziU7qq8is-1orS2XcoLzK6UUeDfz5nWN5g/s4032/IMG_0152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimY1vTG8qaR1qNcmpqptF3yEdqNoehxvT1BNZkNgX6WITuNOMB6tpn26ffB82DaY6gDn7iHiM1nv00hw34cjmm9YtLLqVMZ0FdphSbmyl_3kFekHBTqNEq_SxPl50lUl2_iPPYCQEN8EsYZK_X34_ziU7qq8is-1orS2XcoLzK6UUeDfz5nWN5g/w400-h300/IMG_0152.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>ROBOTMAK3R Profile</h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p>Arvind Seshan is a college student from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He began building with MINDSTORMS at the age of six and has won numerous accolades for his work including winning the Champion’s Award at <i>FIRST</i> World Championships and having his robots displayed at events all around the world. He has taught over a million students how to build and program with LEGO MINDSTORMS and SPIKE Prime. When not working with LEGO, he is usually working on his science research which has also won international-level awards. Sometimes the two areas collide and Arvind uses MINDSTORMS in his research or uses the knowledge from his research in his MINDSTORMS projects. Arvind enjoys teaching and mentoring other students. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he hopes to collaborate with the Media Lab's Lifelong Kindergarten group where MINDSTORMS and Scratch were born.</div><h2 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;">How did you get started playing with LEGO MINDSTORMS?</h2><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">I owned a few small LEGO Star Wars sets such as Anakin’s Starfigher when I was younger, but what got me really interested in LEGO was the programmable aspect of MINDSTORMS. I received an NXT set when I was six years old. A few months later, I was part of a <i>FIRST</i> LEGO League team where I was not only building with the NXT, but programming it to solve different challenges. I continued in the <i>FIRST</i> LEGO League program for seven years. I also started creating my own designs outside of competitions in 2015 after meeting several adult MINDSTORMS Community Partners (MCPs) at World Maker Faire in New York. Many years later, I was invited to become an MCP!</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;">What impact have LEGO robots had on you?</h2><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">LEGO robotics has been a great way for me to explore engineering and programming skills. I attribute my interests in computer science and mechanical engineering to playing with MINDSTORMS starting at a young age. MINDSTORMS and SPIKE Prime have also been a creative outlet for me. In addition to writing lessons, I spend my spare time working on many fun projects including <a href="https://youtu.be/9Qm_rJGbT8U" target="_blank">Tic-Tac-Toe machines</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/MaaT5R_IRXs" target="_blank">games like Connect 4</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/jslYbiKfCGQ" target="_blank">3D Printers</a>, and more. My goal is always to design a model that not only functions as intended, but is also aesthetically pleasing. I want to create something that others will be inspired by in the same way that MCPs once inspired me. </div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><blockquote>You can bring so many ideas to life with LEGO bricks and a bit of code.</blockquote></div></div><h2 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><b>What inspired you to create the models in the Robot Inventor App?</b></h2><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">My brother (Sanjay) and I have collaborated on many projects throughout the years. We have three models in the App. I will discuss two of them. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3Vljd9EhxJ7aXr9woby7ZoJQ9ItlLwHkYuU7B7dXlSXSXoQ4Vr2oQIhFbBVMYgvPgip-WKj8dH342iGzdusRrXN8w1dJZEkJDEgNrFCWsrSMwuCewYcAgNt_G1aN8oKgolGsuxlaANHjpCUpBVMEfE6M4HiHRBAyRI8N1U4WgSQ3ZVm0xv8/s750/MelodyMakerImage%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3Vljd9EhxJ7aXr9woby7ZoJQ9ItlLwHkYuU7B7dXlSXSXoQ4Vr2oQIhFbBVMYgvPgip-WKj8dH342iGzdusRrXN8w1dJZEkJDEgNrFCWsrSMwuCewYcAgNt_G1aN8oKgolGsuxlaANHjpCUpBVMEfE6M4HiHRBAyRI8N1U4WgSQ3ZVm0xv8/s320/MelodyMakerImage%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The <a href="https://youtu.be/9XjyP4ilKVU" target="_blank">original Melody Maker</a> was one of our early EV3 demonstration robots that we took to a school near Pittsburgh. Children like music and color and this project was a nice combination of the two. The EV3 version was very different but the concept of playing musical notes based on colors was the same. Melody Maker is deliberately designed to use a minimal number of bricks to capture a child’s curiosity and demonstrate the capabilities of the Robot Inventor. There is a special hidden feature in the model. If you would like to color your own musical notes on a strip of paper, you can easily adjust the height of the color sensor to have it drive over paper instead of LEGO brick. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sUjW9UP8hAaT66VXK6XS186qrTsO0SiiGPy103KRwYF7rLEJy9e1mo_igCUrCn4ymqXkdv8kO8zD_5DjJSdgrVlSlPttNGAT0i-u8iRx6lVVst9QaXHCwG8bjf1hF4-xZEoW3AnSmlsi_edHFTGLJsxE6svTCK7MNi8SakXhPzK8lUFmwOQ/s2000/ColorCatcher-Seshan.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sUjW9UP8hAaT66VXK6XS186qrTsO0SiiGPy103KRwYF7rLEJy9e1mo_igCUrCn4ymqXkdv8kO8zD_5DjJSdgrVlSlPttNGAT0i-u8iRx6lVVst9QaXHCwG8bjf1hF4-xZEoW3AnSmlsi_edHFTGLJsxE6svTCK7MNi8SakXhPzK8lUFmwOQ/s320/ColorCatcher-Seshan.png" width="320" /></a></div>Color Catcher was inspired by a <a href="https://youtu.be/XFAwqX4fy-M">large multi-player game</a> that my brother and I built many years ago to take to the MINDSTORMS booth at <i>FIRST </i>World Championships and World Robot Olympiad. In addition, it was taken to LEGOWORLD where it was played by the owner of the LEGO Group, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen. Since it was so much fun to play, we wanted to make a two-player version of the game that made use of the hub-to-hub feature on Robot Inventor. Color Catcher makes use of the hub for a competitive but fun game. We use the center button light on the hub to indicate what color to go to. The left and right buttons on the hub let you change direction, and tapping on the hub itself makes the robot move forward. This makes the entire model very interactive. </div><h2 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;">What are your tips for young robot builders?</h2><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">When talking to young children, I find that they are comfortable when building with instructions but find it challenging to build on their own. Building the robots in the set is a great way to start learning how to build and program. Once you are comfortable with how the pieces fit together, try to build your own designs. You can start by simply modifying an existing build into something you want. Next, think about what type of project you want to make. A printer? A bipedal robot? A swing? A dancer? Think about what type of mechanism you might need to have. Try to prototype that mechanism first. I found that books by Yoshihito Isogawa have nuggets of inspiration in them. A lot of the mechanism can be used in other models. Remember that it might take several prototypes before you come up with the final design. My most important piece of advice is not to give up.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><blockquote>Whether it is science research or making something with LEGO, persistence and enjoying what you work on have been the key to success.</blockquote></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">I have built a handful of robots from the MINDSTORMS sets but my real passion only came from using the bricks to create my own models including games and machines. It might seem like a challenge at first to not have any building instructions, but the best part of working with LEGO as your creative medium is being able to take it apart to start all over again or to improve the model. I became a better builder and programmer with each project. </div><h1 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;">Since it is the 25th anniversary of MINDSTORMS, what is your favorite MINDSTORMS project or memory?</h1><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-98d4bc4e-7fff-7491-125e-52b49acbe505">My favorite project would be the 4ft X 6ft Pac-Bot game that my brother and I built. It was tricky from both a mechanical and programming standpoint. On the programming side, we had to have 13 or so EV3s all networked together and displaying scores to a Raspberry Pi screen. On the mechanical side, this large board had to be modular so that it could be packed and taken to events around the world. We also wanted to make the whole system reusable for future projects. My favorite moment is <a href="https://youtu.be/KBmhoxx6nuw" target="_blank">playing Pac-Bot with Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen</a> in Denmark.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x4ZQUBWmbuA" width="320" youtube-src-id="x4ZQUBWmbuA"></iframe></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><h1 style="text-align: left;">Where can we learn more?</h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">Visit <a href="http://PrimeLessons.org">PrimeLessons.org</a>, <a href="http://EV3Lessons.com">EV3Lessons.com</a>, and <a href="http://FLLTutorials.com">FLLTutorials.com</a> for programming and <i>FIRST</i> LEGO League-specific lessons. Visit the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SeshanBrothers" target="_blank">Seshan Brothers YouTube</a> to see videos of some of the projects I have worked on over the years.</p><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-733536803408855392023-06-24T06:57:00.003+10:002023-06-25T06:41:40.935+10:00Meet the ROBOTMAK3R: Anna Opsahl<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Q7kHn9eyMqo_s6TapVg9alXxxNh-guwFil1CLxaKYjz6FWTSLp7oBgVyZge0FF5Tx6SwcRo4yeZo8LEvIay7Asi1hdJlPLQ0Nm6U1FjE3TUzNL7pn3MGLEx7PL6tYwHUQbeM99mb4DpUlOj4oxMjSLIDYV5ZRU80ISONTbgisy7ce8vwzACr3w/s541/243570812_1229379367486581_7106580963809198226_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="529" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Q7kHn9eyMqo_s6TapVg9alXxxNh-guwFil1CLxaKYjz6FWTSLp7oBgVyZge0FF5Tx6SwcRo4yeZo8LEvIay7Asi1hdJlPLQ0Nm6U1FjE3TUzNL7pn3MGLEx7PL6tYwHUQbeM99mb4DpUlOj4oxMjSLIDYV5ZRU80ISONTbgisy7ce8vwzACr3w/s320/243570812_1229379367486581_7106580963809198226_n.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>Anna Hui Opsahl is an engineering student from Norway. She is known for reverse engineering complicated LEGO models and for her MINDSTORMS droids. Anna likes to make LEGO robots from movies and television that are recognizable by kids and adults. She often builds digital models in Studio.io before she makes a physical version because this gives her a good idea of all the parts needed. When she is building them in Studio, she makes a rough instruction for herself that she can refer back to when she starts the physical build. Anna was a competitor in the first season of LEGO Masters Norway in 2021. She has won several awards at Norwegian LEGO conventions for her MINDSTORMS droids. Most recently, she was nominated in the category "Best Mechanical Creation" and won in the category "Best Star Wars" at Brickworld Chicago.<p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>How did you get started playing with LEGO MINDSTORMS/LEGO Robots?</b></h3><p>I have always been fascinated by LEGO robots and robotics. I love that you can build anything that you can imagine with LEGO and make it move by using motors, pneumatics, and mechanical mechanism. I think that the movement of a model gives the creation an extra dimension that I am really into.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">How has MINDSTORMS/LEGO Robots impacted you?</h3><p>It has challenged me to learn new things and made me want to pursue a career in robotics.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>What is you favorite project? </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYty8tMBuNyP9Avtz9IJTEvlS7o3Pdim7Q8w8F5nqIagJ0dQWibH8z38w9HcnX1k7vJHGHGh1hQaIIzCZ-RQCZnNSGgwfYRSF6bkZIHNFqWhiXHFD7ECjH3-lxJjcgYNA_737ZkayO0sS7vPTQi0rP-t2Gd5jZ9ngYhe1lprDWeLvAfmjG1saGg/s3024/20201116_122720.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2669" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYty8tMBuNyP9Avtz9IJTEvlS7o3Pdim7Q8w8F5nqIagJ0dQWibH8z38w9HcnX1k7vJHGHGh1hQaIIzCZ-RQCZnNSGgwfYRSF6bkZIHNFqWhiXHFD7ECjH3-lxJjcgYNA_737ZkayO0sS7vPTQi0rP-t2Gd5jZ9ngYhe1lprDWeLvAfmjG1saGg/s320/20201116_122720.jpg" width="282" /></a></h3><p style="text-align: left;">My favorite project until now is Star Wars Rebels Chopper. Chopper is my favorite because it has a lot of different functions and because it was my first big MINDSTORMS project.</p><p>Chopper is a 70cm tall build that can drive around on two and three legs. His body tilts when the third leg comes down. He has an arm at the body that moves and the head can spin around and wiggle a little bit from side to side. He has two arms in his head that can move in and out, together or separate from each other. Chopper also has an antenna that moves and he makes sounds. He can also be remote controlled via Bluetooth.</p><p>You can see Chopper in action <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/183920314@N08/50758796707/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>What are your tips for young robot builders?</b></h3><p>My tip is to keep playing and explore the possibilities of what is possible.</p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOajRpMoClZOFDPWNvSyDQjjaVd1XKK92LmO4pjPL1ALVscal27BH8tAWgSiAYN_9Mtxkp03-dLjoNJHxTr7U8MoPaun_ROR7kujohP8PJAsxsEAHEm8fV3dyCvgc18mWx8re3yX0d8EURE5uc9Gc66bD7zBZCVh96vy-sYYh3yjhFQtWTGE7pOQ/s2400/PhotoAnnaErman.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1601" data-original-width="2400" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOajRpMoClZOFDPWNvSyDQjjaVd1XKK92LmO4pjPL1ALVscal27BH8tAWgSiAYN_9Mtxkp03-dLjoNJHxTr7U8MoPaun_ROR7kujohP8PJAsxsEAHEm8fV3dyCvgc18mWx8re3yX0d8EURE5uc9Gc66bD7zBZCVh96vy-sYYh3yjhFQtWTGE7pOQ/s320/PhotoAnnaErman.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>What is a fun/significant LEGO-related story you would like to share?</b></h3><p></p><p>My most significant LEGO-related story is when I got to be a part of the first season of <a href="https://bricknerd.com/home/inside-lego-masters-norway-getting-to-know-you-10-10-21" target="_blank">LEGO Masters Norway</a>. (Photo Credit: BrickNerd) The most exciting aspect of being part of LEGO Masters was to be a part of the whole production, and to meet the crew and the other competitors. The coolest thing I created on the show was probably the model where we made our creations blow up, and the one where we made different apartments that stacked on top of each other to form a giant penthouse. The most challenging part of LEGO Masters was that we had to build within the time limit. The single most challenging project was the one where we got a half guitar and make the other half such that it would tell a story.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Y_SUGCQaORMutJ5RyumEVgy6ue5CS2c25Nvf1vnFF8cgwgEleLKmdW6a1JghD92MA0EZUJXxmNCDJocgYF0tAqOnuz1175XJsBHQ7B4mb_jwZ7eLz-GVTa9zphBlZmjI-F6e8xoOS6--sGui6WjWy8hfhqKZl6TTmv2D5TxCjDqwH3KXj0CM1w/s4032/20230325_113531.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Y_SUGCQaORMutJ5RyumEVgy6ue5CS2c25Nvf1vnFF8cgwgEleLKmdW6a1JghD92MA0EZUJXxmNCDJocgYF0tAqOnuz1175XJsBHQ7B4mb_jwZ7eLz-GVTa9zphBlZmjI-F6e8xoOS6--sGui6WjWy8hfhqKZl6TTmv2D5TxCjDqwH3KXj0CM1w/s320/20230325_113531.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Where can we see more of your work?</h3><p></p><p>Visit <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/183920314@N08/" target="_blank">Flickr</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/huan0brick/?hl=nb">Instagram</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com85CWQM36+JR38.7540835 -101.33789124.794200872953127 -118.916016 52.713966127046874 -83.759766tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-62168429296608333552023-06-19T23:02:00.013+10:002023-07-13T22:19:01.203+10:00Celebrating MINDSTORMS with a Remix Part 1<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In honor of the 25th Anniversary of MINDSTORMS, we asked ROBOTMAK3RS to combine a LEGO set of their choice with a MINDSTORMS set. Here is what these five ROBOTMAK3RS came up with. </span></p><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiws0JXj1gRJsJKDZG6MM-lpzZvTx4GyZx-ewR-kIVNYYOWiH00HI717IJDld0A62csII7_znNsNQtNtPMsLjSgMNtl0MHc7Ref9_GIP2efmMEtFvzMhQZebQmgu0NKfey9FkNj_5suQJ1w-pB6fK7hBgibRKE0WzFaErj-mjr4aVtgG8nTcI9swg/s4032/IMG_1570.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiws0JXj1gRJsJKDZG6MM-lpzZvTx4GyZx-ewR-kIVNYYOWiH00HI717IJDld0A62csII7_znNsNQtNtPMsLjSgMNtl0MHc7Ref9_GIP2efmMEtFvzMhQZebQmgu0NKfey9FkNj_5suQJ1w-pB6fK7hBgibRKE0WzFaErj-mjr4aVtgG8nTcI9swg/s320/IMG_1570.png" width="320" /></a></div>MINDSTORMS Chess Assistant by Arvind Seshan </b></span></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Overview: When you are new to chess, it can be a challenge to remember which pieces go where. Now, you can use machine learning and LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor to build a tool to help you learn where all the chess pieces go on the chess board.</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sets used: </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">LEGO® Iconic Chess Set (40174) and MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor (51515) </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Review: I really like how the chess set base can store all the pieces underneath and that the board neatly splits in half for handy storage. The chess pieces themselves are very sturdy and well built. My only criticism is the building of the box itself. It was quite difficult to see what pieces to use and since the entire box is made mostly of thin plates, it took a lot of time and patience. I would have liked the storage area to be sliding drawers rather than having to lift the top off. However, all-in-all, it is a great set and functional. I really enjoyed mixing MINDSTORMS with the chess set for some additional playability. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pyE2kJAl7yQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="pyE2kJAl7yQ"></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The Great Pyramid of Giza Revealed by Dave Parker</b> </span></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-weight: normal; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Overview: A fun narrative about the what lies hidden under the Great Pyramid of Giza. Find out who really built this ancient pyramid as Dave uses Robot Inventor to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/571297975129992" target="_blank">animate and reveal hidden features</a>. </span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sets used: LEGO Architecture Great Pyramid of Giza (21058) and MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor (51515). </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Review: The standard build was a little repetitive, but that's expected from Architecture. The removable pyramid facade is very cool, but under I would rather have seen removable layers of hidden tombs and treasure rooms rather than a construction scene. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Watched the linked video to see this robot in action.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/256682996951381" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/256682996951381" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBTfTpJawtflaFTPNdedwoTccuFRp_XCeziVkucdTbwkjiZW3Pzf9-lUEh3SQ5BsInMsRcaMgpJAAg5Jm3P-LRQqFGTbwN8-AMle9NW5Lwdobc4W1WuzIMClrkzUNiBahU2pvIQvMCXYNCgCKgk9waRNP5nn1RfMesjvQ_lfCGQD06nAN-cOqzw/s2048/336924934_802127701281417_5523498569355090499_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBTfTpJawtflaFTPNdedwoTccuFRp_XCeziVkucdTbwkjiZW3Pzf9-lUEh3SQ5BsInMsRcaMgpJAAg5Jm3P-LRQqFGTbwN8-AMle9NW5Lwdobc4W1WuzIMClrkzUNiBahU2pvIQvMCXYNCgCKgk9waRNP5nn1RfMesjvQ_lfCGQD06nAN-cOqzw/s320/336924934_802127701281417_5523498569355090499_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Grabber Machine by Anton Vanhoucke</b>. </span></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overview: You probably remember having fun at the fairground trying to manipulate a claw machine to get your favorite item. Now you can grab prizes exactly like you would at the fairground with this LEGO remix! Anton combines an EV3 with the set's box to create this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/256682996951381" target="_blank">clever grabber</a>.</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sets Used: Material Handler (42144) and MINDSTORMS EV3 (31313) </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Review: The Material Handler was more fun than I expected. Lots of inspiring parts in the box. With the Grabber Machine remix, I am especially proud of the grabber. It does two actions with one motor: up and down + open and close. This was hard because it had to be open going down, then close going up. But once it was back to the release point, it needed to open again, while being up. </span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IVQIjoA-58xDEOzI3XjDEZCxKH1Vb4lNkK9jSnAVdpONaFNG285KKbFpWwzXcyYEOMGWU08pRjEBLqHTUja-TT6gQxksrpIJgaLTzbCPdp6XsGOHX-rs85iC5V20R5EyE4mK-0JeDfWB8Qd0TPjxRW43oRVZ5k0GsCOQuaWnzLj7JaFJ5FWBkQ/s3200/10309_alt2.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="3200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IVQIjoA-58xDEOzI3XjDEZCxKH1Vb4lNkK9jSnAVdpONaFNG285KKbFpWwzXcyYEOMGWU08pRjEBLqHTUja-TT6gQxksrpIJgaLTzbCPdp6XsGOHX-rs85iC5V20R5EyE4mK-0JeDfWB8Qd0TPjxRW43oRVZ5k0GsCOQuaWnzLj7JaFJ5FWBkQ/s320/10309_alt2.png" width="320" /></a></div>Succulent Sorter by Damien Kee</b>. </span></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Overview: Whether you are a botanist or a just a lover of plants, you can keep your garden neat and organized with this machine that sorts your succulents using a color sensor. </span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sets Used: LEGO Botanicals, Succulent (10309) and Mindstorms EV3 (45544)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Review: The succulents are just beautiful to look at, very well designed and I love the style of the black pots that you use to assemble them all together. It was fun to have them sliding around everywhere, but some of the bigger ones that extend out past the pot as well as the tall ones didn't fare so well and so were left out of the final project. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fmU0410Z5us" width="320" youtube-src-id="fmU0410Z5us"></iframe></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ecKeNmbhOWzbM8T-g2ttGF_s_ItMO_Fs/view?usp=share_link" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ecKeNmbhOWzbM8T-g2ttGF_s_ItMO_Fs/view?usp=share_link" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKWLPeaks22byssUcmvpoFjGEsI9azo7CN41WBBEX8HHyX7BLktDGH6kvnOWQ2j5lFFeJwMVckKuyKknND8cs3ySte9TqfhwpNd7zCuYMRtBSsXs5m6bWoy5aKAmBRdSfdCQypcr8XOgIVz4ul8ExWqszXjBvQ6eqJynrmzBZLdKKyG2Ypwel2g/s2400/42144_alt1.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKWLPeaks22byssUcmvpoFjGEsI9azo7CN41WBBEX8HHyX7BLktDGH6kvnOWQ2j5lFFeJwMVckKuyKknND8cs3ySte9TqfhwpNd7zCuYMRtBSsXs5m6bWoy5aKAmBRdSfdCQypcr8XOgIVz4ul8ExWqszXjBvQ6eqJynrmzBZLdKKyG2Ypwel2g/s320/42144_alt1.png" width="320" /></a></div>Pneumatic Sort3r by Christian Becker </span></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Overview: Color sorters are always a cool build! But have you ever seen one that uses pneumatics? Christian uses pneumatics to operate the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/videos/791658602363079" target="_blank">crane mechanism</a> to sort his LEGO bricks.</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sets used: </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">LEGO Technic Material Handler (42144) and MINDSTORMS EV3 (31313)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Review: </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I really liked the build and the pneumatics of the material handler. It's really smartly designed and has a good use for the pneumatics (without overusing it). But I think that there could have been a few more non-pneumatic functions (e.g. 2 or 3 gears to turn the crane) and the claw often doesn't work as expected because the pneumatic cylinder is stuck</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">LEGO Technic Material Handler (42144) and MINDSTORMS EV3 (31313).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Image Credit: LEGO.com, Antons MINDSTORMS, Arvind Seshan</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-6942898030334707892023-04-30T23:17:00.003+10:002023-06-19T00:18:53.103+10:00Youth LEGO Robotics Competitions<p>There are several competitions for young people that specifically focus on the use of LEGO robots. The objective of all these competitions is to give children the opportunity to learn mechanical design and programming skills. This article provides an overview of a few of the well-know competitions. Click on the links and learn more about each competition.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyamY7DFBn-WaMVLtLkNQ9WbXj0i77lHR--NM_RP4HMAynQJXhVxh1A-TQ0ycw5P36DeCLItcTcH66rhD-N_8qqzS1agcs5Jb4EJAuI_yNvNNc1xunYGLBvSv70ONe5x74W0HUs3YVnHrIejJXV4vaBSOxqwnPss7sTwjE9-9ildbJFCZx-A/s4032/IMG_5519.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyamY7DFBn-WaMVLtLkNQ9WbXj0i77lHR--NM_RP4HMAynQJXhVxh1A-TQ0ycw5P36DeCLItcTcH66rhD-N_8qqzS1agcs5Jb4EJAuI_yNvNNc1xunYGLBvSv70ONe5x74W0HUs3YVnHrIejJXV4vaBSOxqwnPss7sTwjE9-9ildbJFCZx-A/w320-h240/IMG_5519.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://www.firstlegoleague.org/" target="_blank"><b><i>FIRST</i> LEGO League Challenge </b></a>is for students aged 9-14 in North America and 9-16 elsewhere. There are no age-based divisions in general, although some regions do offer divisions for regional contests. The challenge details are released around August 1 of each year. Teams of 2-10 students must design a robot that completes approximately 15 missions on a themed game table made up of LEGO-based missions. For example, the 2022 theme was called SUPERPOWERED and all the missions were related to the production, storage, and transport of energy. When you register a team, you will be allowed to purchase a Challenge kit that includes all the LEGO you need for the missions and a Challenge mat. This is shipped from LEGO. <p></p><p>Robots can be built with SPIKE Prime/Essential, Robot Inventor, or any past MINDSTORMS set. Students decide which missions they want to tackle and how they want to solve them in the 2.5 minute time limit. In <i>FIRST </i>LEGO League Challenge, the robot can return to a "Home" area where students can touch the robot and change out its actuators/attachments. Students are also judged on the quality of the robot and their engineering design process. In addition to the score they obtain on the missions, students must also complete an Innovation Project and a Core Values component. The season runs from August to December/January in most areas. Teams who qualify for advancement may participate in World Festival in April of each year in the USA or one of the International Opens in May or June. You can visit <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIRST_Championship" target="_blank">this page</a> to see past seasons and winning teams, including the winners of the Virtual Open Invitational held during COVID, an event that was organized by several ROBOTMAK3RS.</p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbCCloK2T53TCX_mROqGA4SsTXOjaGw25uULi3tzMPQQnL95e8w2p5F24KQBjYCYMmAEPD0aSn7mGEzMS-RuLdR6KJNwk13rPjDpTL3C0ZVjsiVNttG5xcI-siBbZFYJdrt8ccs4HK5OiMyG6zJlMDlYLomiHSNwWk4D7K6PKuaIrAkwe5AA/s1920/FLL_Explore_Logo_v2.svg.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1920" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbCCloK2T53TCX_mROqGA4SsTXOjaGw25uULi3tzMPQQnL95e8w2p5F24KQBjYCYMmAEPD0aSn7mGEzMS-RuLdR6KJNwk13rPjDpTL3C0ZVjsiVNttG5xcI-siBbZFYJdrt8ccs4HK5OiMyG6zJlMDlYLomiHSNwWk4D7K6PKuaIrAkwe5AA/s320/FLL_Explore_Logo_v2.svg.png" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><b>FIRST</b></i><b> LEGO League Explore</b> (formerly known as FLL Jr) is a program for children ages 6-10. Students research topics in the given theme (same theme as Challenge) and program a model to activate using SPIKE Essential or WeDo. At an Explore Celebration event, students will explain their project and model to reviewers (not judges). Explore is not a competitive program and every team wins a prize. In 2022, Explore did pilot a new version of the program that involved an autonomous robot solving missions on a smaller mat.<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVdIuRiHAIvnAXf3Qgu_nQZydyRXHbb-KFHdbUt_RfEEHXNKYuko2-o7M8pSKoOTcFTpJPMhubM7DUNEJdHGE4Try6-MbD37SDW-TVBAILDYH-NipsaawKFzo5Eoc7kdbORx7TwtmiZGQ0aonpZxmYLB86TyyshvexAHoKwxAK6wh36hDKww/s1000/wroelem2023-wro-2023-elementary-regular-competition-mat-marine-life-preservation.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="1000" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVdIuRiHAIvnAXf3Qgu_nQZydyRXHbb-KFHdbUt_RfEEHXNKYuko2-o7M8pSKoOTcFTpJPMhubM7DUNEJdHGE4Try6-MbD37SDW-TVBAILDYH-NipsaawKFzo5Eoc7kdbORx7TwtmiZGQ0aonpZxmYLB86TyyshvexAHoKwxAK6wh36hDKww/s320/wroelem2023-wro-2023-elementary-regular-competition-mat-marine-life-preservation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><a href="https://wro-association.org/" target="_blank">World Robot Olympiad</a></b> is an international competition for students from Elementary through High School (ages 8-19). Students compete in divisions based on age groups in groups of 2-3. Students complete the missions on a challenge table in the allotted time. Many teams will compete all the tasks successfully and will differentiate themselves based on speed. There is an annual theme to the contest similar to <i>FIRST</i> LEGO League. However, the missions on the table tend to be more abstract designs built easily from a standard kit of parts that gets reused each year. The challenge mat provided also tends to have simpler graphics with lines at right angles going to important areas that all teams make use of. Regions also print/sell their own mats (for example, the US organizer provided the mat design as a PDF in past years). Another difference is that the robot is not handled once it is launched. In addition, students must build their robot at the event in 150 minutes. There is also a Surprise Rule introduced that requires the students to re-program their robot at the event. Students can elect to compete in a more project-oriented component of WRO called Future Innovators rather than the robot component. Here, students will have to research a problem and create a solution. Students are also required to create a model/prototype using LEGO robotics in some way. The international finals are held every fall in a different country. You can <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Robot_Olympiad" target="_blank">visit this page</a> to learn more and see where all the previous finals were held. The final event has a very international feel to it as teams qualify through a national tournament. In contrast, in <i>FIRST</i> LEGO League, majority of teams at an international event tend to be from the United States because the country is split into various regions/states to begin with and each region can send a winner to Worlds. ROBOTMAK3RS have been invited to run Expert Zones at past international final events.<p></p><p><a href="https://junior.robocup.org/" target="_blank"></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCc_51NMtTLY0pwbx0a8G8do5stLuKNutQ6HWnL_ZTp2CI3M4Kb5lBcaw-HAeeLUdCmFFSUuJvcsyJQ1LiJqa085DRS1pCG0JxTVwua0-_dGFyxh3s8M1vpS3uSrB-jcNo0I_5etPvoxQ0_PRODfg4HgEZSZ0xiPnLgvV-Laa44MXGHhU9FQ/s302/line.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="302" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCc_51NMtTLY0pwbx0a8G8do5stLuKNutQ6HWnL_ZTp2CI3M4Kb5lBcaw-HAeeLUdCmFFSUuJvcsyJQ1LiJqa085DRS1pCG0JxTVwua0-_dGFyxh3s8M1vpS3uSrB-jcNo0I_5etPvoxQ0_PRODfg4HgEZSZ0xiPnLgvV-Laa44MXGHhU9FQ/s1600/line.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><a href="https://junior.robocup.org/" target="_blank">RoboCup Junior</a> offers competitions for students up to age 19 with both regional and international opportunities. There are several different categories you can compete in including line following and completing a maze. Teams of 2-4 students compete and there are no age-based divisions. Although it may sound simple, even the task of <a href="https://junior.robocup.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/RCJRescueLine2023Rules.pdf" target="_blank">following a line</a> can have challenges as there are obstacles (broken lines, elevations, etc.). Robot can be constructed from any robotics kit but must be primarily the work of the students (not a commercially produced robot).<p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comUnited States37.09024 -95.7128918.780006163821156 -130.869141 65.400473836178847 -60.556641tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-70784725043496579492023-02-02T04:32:00.091+10:002023-07-16T20:33:27.885+10:00Celebrating 25 Years of MINDSTORMS<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjcjqAQaHym5g30YlpR2sRNGRb3Jwv3VNZfmFIIFlY9XA6JbUFjRccVBjl4oCrXMSWeCoLtF81sZhySp__dZ88H1x5KRzBu6P8bKYzyGgz5GjvGWI124FYF6jWAd7hGIyYv_6B5XJxG-boK_XAOelvu8UPfqUNRvVRKv3ecSJYKYun66v_ck/s379/RM3-2022-23%20goodies-07.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="379" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjcjqAQaHym5g30YlpR2sRNGRb3Jwv3VNZfmFIIFlY9XA6JbUFjRccVBjl4oCrXMSWeCoLtF81sZhySp__dZ88H1x5KRzBu6P8bKYzyGgz5GjvGWI124FYF6jWAd7hGIyYv_6B5XJxG-boK_XAOelvu8UPfqUNRvVRKv3ecSJYKYun66v_ck/s320/RM3-2022-23%20goodies-07.png" width="320" /></a></div></span>
<div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">
In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of MINDSTORMS, we take a trip through history. Please also visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs">ROBOTMAK3RS Community</a> every week as we highlight different projects all through 2023 in celebration of the anniversary.</div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">Some of the early history is based on the content shared by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/CoderShah">Coder Shah</a> in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/152582404889994">MINDSTORMS EV3 Community Group</a>. Some of the text and links may have been edited from his original posts for consistency and clarity. </div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCm44Rj6ElnJgDAOxImAgFylTDRHiRABUbyAAsBaANX4l_8tZ3wSSJat51St-rnxzm7_ao7ZbLF5BJFc-SPhXtbbDR6gq-rDPcksejp659-IhAGgmJwfXoCa6mGcdqYDPG-oX2N1OtwXAsOW278I3RBdW6ONnTiHQag0VEG4itXWkJX3YLStg/s600/Kjeld-Kirk-Kristiansen-Seymour-Papert-MIT-LEGO-01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCm44Rj6ElnJgDAOxImAgFylTDRHiRABUbyAAsBaANX4l_8tZ3wSSJat51St-rnxzm7_ao7ZbLF5BJFc-SPhXtbbDR6gq-rDPcksejp659-IhAGgmJwfXoCa6mGcdqYDPG-oX2N1OtwXAsOW278I3RBdW6ONnTiHQag0VEG4itXWkJX3YLStg/s320/Kjeld-Kirk-Kristiansen-Seymour-Papert-MIT-LEGO-01.jpg" width="299" /></a></div></span>
<div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">
1984 - Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen watched a <a href="https://youtu.be/spJao8f280s">TV program</a> called "Talking Turtle," where MIT professor Seymour Papert demonstrated how children could control robot "turtles" using LOGO, a programming language he developed.<p></p></div>1988 - The <a href="https://www.media.mit.edu/posts/member-collaboration-lego-s-mindstorms/">collaboration between MIT and LEGO</a> resulted in LEGO TC Logo in 1988, which allowed students to control LEGO models using computer commands. The <a href="https://vimeo.com/99344895" target="_blank">video</a> shows Papert demonstrating TC Logo.<div><br /></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1990 - LEGO TC Logo was hampered since the robots you built had to be tethered to a personal computer. LEGO and MIT began to explore the concept of an intelligent brick, which could be programmed and operate independently of a computer. One of the steps along the way was the Technic Control Center sets. This allowed you to "program" the robots you built by recording a sequence of actions, which could be replayed later.</span></span><br /><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1opgeecsTFUoLAzifWqFY5HG3Yy-9hpI06LBcajUepveuYG5q0liRKmd5RcAW8SXi21lagXki36klXogjWrb_Ofip4QtCyIYPBLY0IHfupr-id4mrTuTSz-Sed65Qzksjw9WSrOpNylv_X7MrG7E_Svfi02jj1QC4f_pSaB4H62NvPY_gVw/s1204/Redbrick.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1204" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1opgeecsTFUoLAzifWqFY5HG3Yy-9hpI06LBcajUepveuYG5q0liRKmd5RcAW8SXi21lagXki36klXogjWrb_Ofip4QtCyIYPBLY0IHfupr-id4mrTuTSz-Sed65Qzksjw9WSrOpNylv_X7MrG7E_Svfi02jj1QC4f_pSaB4H62NvPY_gVw/s320/Redbrick.png" width="320" /></a><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"></span></div><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">1992 - As electronics became smaller, lighter and cheaper, Seymour Papert and Mitch Resnick (from MIT) envisioned an “intelligent brick”, which could be programmed, thus robots no longer needed to be connected to computers. The first prototype, the Grey Brick, was developed in 1990, which was followed by the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/6.933/www/Fall2000/LegoMindstorms.pdf" target="_blank">Red Brick in 1992</a>.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>"The MIT approach is in sharp contrast to traditional uses of computers in education, where the emphasis is on desktop machines that "deliver" information to children." - MIT Press Release<br /><p></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">1998 - The culmination of years of research and development between LEGO and MIT, the first LEGO MINDSTORMS set, 9719 Robotics Invention System, is launched in 1998. The name MINDSTORMS was derived from the title of Seymour Papert's book. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the linked video, Gaute Munch and Erik Hansen <a href="https://youtu.be/k1wAUZcy11Y" target="_blank">talk </a>about the creation of LEGO MINDSTORMS. </span><span>The first LEGO MINDSTORMS </span><a href="https://youtu.be/w5nybvgBggI" target="_blank">advertisements</a> were seen.</p><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOGEGIxyDB1AP_pZ7N__FAFLl9nb2XEKRgjOX8u9wUGM2aTfUMaAgyCvgeruRI4uvLfNijp-5_vRRKBR5fjR_wVMbv4JBhxCPOWl8oDRiIbWWk6SwmQQstL-3b51I8eo3WTUI2AaEqwuY9WCnRfigSghR4CYh7s4a7cbXCqyRqiKTqOjYxiE/s1658/Comparison.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1658" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOGEGIxyDB1AP_pZ7N__FAFLl9nb2XEKRgjOX8u9wUGM2aTfUMaAgyCvgeruRI4uvLfNijp-5_vRRKBR5fjR_wVMbv4JBhxCPOWl8oDRiIbWWk6SwmQQstL-3b51I8eo3WTUI2AaEqwuY9WCnRfigSghR4CYh7s4a7cbXCqyRqiKTqOjYxiE/w640-h317/Comparison.png" title="From Structure of an Engineering (R)evolution" width="640" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1998 - <a href="https://www.lego.com/cdn/product-assets/product.bi.core.pdf/4122281.pdf" target="_blank">LEGO 9730 Robo Sports</a> was one of the two expansion sets available for the initial release of LEGO MINDSTORMS. It contained parts and instructions to build sports themed robots. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.lego.com/cdn/product-assets/product.bi.core.pdf/4122283.pdf" target="_blank">LEGO 9732 Extreme Creatures</a> was the second of the two expansion sets available for the initial release of LEGO MINDSTORMS. It contained parts and instructions to build animal and creature themed robots. </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;">1998 - A </span><a href=" https://twitter.com/firstlegoleague/status/373180736582340608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E373180736582340608%7Ctwgr%5E0fc07d08c97a62b622e9ccdcffef522cc8e847c6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eurobricks.com%2Fforum%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Ffirstlegoleague%2Fstatus%2F373180736582340608" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">pilot</a><span style="background-color: white;"> of <a href="https://www.firstlegoleague.org/" target="_blank"><i>FIRST</i> LEGO League</a> is created. By 2023, more than 40,000 teams would have participated in the program.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcku2IQy84YlYMjASawuBXDZV_OZx0cLnKYTQFNmAJRPxuZYXn1hjW6fF6c2xnkaN34Dwjy0sDvmxt8OeAFV8-_PaFpl6EuJHuyOYJQusWnjUo8zM27fVMbmsVRZAOc2kezh1Bp1Nzuomf404vvYiDKgVuSbO_fYTDGQIozIIx1hvou2ThJXg/s1770/FLLPilot.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1770" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcku2IQy84YlYMjASawuBXDZV_OZx0cLnKYTQFNmAJRPxuZYXn1hjW6fF6c2xnkaN34Dwjy0sDvmxt8OeAFV8-_PaFpl6EuJHuyOYJQusWnjUo8zM27fVMbmsVRZAOc2kezh1Bp1Nzuomf404vvYiDKgVuSbO_fYTDGQIozIIx1hvou2ThJXg/s320/FLLPilot.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1999 - LEGO released LEGO MINDSTORMS RIS 1.5 (set 9747). This set featured improvements to the programming environment and documentation and added a few new pieces. LEGO also released an upgrade kit, (<a href="https://www.lego.com/cdn/product-assets/product.bi.core.pdf/4129439.pdf" target="_blank">set 3803</a>), so that owners of the original LEGO Mindstorms RIS could obtain the software, manuals and parts of 9747 without having to buy a new set.<br /><br />LEGO MINDSTORMS (<a href="https://youtu.be/IjPKsSpYXKI" target="_blank">set 9735</a>), Robotics Discovery set was also released this year. It included a blue programmable brick named the Scout, with an integrated IR sensor, two motors, and two touch sensors. You program it by changing settings on the brick, no computer required!<br /><br />1999 - MIT organized <a href="https://www.media.mit.edu/mindfest/mindfest1999/exhibits.html" target="_blank">Mindfest</a> this year. This was the first ever gathering of <a href="https://www.tech-insider.org/lego-mindstorms/research/1999/1028-a.html" target="_blank">MINDSTORMS fans</a>. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The first Star Wars LEGO MINDSTORMS Set 9748 Droid Developer Kit was released. It came with the Micro Scout, which had a motor and a light sensor, with 7 programs built in.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlukx_LKNrngR5z5uO2V9OmtiDscJsY7dUtZzxGwZ57_vMQbKLymco6APsaexWsyI95RaYk_tjcRv_k8NQD5xTmIE0I2ANAE4Xx9N5gVqP_3w70Ufje78CYWMdyKp6KgOxyOSjJyG3IA_hXW5ZAjCrd-yQArtk3lkcgBRGvlKw06S_pLB9qs/s384/9731-1.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="384" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlukx_LKNrngR5z5uO2V9OmtiDscJsY7dUtZzxGwZ57_vMQbKLymco6APsaexWsyI95RaYk_tjcRv_k8NQD5xTmIE0I2ANAE4Xx9N5gVqP_3w70Ufje78CYWMdyKp6KgOxyOSjJyG3IA_hXW5ZAjCrd-yQArtk3lkcgBRGvlKw06S_pLB9qs/s320/9731-1.png" width="320" /></a></div>2000 - LEGO released (<a href="https://youtu.be/RVqi2GcYLj8" target="_blank">set 9731</a>) Vision Command. You needed a computer to use the camera.<br /><br />2000 - LEGO released the final expansion set for the RIS, <a href="https://youtu.be/Zrwqme9tVP4" target="_blank">LEGO (Set 9736</a>) Exploration Mars.<br /><br />2000 - LEGO released the Dark Side Developer Kit, (<a href="https://youtu.be/tHgEpoc8dKc" target="_blank">set 9754</a>). It used the same Micro Scout found in the earlier Set 9748 combined with new parts to build vehicles such as the Destroyer Droid, the AT-AT, and the Droid Starfighter. <br /><br />2001 - LEGO released the final version of the RCX-based LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System 2.0 (</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Set 3804)</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">. Of note are the Pro Challenges in the bundled software, showcasing some amazing models.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKTNMVd1vAMTd_2GM9OybtYRKbyPN3qbuSuY9uLCnky3EY5jvJlyMU15QXPFyXnE_NrxrjzuX09WumsrlzYjBmqtQfUEEbSvxb8F8k5pCh_J8z3JqTK8xG1311-B9EioOHU488x7yj1RxAMyurcHf5ZKhTDBmf3Cw4-MNMJVBEENvkOboiBU/s640/mindstorms_rcx.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKTNMVd1vAMTd_2GM9OybtYRKbyPN3qbuSuY9uLCnky3EY5jvJlyMU15QXPFyXnE_NrxrjzuX09WumsrlzYjBmqtQfUEEbSvxb8F8k5pCh_J8z3JqTK8xG1311-B9EioOHU488x7yj1RxAMyurcHf5ZKhTDBmf3Cw4-MNMJVBEENvkOboiBU/s320/mindstorms_rcx.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2001 - LEGO released the final expansion set for the RCX-based MINDSTORMS sets, the Ultimate Builders set (<a href="https://youtu.be/RSgugqrTTPE" target="_blank">Set 3800</a>).</span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2003 - <a href="https://wro-association.org/" target="_blank">World Robot Olympiad</a> was formally organized. In subsequent years, ROBOTMAK3RS were invited to run Expert Zone booths at WRO international finals. Talking to and inspiring students from around the world at WRO events in Qatar, Indonesia, Thailand, Costa Rica, Canada, etc. has been a highlight for the ROBOTMAK3RS.</span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopw3XeJz7t4Q1FT5CozHkM4uigBog_hC8o8-RRkIvLtokmcpPgOVBtBjflUno5QEw8PYNsqq6c0RqJv-k6T0PHcX1c4tnrMRT6PqTwMezXg9w1OI3C_Rc5-xMRTRyYj26lgCdtrMd7KYflSRI_xMOHEol1Qs1eK_dS3yV5I9rEkotC1KjMck/s960/46277216_10217697355573480_4323273986633891840_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="960" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopw3XeJz7t4Q1FT5CozHkM4uigBog_hC8o8-RRkIvLtokmcpPgOVBtBjflUno5QEw8PYNsqq6c0RqJv-k6T0PHcX1c4tnrMRT6PqTwMezXg9w1OI3C_Rc5-xMRTRyYj26lgCdtrMd7KYflSRI_xMOHEol1Qs1eK_dS3yV5I9rEkotC1KjMck/w640-h556/46277216_10217697355573480_4323273986633891840_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />2004 - LEGO started development of the <a href="https://www.wired.com/2006/01/geeks-in-toyland/" target="_blank">next generation LEGO MINDSTORMS</a>, the NXT, involving LEGO fans for the first time. A tight-knit group of secret master builders formed the <a href="https://www.wired.com/2006/02/lego/" target="_blank">MINDSTORMS User Panel (MUP)</a> and LEGO also recruited 100 users for the <a href="https://orionrobots.co.uk/wiki/mdp" target="_blank">MINDSTORMS Developer Program (MDP)</a>.</span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd3A_aEU76FVnjbCzPPgKdNmTRvHI1lku_gE7P2sXd-sC5aEtHNGs3BawMLpEFNo0z97qcNC7cdFJhUVwvC5QXqKoDmf66MlRKB8R3YAkgEmznVzZ4C17ByV65Kzb6oSok-BchH8ukSg0SXSbb1jm3V1Yg4A3iw62gKjHZNt_8nUqYJqzisM/s639/mindstorms_nxt.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="639" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd3A_aEU76FVnjbCzPPgKdNmTRvHI1lku_gE7P2sXd-sC5aEtHNGs3BawMLpEFNo0z97qcNC7cdFJhUVwvC5QXqKoDmf66MlRKB8R3YAkgEmznVzZ4C17ByV65Kzb6oSok-BchH8ukSg0SXSbb1jm3V1Yg4A3iw62gKjHZNt_8nUqYJqzisM/s320/mindstorms_nxt.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2005 - The very first FIRST LEGO League World Championship is held in Atlanta, GA.</span></span></div>2006 - LEGO released <a href="https://youtu.be/q2rnnhHjhvw" target="_blank">MINDSTORMS NXT Set 8527</a>. Here are some <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDu6Eq6Ll-k" target="_blank">advertisements from 2006</a>. </span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2008 - LEGO MINDSTORMS was inducted into the <a href="http://www.robothalloffame.org/inductees.html" target="_blank">Carnegie Mellon Robot Hall of Fame</a>. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of MINDSTORMS,<a href="https://bricknerd.com/home/going-for-gold-the-story-of-the-golden-lego-rcx-and-nxt-9-9-21?fbclid=IwAR2ySiLR4Gq5nd6xvNVe5amClSnqtgHZ2F0UtatG0dEeNsQWYKaROLdaStw" target="_blank"><br /></a> were given out.</span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6A80U1Epx9ivyvQeHafOWdsfDfBg3lj2um0aLnPK2bCGGb03SLDa5-aNT6S8TcOx6ETWPQ9b-seo5xWIUr1SaBIeBZfb2laMPgYnGFI4QgCZM5O2mR9m4qTUyBYyiS-7v0lA9Yc42iUAFGxS1Jklo0ctEMlTLLlj9Y_OW0ux0L-RphzF2ZpWeA/s1200/GoldenBrick.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6A80U1Epx9ivyvQeHafOWdsfDfBg3lj2um0aLnPK2bCGGb03SLDa5-aNT6S8TcOx6ETWPQ9b-seo5xWIUr1SaBIeBZfb2laMPgYnGFI4QgCZM5O2mR9m4qTUyBYyiS-7v0lA9Yc42iUAFGxS1Jklo0ctEMlTLLlj9Y_OW0ux0L-RphzF2ZpWeA/w400-h210/GoldenBrick.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />2009 - LEGO released an updated MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Set 8547. The set introduced a new color sensor.</span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpqh1ydSdmK2l7Q1z6-SmRuROpdnzP34pKG0PuVsf9VfvBjyXwkY8YHUioJbKJxPAX4ksV8C68fld-YS_SPozvUX35vBlIYFc8AEj5a_lJ6m_wc8O7WYjFkziHS1JeFN7biK3rBTgNXunA9tao9H33_AArk_n4_TruyNYra7NX7E0u7VKsXnptA/s560/10287-1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="560" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpqh1ydSdmK2l7Q1z6-SmRuROpdnzP34pKG0PuVsf9VfvBjyXwkY8YHUioJbKJxPAX4ksV8C68fld-YS_SPozvUX35vBlIYFc8AEj5a_lJ6m_wc8O7WYjFkziHS1JeFN7biK3rBTgNXunA9tao9H33_AArk_n4_TruyNYra7NX7E0u7VKsXnptA/s320/10287-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />2009 - To mark the 10th anniversary of LEGO MINDSTORMS, LEGO released a<a href="https://www.brothers-brick.com/2009/02/27/lego-announces-special-edition-black-nxt-news/" target="_blank"> limited-edition black NXT brick</a> along with build instructions for five fan models by Martyn Boogarts, Daniele Benedettelli, Laurens Valk, Fay Rhodes, and Mike Brandl . Only 1998 were made! "Why black? Because it is cool!"</span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl1Qxc9o0JN5BgXq82yd2O5s2UeBG7Ri74YKDaFknZ4W80FQqYYLmyAFyLZx4k54_n2dIevvpPlhdNK1bpwGbMbpq00sUqnDdAZ2tHf8V-XBzFgB7hE6xUJVt7peMz8RY1AUz6SdZ556j0q8qyhxxq13hlcksQOIjcQb_aNeKxnKWQeze_f4/s639/mindstorms_ev3.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="639" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl1Qxc9o0JN5BgXq82yd2O5s2UeBG7Ri74YKDaFknZ4W80FQqYYLmyAFyLZx4k54_n2dIevvpPlhdNK1bpwGbMbpq00sUqnDdAZ2tHf8V-XBzFgB7hE6xUJVt7peMz8RY1AUz6SdZ556j0q8qyhxxq13hlcksQOIjcQb_aNeKxnKWQeze_f4/s320/mindstorms_ev3.png" width="320" /></a></div>2013 - <a href="https://youtu.be/rePwR2o4JLo" target="_blank">15th Anniversary of MINDSTORMS</a>. The <a href="https://youtu.be/U89qtXe87c0" target="_blank">third generation (or evolution) of LEGO MINDSTORMS (EV3)</a> was launched. The Home Edition EV3 (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk36gOEBK6E" target="_blank">Set 31313</a>) had five base models. An additional <a href="http://blog.robotmak3rs.com/2019/01/one-set-infinite-possibilities.html" target="_blank">12 bonus models</a> created by 11 community members were added. An alternative Education edition set (45544) was also launched for the education and competition markets. Many third-party sensors were created for the EV3. In addition, you could use NXT sensors and motors with the EV3. The EV3 was also capable of running alternative operating systems via a microSD card.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2vAUyyvRCSb3faZyn0LSW1HcAkVl810gjy10hJ0i9d2rNuvFoKN7gI8M8wR1utFi8pAv-wVTvh4WObf2w7DCN-7ncn8rroP3dFWgJeMKnXzxopGTXEg4OweyTJ4iVDfptx_Dl4HgVcnUe07m3hnaaHdj3jbpVPj00X4xhKo66OnaMydJvLA/s1600/12bonus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2vAUyyvRCSb3faZyn0LSW1HcAkVl810gjy10hJ0i9d2rNuvFoKN7gI8M8wR1utFi8pAv-wVTvh4WObf2w7DCN-7ncn8rroP3dFWgJeMKnXzxopGTXEg4OweyTJ4iVDfptx_Dl4HgVcnUe07m3hnaaHdj3jbpVPj00X4xhKo66OnaMydJvLA/w640-h452/12bonus.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">2018 - ROBOTMAK3RS Recognized Online Community was founded as a place for former <a href="https://www.hispabrickmagazine.com/pdfs/HBM008_EN/HBM008_EN-16.pdf" target="_blank">MINDSTORMS Community Partners (MCPs)</a> and other robotics enthusiasts to come together. It was originally going to be named the acronym MINT but the name was abandoned because in German it meant "STEM" and deemed to be not as accurate a descriptor as the term "robot maker".</div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2018 - The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/legomindstorms/videos/2244103909141895" target="_blank">20th Anniversary</a> of MINDSTORMS. A handful of ROBOTMAKRS were invited to exhibit robots at the LEGO House in Billund, Denmark and were featured in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/legomindstorms/videos/1093928057430812" target="_blank">documentary</a>.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5Gf-C-XmJqKDiE9njwU4aMIAsoFMrXHZqtV7vg_70rU-qQ-_w75SxkDbHvzJq-HCQCNt_Xd1cH4xJPkvfbgCkY55y1CoS9Sv44q0z6UQthrpAYn9Muu6IySSx-0rWMRt92Ag-D0ld55YWXMVtVSeekOWqjAG0x2oYNVojkyDgdlxQyosqJs/s640/DSC_0497.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="640" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5Gf-C-XmJqKDiE9njwU4aMIAsoFMrXHZqtV7vg_70rU-qQ-_w75SxkDbHvzJq-HCQCNt_Xd1cH4xJPkvfbgCkY55y1CoS9Sv44q0z6UQthrpAYn9Muu6IySSx-0rWMRt92Ag-D0ld55YWXMVtVSeekOWqjAG0x2oYNVojkyDgdlxQyosqJs/w640-h424/DSC_0497.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbsPxNTptQr1THO80qTz0Rsetjmny-H_lgZSYjzNZt3NP7if76IEDqo-YuNO-QNCxTFaX9RDZ5skKnebQ02EL0sUACoBKn5gLdVZOZgTwvpRxilNzbmJc_pZOdoLiwWXk--tvJ6xwQ5FkbG3cGNYE8klgdMf5Y4XWtLA8fEvWFHWQmTtf6jE/s1994/RobotExperts.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1994" data-original-width="1558" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbsPxNTptQr1THO80qTz0Rsetjmny-H_lgZSYjzNZt3NP7if76IEDqo-YuNO-QNCxTFaX9RDZ5skKnebQ02EL0sUACoBKn5gLdVZOZgTwvpRxilNzbmJc_pZOdoLiwWXk--tvJ6xwQ5FkbG3cGNYE8klgdMf5Y4XWtLA8fEvWFHWQmTtf6jE/w156-h200/RobotExperts.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>2018 - ROBOTMAK3RS gathered at LEGOWORLD Copenhagen to share their MINDSTORMS projects with thousands of attendees. MCP and ROBOTMAK3R, Vassilis Chryssanthakopoulos, passed away unexpectedly on the last day.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2019 - ROBOTMAK3RS were reunited at LEGOWORLD Copengagen to highlight their work with MINDSTORMS. One memorable moment was demonstrating their robots to the owner of the LEGO Group, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen. </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bl5KZz7CQqjfZmcU_XXlG7fCGbDGxbXCC1Ud1aNHPWpgQmIAaPvvsomXY6m4ABRrfRbTdVuIrdC7hQpVE1g3Wq5ARob8-r72r8nN3DqVEIBvcTHHzAIId_WIkn70Pajpzk81dTfaAMJxY7EXGuC3VbvLpfl98X66-A85i5FpKEAl9tUw6TY/s2048/Kjeld.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bl5KZz7CQqjfZmcU_XXlG7fCGbDGxbXCC1Ud1aNHPWpgQmIAaPvvsomXY6m4ABRrfRbTdVuIrdC7hQpVE1g3Wq5ARob8-r72r8nN3DqVEIBvcTHHzAIId_WIkn70Pajpzk81dTfaAMJxY7EXGuC3VbvLpfl98X66-A85i5FpKEAl9tUw6TY/w640-h480/Kjeld.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2019 - The original launch date for <a href="https://www.brothers-brick.com/2020/01/17/a-new-lease-on-learning-with-lego-education-set-45678-spike-prime-review/" target="_blank">SPIKE Prime Set 45678</a>. After some delays, it was eventually launched in January 2021. SPIKE Prime was the educational version of the soon-to-be-released MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Set. A small group of ROBOTMAK3RS (known as the "First Five") were invited to provide feedback during the development stage of the product.<br /><br />2020 - Robot Inventor (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fa4m1XzlCA" target="_blank">LEGO Set 51515</a>) was launched, featuring 5 main models with multiple extension activities. The electronics was not backwards compatible with previous generations of MINDSTORMS. Robot Inventor was similar to SPIKE Prime, but offered unique features including remote control blocks. Later, hub-to-hub communication and machine learning were added. LEGO collaborated with a small group of community members (Anika Brandsma, Laurens Valk, Arvind Seshan, Sanjay Seshan, Marc-Andre Bazergui, and Anton Vanhoucke) to add <a href="https://www.facebook.com/legomindstorms/videos/737223770280339" target="_blank">8 bonus models</a> to the MINDSTORMS App<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRcX42wSRTxv5F3OaZSsjFAdx1hiZGOWzJ-PVbslcvppweazzTX65VHm3QGrPodNlqcoXGT3B4iEGCw5l9LeA1lwaSIa2Y60MOCkdf_I6YT7MgD-G62sFaiCaOHI2oHVVzUbPIlafSPY4JIo-bRxQJXhNNl9EPH96-rn90FqsNAiLrjizzXo/s3339/51515_alt2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2044" data-original-width="3339" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRcX42wSRTxv5F3OaZSsjFAdx1hiZGOWzJ-PVbslcvppweazzTX65VHm3QGrPodNlqcoXGT3B4iEGCw5l9LeA1lwaSIa2Y60MOCkdf_I6YT7MgD-G62sFaiCaOHI2oHVVzUbPIlafSPY4JIo-bRxQJXhNNl9EPH96-rn90FqsNAiLrjizzXo/w640-h390/51515_alt2.png" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">2021 - MINDSTORMS EV3 reaches end-of-life and is <a href="https://community.legoeducation.com/blogs/36/95" target="_blank">officially retired</a>.</span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">2021 - </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Hub-to-hub communication was added to MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor, enabling multi-hub projects.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;">LEGO collaborated with additional community members to </span><a href="https://youtu.be/6f-JhNECtBI" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">add several new bonus models</a><span style="background-color: white;"> to their App, taking the total to 21 models.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZC7RYIpTzfcol8r2gqS5qt3KfzWwxZvfOrgHViijnGDG5cZgk0amA8pBYlwH-9Fuq2FHYcwuDgk79jAWgU3WAQiF4_5iJ_S7BGQrzpY1ysdP91UL6pQmw-qpMcHZzZQsI1NwMY8_vEPBWBM1lrH0yLEib-WGS8Vuorc_auZzyinjH7EI8Gj0/s2215/21FanModels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="2215" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZC7RYIpTzfcol8r2gqS5qt3KfzWwxZvfOrgHViijnGDG5cZgk0amA8pBYlwH-9Fuq2FHYcwuDgk79jAWgU3WAQiF4_5iJ_S7BGQrzpY1ysdP91UL6pQmw-qpMcHZzZQsI1NwMY8_vEPBWBM1lrH0yLEib-WGS8Vuorc_auZzyinjH7EI8Gj0/w640-h270/21FanModels.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2022 - </span><span style="background-color: white;">Machine Learning was added to MINDSTORMS. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">In December 2022, LEGO made the decision to </span><a href="http://blog.robotmak3rs.com/2023/01/mindstorms-retires.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">retire the MINDSTORMS product line</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> including the new Robot Inventor set.</span></div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_CieJxOLcT6tV46vbrFo68BsZnsv9z3khNp89s89d40eIcr7ZZfIpCJPrvfr6aa5mOSBHT2DKHs9Y1uIXS7DWiT6uKcwKDCR7IVtQFkR2IjE61dkOuowYTxxqQblUBHbMmG22QmH-pJNj07hEA9cGioFjkHUhQJX1LnrwqKVeTN1oFjMrCk/s640/mindstorms_wired.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_CieJxOLcT6tV46vbrFo68BsZnsv9z3khNp89s89d40eIcr7ZZfIpCJPrvfr6aa5mOSBHT2DKHs9Y1uIXS7DWiT6uKcwKDCR7IVtQFkR2IjE61dkOuowYTxxqQblUBHbMmG22QmH-pJNj07hEA9cGioFjkHUhQJX1LnrwqKVeTN1oFjMrCk/s320/mindstorms_wired.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h2 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;">Articles about MINDSTORMS and its History:</h2><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="http://web.mit.edu/6.933/www/Fall2000/LegoMindstorms.pdf" target="_blank">LEGO MINDSTORMS: The Structure of an Engineering (R)evolution</a> (MIT Article)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.media.mit.edu/posts/the-seeds-that-seymour-sowed/" target="_blank">The Seeds that Seymour Sowed</a> (MIT Media Lab)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="https://hackeducation.com/2015/04/10/mindstorms" target="_blank">LEGO MINDSTORMS: A History of Educational Robots</a> (Hack Education)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.brothers-brick.com/2020/02/03/a-history-of-lego-education-part-3-mindstorms-over-matter-feature/" target="_blank">MINDSTORMS Over Matter</a> (Brothers Brick)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="https://gizmodo.com/lego-robots-mit-mindstorms-story-book-excerpt-nintendo-1849785260">How LEGO and MIT came together to give us LEGO robots</a> (Gizmodo)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-lego-is-constructing-the-next-generation-of-engineers-37671528/" target="_blank">How LEGO is Constructing the Next Generation of Engineers</a> (Smithsonian)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.wired.com/2006/02/lego/" target="_blank">Geeks in Toyland</a> (WIRED)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="https://mindstorms.media.mit.edu/" target="_blank">MINDSTORMS: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas </a>(Papert)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><a href="https://publicism.info/business/brick/9.html" target="_blank">Brick-by-Brick: How LEGO Reworte the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry</a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><b>Image Credit: BrickNerd, MIT Media Lab, BrickLink, the LEGO Group, <i>FIRST</i> LEGO League</b></div> <br /></span></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-20407453563214431952023-01-02T02:24:00.007+10:002023-06-16T01:33:07.634+10:00MINDSTORMS Retires!<p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_4IrCv7mNHykqVRAlZyZLnU2Iv3M3NJsUEgValzC41d3TGWljyIV9P_sNmXuXCBWqjVs_37ZVvGcw3TIIIawTo8kPzkB7huhuBhk0TrulYqPHw5wBjJ6i-1-y-9u6FmQ-BWeFP4uVYCwDiUIn2X0lKvhvrjrYMi2ETnOmcPIQjoGuxtcHuQ/s225/RI.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_4IrCv7mNHykqVRAlZyZLnU2Iv3M3NJsUEgValzC41d3TGWljyIV9P_sNmXuXCBWqjVs_37ZVvGcw3TIIIawTo8kPzkB7huhuBhk0TrulYqPHw5wBjJ6i-1-y-9u6FmQ-BWeFP4uVYCwDiUIn2X0lKvhvrjrYMi2ETnOmcPIQjoGuxtcHuQ/s1600/RI.jpeg" width="225" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">2023 is the 25th Anniversary of the MINDSTORMS brand. For 25 years, MINDSTORMS has educated and inspired a generation of robot builders, both children and adults. Unfortunately, the LEGO Group decided to end the line on December 2022. Many ROBOTMAK3RS have been passionately involved with the development of MINDSTORMS through the MUP and MCP programs. Even with the newest Robot Inventor line, several ROBOTMAK3RS were invited to submit additional bonus models that were included in the official app. Regardless of the retirement of a major LEGO robotics product line, ROBOTMAK3RS continue to MAKE-SHARE-INSPIRE using all LEGO robotics platforms available to us.</span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebSGz7dxuAe1AjbwFW0suAhtVfztTEbPsHjOQNcDi4aPWvz5uGpElOh7cEC2OpK3c4K_SS8oyRJmFqjdEMbC3-t9VvoXnl1Zn3U_KG2c2GGjgb6RXJacul10Rpg4SQQQnoYfnVcjoS1Pmw_27ETGWHSMGlOkc4zRLQRkM00KUIC1cMlQfSJ4/s414/mindstorms2020-logo_pos_300w%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="40" data-original-width="414" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebSGz7dxuAe1AjbwFW0suAhtVfztTEbPsHjOQNcDi4aPWvz5uGpElOh7cEC2OpK3c4K_SS8oyRJmFqjdEMbC3-t9VvoXnl1Zn3U_KG2c2GGjgb6RXJacul10Rpg4SQQQnoYfnVcjoS1Pmw_27ETGWHSMGlOkc4zRLQRkM00KUIC1cMlQfSJ4/w640-h62/mindstorms2020-logo_pos_300w%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Here is the official statement from LEGO.</u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since its launch in September 1998, LEGO MINDSTORMS has been one of the core ‘Build & Code’ experiences in the company’s portfolio, carrying with it significant brand equity and becoming a stand-out experience for the early days of consumer robotics and leading to current Build & Code experiences such as SPIKE Prime, from LEGO Education’s LEGO Learning System. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="en-gb" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, now having a number of priorities in LEGO Education and other Build & Code experiences, we have decided to focus our resources and future plans by redirecting our MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor team and their expertise into different areas of the business. </span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="en-gb" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This means the physical MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor product (51515) and its related elements (88016 and 88018) are to exit our portfolio from the end of 2022, whilst digital platforms – such as the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor App – will remain live until at least the end of 2024. </span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="en-gb" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We still have strong belief in the Build & Code proposition and will continue to support it through platforms such as SPIKE Prime, and we are continuing to hold on to the trademark for the MINDSTORMS brand and assessing our future plans together with LEGO Education. </span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comUnited States37.09024 -95.7128918.780006163821156 -130.869141 65.400473836178847 -60.556641tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-66283788604135450382022-08-28T23:31:00.007+10:002023-06-16T01:19:29.378+10:00MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Books<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWE6xrh1Kv7SHYeYs8-bhTtxPmmzafmxmNZbFDnhbcjD7wULPlhTPFFcwN_iB5Z1MCbFa6XRTH7laA9mON7hjKFfkiShAYN4-_mU2m93RaRka7kR6X6wAruIUhYtE2DICoq9ZsnOQMeu1eInINabQtvToh9qukHPnKf8rDBIysm67UvvSk3vI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1708" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWE6xrh1Kv7SHYeYs8-bhTtxPmmzafmxmNZbFDnhbcjD7wULPlhTPFFcwN_iB5Z1MCbFa6XRTH7laA9mON7hjKFfkiShAYN4-_mU2m93RaRka7kR6X6wAruIUhYtE2DICoq9ZsnOQMeu1eInINabQtvToh9qukHPnKf8rDBIysm67UvvSk3vI=w320-h200" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://nostarch.com/getting-started-lego%C2%AE-mindstorms" target="_blank">Getting Started with LEGO MINDSTORMS</a> and <a href="https://nostarch.com/mastering-lego%C2%AE-mindstorms" target="_blank">Mastering LEGO MINDSTORMS</a> by </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Barbara Bratzel and Rob Torok were published in Fall 2022.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> [Update: Unfortunately, LEGO decided to retire the Robot Inventor in December 2022.] </span><a href="http://www.robotmak3rs.com/" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">ROBOTMAK3RS </a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">reached out to the authors to ask them about their work.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h2 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">About the Authors:</span></h2><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Barbara Bratzel is a teacher at Shady Hill School, a PreK-8th grade independent school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was first introduced to LEGO robotics by Professor Chris Rogers at the Center for Engineering Education and Outreach at Tufts University. For the past 25 years, she has used LEGO robotics in the classroom to teach science, math, engineering, and programming. Currently, she runs a makerspace and teaches science and coding at the Shady Hill School.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Rob Torok is a secondary school teacher in Tasmania, Australia. He was introduced to LEGO MINDSTORMS more than 20 years ago when he purchased the original LEGO MINDSTORMS set (9719 Robotics Invention System). He has mentored teams in RoboCup Junior, FIRST LEGO League, and the FIRST Robotics Competition. In 2015, he founded a community-led robotics group, called Devil Robotics that runs after school programs for children aged 10-18 and hosts a regional FIRST LEGO League tournament. Currently, Rob teaches Computer Science, Mathematics and Engineering Design at his school.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">What is your motivation for writing these books and who is the intended audience?</span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Both of us are K-12 STEM teachers. As teachers, we’re constantly inspired by our students—their ingenuity, their inventiveness, and their ability to take what they’ve learned and soar! With basic coding and building skills, they can move way beyond relying on building instructions and canned programs. We wrote these books to help our readers design and build original LEGO creations, too, by providing that foundational knowledge to get them stared. We envision the books being of interest to a wide variety of readers, from children with brand-new robotics sets, to experienced LEGO builders wanting to expand their coding skills, to teachers and parents helping others learn robotics and programming. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJUSCHDdLRGoHEMjtQahk6nojT5KLEEyRSwP3sEpwUDfYtzpnhkS4seEKYTTl9CDpBiDIPhPfHpHeWByjXbsXCaRCJpaevxCIuQPkLXxX5HPDOaiT2fB5wUBhytkOnJFE0GPqN4npypbb29_Un95J0zUv9zDz4F9T9Eaq-M6_HQRytHZMyij8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJUSCHDdLRGoHEMjtQahk6nojT5KLEEyRSwP3sEpwUDfYtzpnhkS4seEKYTTl9CDpBiDIPhPfHpHeWByjXbsXCaRCJpaevxCIuQPkLXxX5HPDOaiT2fB5wUBhytkOnJFE0GPqN4npypbb29_Un95J0zUv9zDz4F9T9Eaq-M6_HQRytHZMyij8=w303-h203" width="303" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br />Why did you choose to write a book with Robot Inventor and not SPIKE Prime? </span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Our initial idea was to write a SPIKE Prime book. The publisher convinced us to focus on Robot Inventor instead because it is a more widely used platform. However, we wanted to make sure that the books were useful for SPIKE Prime users as well. I</span>n fact, we have special boxes in the books to explain features that are unique to SPIKE Prime such as the force sensor.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> <br /></span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Why did you decide to write two books at the same time? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Actually, we didn’t. We initially wrote one comprehensive book, which ended up being so big that the publisher split it in two. That said, we think the two volumes work well, one for beginners who need the basics without too much extra detail, and one for experienced users who are eager to tackle more advanced programming and building.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">There are many ways of learning coding, python, etc. What do you think the benefits are of using LEGO MINDSTORMS? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Programming robots is a great way to learn to code. First, programming lights, motors, sounds, and sensors is generally more compelling for beginning coders than writing a program to print “Hello World.” Second, programming the robot provides immediate physical feedback about the program—you expected your robot to stop at the black line and it didn’t—in a way that encourages the programmer to re-examine the code and troubleshoot.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><br /></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhMcXb0j9pNNDWUpCdb4s-31NLWVw8NpnZPs4J13FqIJ-K8LBZK0lxmYOBnB9vzkb7jOWSsePYrCSYOm-YIZCSMJMAuiVkN3NHDzdQ19-DGxo67X-lhImbpKU8hTgupqJWTuQfvgilZVL6tTFRxaA2eGBQ1OmdAfpDxYMC_g9wpu-g8q8sKlM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2672" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhMcXb0j9pNNDWUpCdb4s-31NLWVw8NpnZPs4J13FqIJ-K8LBZK0lxmYOBnB9vzkb7jOWSsePYrCSYOm-YIZCSMJMAuiVkN3NHDzdQ19-DGxo67X-lhImbpKU8hTgupqJWTuQfvgilZVL6tTFRxaA2eGBQ1OmdAfpDxYMC_g9wpu-g8q8sKlM" width="160" /></a></div><br />The models in your books are generally simple/quick builds. Can you tell us what the motivation is behind this? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">There are so many step-by-step building instructions for beautiful and complex models available. Those models are wonderful, but they can also be intimidating. Users think, “I could never design something like that myself.” We want to help budding designers get started, both with simple models they could build in a few minutes, like the simple cars at the beginning of the first book, and with building principles they could apply to create their own effective and sturdy designs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> <br /></span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">What is your favorite project in each of your books and why? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">[Barbara] This is a little like asking a parent to pick a favorite child. There are so many projects that I like. In general, my favorites are the most open-ended ones that encourage creative solutions. For example, the last two fairy tales in the first book, Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs, invite the reader to choose which client to help and to then engineer a device to aid them, either one based on the suggested solutions or one from their own imagination. Similarly, the three art projects in the second book’s Ultimate Challenges chapter let the reader use the skills they learned in the book to express themselves in new and creative ways. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">[Rob] The first chapter of Getting Started has a project called “Moving Without Wheels”. I’ve been using variations of this challenge with students and teachers for years. I love how much fun you can have with such a simple idea and, and in this book, it’s a great demonstration of what you can do without writing any code. In Mastering LEGO MINDSTORMS, there’s a chapter that shows you how to make games that you can play on the Hub, including a Cookie Clicker-type game, a reaction timer, and a memory game. I love making robotic games for people to play and hope that this chapter inspires and supports the reader to make their own amazing creations.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifLrVqQd0jmcC7WJQR67luYfXKse-MOJvv1sV7bJmeNYkSQfCZi2xgDG2mPvkAo7KxG1dgI0Chw438nHinUyrPtsRqCK1QMz6zCZIUaiOhoJ2m7VfHYv8nrrnLl8gaey7DXeDdaRg-AA_sGRf7iFqmf3uLKL55job9batvH_ld9ni9v-K-8JI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2672" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifLrVqQd0jmcC7WJQR67luYfXKse-MOJvv1sV7bJmeNYkSQfCZi2xgDG2mPvkAo7KxG1dgI0Chw438nHinUyrPtsRqCK1QMz6zCZIUaiOhoJ2m7VfHYv8nrrnLl8gaey7DXeDdaRg-AA_sGRf7iFqmf3uLKL55job9batvH_ld9ni9v-K-8JI" width="160" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br />What was your inspiration for the fairy tale chapter in the Getting Started book?</span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">[Barbara] In my classes, I have been basing projects on fairy tales and fables for many years. I find they are engaging for all different ages of students (and teachers, when I run workshops for educators). These stories are usually familiar to students; presenting them as engineering challenges makes the students look at them in a new way. They go from passive consumers of the stories to active participants in them. Their inventions can change the course of the story! Plus, the students build empathy by putting themselves in the characters’ shoes. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The Mastering LEGO MINDSTORMS book jumps to “building better robots” and python. </span>How do you see readers using this book compared to the Getting Started book?</h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Mastering LEGO MINDSTORMS goes beyond the entry-level programming and building techniques introduced in Getting Started. It will help readers to create better robots by showing them ways to combine what they’ve previously learned into more sophisticated and complex robots. Examples are provided in Word Blocks and Python. This book is not only for anyone who has enjoyed Getting Started and wants to continue their journey, but also for anyone who is already familiar with basic Word Blocks programming and is ready for some new challenges.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDk9cKtZQPJ6zgIfzVBFb13DKEHF35ZlvY3fDKvkIlFXralDsnP36PgdBo0-Ms7dmcN3u_v3uhYlaXe3Byhqj4UxkbFw_vdz-0J2Ft3H8SHJPzV1tGF7XMq7e5STrsx6l3GNhaulA9Fn-8MCWnAxmUZPnihgyIm7_bsUXC6_ohWXeSkVPwip8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2672" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDk9cKtZQPJ6zgIfzVBFb13DKEHF35ZlvY3fDKvkIlFXralDsnP36PgdBo0-Ms7dmcN3u_v3uhYlaXe3Byhqj4UxkbFw_vdz-0J2Ft3H8SHJPzV1tGF7XMq7e5STrsx6l3GNhaulA9Fn-8MCWnAxmUZPnihgyIm7_bsUXC6_ohWXeSkVPwip8" width="160" /></a></div><p></p><h3 style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">LEGO updates their software often. How do you plan to tackle these updates given you have a printed book? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Updates are an issue! In fact, we ended up redoing most of the figures in the books at the last moment because LEGO issued a software update that included a new font. Though LEGO will make changes to the software after the books are published, we are confident that our books, which concentrate on the basics, will remain a valuable resource.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">All images used with permission of authors. Book cover images from No Starch Press. </span></p></div><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-2911367961717451272022-08-18T03:26:00.001+10:002023-06-14T23:59:01.360+10:00Meet the ROBOTMAK3R: Anika Vuurzoon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPN_9vJCYMDyXk03AkrO6m49XexYGLn9c_51numGSoUOundsGS0308BimA8CKJ9_MJDxibvTWRC0zCBu06K0y85y1Xi8Zr9EXM0EdjMAFM4hSSCU_pdrlcZQTfOYH9hfEucy8U7A/s1600/BvE_AnikaLego+%25282+of+2%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPN_9vJCYMDyXk03AkrO6m49XexYGLn9c_51numGSoUOundsGS0308BimA8CKJ9_MJDxibvTWRC0zCBu06K0y85y1Xi8Zr9EXM0EdjMAFM4hSSCU_pdrlcZQTfOYH9hfEucy8U7A/s320/BvE_AnikaLego+%25282+of+2%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Anika Vuurzoon is a graduate student undertaking Mechanical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. She is well-known for her robotic animals as well as for bringing LEGO Friends and LEGO Elves sets to life with the incorporation of LEGO MINDSTORMS. Anika shares her creations all around the world including at the World Robot Olympiad. Anika’s entire family enjoys building with LEGO. They have a strong passion for nature & technology. Anika was one of the top prize winners of the Alexa-MINDSTORMS contest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">How did you get started building with LEGO bricks?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I started building with LEGO bricks as a child, and simply never stopped with it. My entire family (Mom, Dad, Ganddad, Sister) build with LEGO, and we build a lot together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWOzWW5dAhkqSAZvpEkGSxd_svetFjUVOCftyi-L4dY1dH0SNtfIkb3HeiJ4TCpWBTdbcswc3BJykYjN6A5Q9vt7uPTqK0pA6u6LcdxsxYHRXlKQJakBpsqTLhSMb4gidelK92w/s1600/DSCN3995.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWOzWW5dAhkqSAZvpEkGSxd_svetFjUVOCftyi-L4dY1dH0SNtfIkb3HeiJ4TCpWBTdbcswc3BJykYjN6A5Q9vt7uPTqK0pA6u6LcdxsxYHRXlKQJakBpsqTLhSMb4gidelK92w/s320/DSCN3995.JPG" width="267" /></a><b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Which project or projects are you the most proud of? Why?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />The Elves Treasure Chest. With this project kids have to solve a small puzzle, but it’s also a nice robot to just watch in case there are more kids than puzzles. The project also contains a lot of details which refer to the story of the LEGO elves. The LEGO designers loved my chest so much that they asked me to make a copy of it which is now in Billund.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Where do you find inspiration for new projects?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Everywhere! New LEGO sets, games, animals, kids playing with my robots at events…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">How many iterations do you typically go through when you create your projects?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I start with an idea and a brainstorm session, for this I discuss a lot with my Dad who also builds with LEGO. After that, I look for more details to the subject, in case of the treasure chest I had to read the story behind the LEGO Elves. When building the Shark or the Duck I looked on the Internet for information about the look and behavior of these animals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">The next step is to make a prototype. Often I don’t have enough bricks to build the entire project, so I make a prototype with the bricks I have, which results in a multicolor duck for example. When the prototype is finished I order the right bricks, to make the duck white instead of all kind different colors. When the brick arrive I finish the project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #666666;">“Often I don’t have enough bricks to build the entire project, so I make a prototype with the bricks I have…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><i><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Do you document your creative process? If so, how and why?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I don’t document the process of my project, only the end result. For every project I make a YouTube video which you can find on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/vuurzoon" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">my channel</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">What role does failure have in your creative process?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />Failure happens with every project and can be really annoying. But it makes you think longer about the project, which often results in a better solution for the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBfvAZShhPLA0orPF2HWLnKiJzTNAia8egAT6UeNT6dK7IVsA49__j20nkUdIf856BFK5n_V6ImqUhHaZ8cZ2JDUHG8JDw5EBZaAsraEVhmOFybp0Wd8guLVB-bGOWO4hz47aAQ/s1600/DSCN2817.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBfvAZShhPLA0orPF2HWLnKiJzTNAia8egAT6UeNT6dK7IVsA49__j20nkUdIf856BFK5n_V6ImqUhHaZ8cZ2JDUHG8JDw5EBZaAsraEVhmOFybp0Wd8guLVB-bGOWO4hz47aAQ/s320/DSCN2817.JPG" width="320" /></a><b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">How do you evaluate your success?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I often do an evaluation of my project with my Dad, mostly when I’m still working on the project. Someone else’s opinion really helps you to keep thinking about solutions, which makes the robot work better and look nicer. When a robot is finished I show them at events to kids and their parents. Their opinions show me how nice it is to play with the robot and how good the robot looks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">For students who are ready to go beyond the basics, what project would you recommend to get them motivated, without overwhelming them?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />Try to make a robot that behaves like an animal. Start with a robot that avoid obstacles. And then add functions as random speed, making turns/sounds at random moments. Let the robot react on people, for instance with the touch sensor.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOtaLb_xdKdy9Iyd0HmxAo9p0eHls7Qri9VDx5_GukjGhquOnfgJ9S0NTb2TEeV0gU6YsU8WnErpJrek8wjFz0PzBPOATdZj6DDOC3zNakBbwT1pdEhrlEwInNNX9JJ9UyYvdbQ/s1600/MOC15-01.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOtaLb_xdKdy9Iyd0HmxAo9p0eHls7Qri9VDx5_GukjGhquOnfgJ9S0NTb2TEeV0gU6YsU8WnErpJrek8wjFz0PzBPOATdZj6DDOC3zNakBbwT1pdEhrlEwInNNX9JJ9UyYvdbQ/s400/MOC15-01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">What’s your favourite building technique?</span></b><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I like to combine Technic bricks with normal LEGO bricks. I use the Technic bricks for the movements and use the regular LEGO bricks for making the robot look nice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<i><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">You can view Anika’s creations on her family’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/vuurzoon" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">YouTube channel</span></a>.</span></i><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i><span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></i>
<span face=""source sans pro" , sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 14px;">[Original article written in LEGO Engineering. Reposted here with author's permission.]</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-24467631258593980442022-08-01T23:54:00.004+10:002023-07-23T22:55:43.066+10:00Hub-to-Hub Communication Brings New Possibilities<div class="separator"><span style="font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJRC-y9JY49p_C08OjF9-YxSaHtsDoMj_OLjB_YikQMo_5OEXWZD5yjxGWDsXJ36vDe3C0YXISqV4X0MIHaIG72HJCU8O5CLQLzNJa9zX58LW-0t1LWfGSEtWtvLrnMxhcfRtAqBQFzHktwyZToKagITIvcnMF4SNlfA-iuNGWG28-YR6Y5M/s3437/277557709_418697613396577_8629231305306169125_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="3437" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJRC-y9JY49p_C08OjF9-YxSaHtsDoMj_OLjB_YikQMo_5OEXWZD5yjxGWDsXJ36vDe3C0YXISqV4X0MIHaIG72HJCU8O5CLQLzNJa9zX58LW-0t1LWfGSEtWtvLrnMxhcfRtAqBQFzHktwyZToKagITIvcnMF4SNlfA-iuNGWG28-YR6Y5M/w640-h218/277557709_418697613396577_8629231305306169125_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hub-to-Hub Communication Brings New Possibilities to MINDSTORMS</span></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c7d14c4d-7fff-768a-af97-09fc7315c3cd">
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MINDSTORMS recently added a new feature to the Robot Inventor that allows creators to connect two or more hubs together. These new programming blocks allow for new and creative multi-hub projects where one hub can communicate with another. Hub-to-hub communication opens up endless possibilities for creating remote control applications, dance companions, games, and complex animals. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Below are some inspirational projects </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">that use two or more hubs that are </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">created by the ROBOTMAK3RS, a global community of robot experts. You can find most of these projects in the official the MINDSTORMS App in the Community section. Both building instructions and code available for you to try out.</span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g4BfNYG369yv0eucfbHf4ivrUtLaQLEupq7txWJQA_1zWnbMRjrH_pbrnMmm0pnCplmQkWzorK5yC3wNnHmOE7d72uxFw_MxhOkPraJGTtY5g2CONvJtSzck7487ZRnEQsPHkc7NtX_PRtMFGtWLBIF7AseX3rIEl86DFNUSCGM55wWqPu8/s2000/ColorCatcher-Seshan.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g4BfNYG369yv0eucfbHf4ivrUtLaQLEupq7txWJQA_1zWnbMRjrH_pbrnMmm0pnCplmQkWzorK5yC3wNnHmOE7d72uxFw_MxhOkPraJGTtY5g2CONvJtSzck7487ZRnEQsPHkc7NtX_PRtMFGtWLBIF7AseX3rIEl86DFNUSCGM55wWqPu8/s320/ColorCatcher-Seshan.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Get ready for a competitive, fast-paced multi-player game. Sanjay and Arvind Seshan (USA) create a quick-to-build multiplayer racing game called <b>Color Catcher</b>. This game allows two players to race to the color that is displayed on the hub. Players navigate their robot by using the buttons on the hub to pick a direction and then tap on the hub itself to make their robot move in that direction. The first player to successfully “catch” the color scores a point. </span></span></p><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Dimitri Dekyvere (Belgium) and Laurens Valk (the Netherlands) use two hubs to create an engaging balancing robot with an accompanying remote control. Using the joystick, you can control the <b>Balancing Bot</b> with your second hub.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn_Pjw-QHXxwv75LdOuphvKM8r6HqmXIQjb4BgxWAbzwVatunCMOEpPdSCMjlgAOt3mX5mh0LHjLj16nnQncsD3GhmHHHxdtmbBp1OOPJFsfg998MvUXkS4cqCI8dsJBevZV15j_pmic8uxc0HLyd2C98G_DSh5VvkgAevStYliEWcgx2ZvOpzgg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn_Pjw-QHXxwv75LdOuphvKM8r6HqmXIQjb4BgxWAbzwVatunCMOEpPdSCMjlgAOt3mX5mh0LHjLj16nnQncsD3GhmHHHxdtmbBp1OOPJFsfg998MvUXkS4cqCI8dsJBevZV15j_pmic8uxc0HLyd2C98G_DSh5VvkgAevStYliEWcgx2ZvOpzgg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ00vuc0ETY-kxRgdkaCekVVU3AUGgG6hwAXzQl4hg5_OT9ABovtbcRBsfQS58FrKEQ6f-lk72gF7DdL4zdXYAmqNnQPJW09iSub_xFdbV8JQI-9mdQ6joS5vpWm192Rk9tE83nl9QzBbu0eXBFTtpE2T0erEJQdHKMVGqwwVk_tHC76bN9MU/s4032/IMG_9321.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ00vuc0ETY-kxRgdkaCekVVU3AUGgG6hwAXzQl4hg5_OT9ABovtbcRBsfQS58FrKEQ6f-lk72gF7DdL4zdXYAmqNnQPJW09iSub_xFdbV8JQI-9mdQ6joS5vpWm192Rk9tE83nl9QzBbu0eXBFTtpE2T0erEJQdHKMVGqwwVk_tHC76bN9MU/s320/IMG_9321.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Always dreamed of training to become an astronaut? With the <b>Shuttle Simulator</b> by Nard Strijbosch (the Netherlands) you can start your journey! Nard </span><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">uses two hubs to create a Shuttle Simulator that is sure to test your piloting skills. One hub serves as a shuttle and the other as the controller. The player can fly the shuttle using the controller.</span></span>
</p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwRywGRNbRts2GOuFo3l5oNXtcg_yqOBzuZZ4pzsF55_gvwzhTuZYzKY-Vmd7ZRhbxuqx0pr8fL1izyetT-9TBBLNZ42ASoZ08pMAx_tEKRvKeHO261l_zhnf2Bo4_xLaj7Hg-jU51-f1bABjBZV5xC2OcCKLFcADN4KMBgQWkmcCMHYzvp4ZaCA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwRywGRNbRts2GOuFo3l5oNXtcg_yqOBzuZZ4pzsF55_gvwzhTuZYzKY-Vmd7ZRhbxuqx0pr8fL1izyetT-9TBBLNZ42ASoZ08pMAx_tEKRvKeHO261l_zhnf2Bo4_xLaj7Hg-jU51-f1bABjBZV5xC2OcCKLFcADN4KMBgQWkmcCMHYzvp4ZaCA" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">You may have thought that Charlie is an excellent drummer. It turns out Charlie is also an excellent dance instructor! This fun and interactive project is sure to bring a lot of smiles. Anika Brandsma (the Netherlands) recreates a <b>Dance Class</b> using two hubs. The human dancer holds a hub in one hand and imitates Charlie’s movements. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y81NqRW_uDbiik1V72CfSu7D-w27SS1CfkcRr8ejnR2dSIw2aYlAKBJ-0sK6dzyLGz3E_tpFepV0jHXoXjf9zVyXTZgJMvwaJiDbMCkOja0CDuxJuYjLjfshhILBWahZJtsAp1YL2V5Iq-4ZjvYeZdOg6UY-paWGDIJ4HIB97-73Ch6fqvo/w200-h113/IMG_9326.JPG" width="200" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have more than two MINDSTORMS sets, you might enjoy creating this amazing snake by Anton Vanhoucke (the Netherlands). The snake avoids obstacles and can even follow lines using a color sensor. Adding additional segments is extremely easy. Anton has put in much effort to ensure that the movement of the snake is as realistic as possible. You are sure to enjoy watching your Robot Inventor Snake slithering across the floor. This model is available for purchase directly from Anton.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y81NqRW_uDbiik1V72CfSu7D-w27SS1CfkcRr8ejnR2dSIw2aYlAKBJ-0sK6dzyLGz3E_tpFepV0jHXoXjf9zVyXTZgJMvwaJiDbMCkOja0CDuxJuYjLjfshhILBWahZJtsAp1YL2V5Iq-4ZjvYeZdOg6UY-paWGDIJ4HIB97-73Ch6fqvo/s640/IMG_9326.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p></p></span><p></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-58789814327915709682022-07-21T03:23:00.000+10:002023-06-14T23:56:04.025+10:00Meet the ROBOTMAK3R: Jason Alleman<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimV5whot1UMbSVEKQjcjq8FiHVEHg_zt0Vc1beT1b7-X8nJwmVmY0KhItsLJXW2zcUMdIJlkmpA29LGdHRN_m2jXRiz6Muelkt2CtLTLsmE_A8sRhd1OkU2Ua6AJ0TBS1RN1nlyg/s1600/jason.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimV5whot1UMbSVEKQjcjq8FiHVEHg_zt0Vc1beT1b7-X8nJwmVmY0KhItsLJXW2zcUMdIJlkmpA29LGdHRN_m2jXRiz6Muelkt2CtLTLsmE_A8sRhd1OkU2Ua6AJ0TBS1RN1nlyg/s320/jason.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Jason Alleman is well known for his LEGO kinetic sculptures and unique MINDSTORMS models. He has a degree in Engineering, and enjoy building models that have some kind of interesting motion. He is an inspiration to other LEGO builders, not only in terms of his amazing creations, but also in how he shares his creative process. His YouTube channel has over 500,000 subscribers. Most recently, he won the grand prize for the Alexa-MINDSTORMS contest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">He is an avid rock climber, and can often be found at the top of a mountain. Jason once spent a year and a half traveling through North America living out of a car, camping, rock climbing, and hiking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">How did you get started building with LEGO bricks?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I’ve been building on and off since I was a child. I didn’t have a large collection growing up – a few Technic sets, some basic brick and a couple of Classic Space sets – but I was hooked from the start. I was especially fascinated by the mechanical capabilities of the Technic system, and I guess I still am today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Which project (or projects) are you the most proud of? Why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2mXnk6G9dVydub8Qy90-7DiX7cJZXBlY3gmDnYO3BQ7JKcKw0M0Jfe5AYUu0IVPjQ0PpUyu38Ou1gJeN7EfZT5m6vnCouQDOQNGNOWM93E9ZkMOtOT6q3L5cMcxsW46XG7SKFA/s1600/horse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBK1lP_URnUGn-H-aFfyx49yZ6aVFBK6pFeuu_kUTps-vG2nTQBQCxY2bc6SHa-vSLiK-EGFgOIIJu9IAJWCcMgpFusPhksET0OIJzt8VJWUZMrzhDXMm8M0mM_Im3iRGwllLwWw/s1600/sisyphusMain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBK1lP_URnUGn-H-aFfyx49yZ6aVFBK6pFeuu_kUTps-vG2nTQBQCxY2bc6SHa-vSLiK-EGFgOIIJu9IAJWCcMgpFusPhksET0OIJzt8VJWUZMrzhDXMm8M0mM_Im3iRGwllLwWw/s320/sisyphusMain.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Probably the kinetic sculptures I’ve built. Sisyphus, the galloping horse, clockwork heart, etc. Most LEGO Technic sets have a very distinctive look, but I really enjoy the challenge of combining the engineering aspects of Technic building with brick built style sculpture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Where do you find inspiration for new projects?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Inspiration comes from everywhere. Watching videos of cool mechanisms, observing the environment around me, seeing other models people have built, etc. I just try to be open to new ideas when they come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxwK2FiFZjAI4t-QvV5k0AwBDWkHT2tHZy6BlUjwEnrMeARxuHCia3Eqin71Fl6AtpP9nwHV5DNW3DoZKWA7lEs2Q9R0J4gkUlH39U9CqVGtAPc547t8oYrPSjq5NVmXw6h3INQ/s1600/clockworkHeart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxwK2FiFZjAI4t-QvV5k0AwBDWkHT2tHZy6BlUjwEnrMeARxuHCia3Eqin71Fl6AtpP9nwHV5DNW3DoZKWA7lEs2Q9R0J4gkUlH39U9CqVGtAPc547t8oYrPSjq5NVmXw6h3INQ/s200/clockworkHeart.JPG" width="200" /></a><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif;">I never know when inspiration will hit and it it often comes out of nowhere, completely by surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">How many iterations do you typically go through when you create your projects?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Many. I usually start with a simple prototype capturing the basic motion / functionality / shaping that I want to achieve, then progressively refine it through subsequent models before ending up with the final result. Typically I’ll build between 3 to 5 different prototypes for a model, each more elaborate than the last.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif;">Prototype, prototype, prototype seems to be my modus operandi.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki5ZWGiavPI7u8sXHci17_4m-o3HXosmfI1PjsVI7XmELGC0WNGN7Xf9ctF0BIIubhmQBqx74P2XqrXolJUt0gQgwma4NcNLAm0S52OozJmGSiYRJRpstP_Pt8b3QhGAJ03XQLw/s1600/horsePrototypes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki5ZWGiavPI7u8sXHci17_4m-o3HXosmfI1PjsVI7XmELGC0WNGN7Xf9ctF0BIIubhmQBqx74P2XqrXolJUt0gQgwma4NcNLAm0S52OozJmGSiYRJRpstP_Pt8b3QhGAJ03XQLw/s320/horsePrototypes.JPG" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Do you document your creative process? If so, how and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I usually don’t do much documentation while I’m building. I have learned never to take apart one prototype before building the next one though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif;">There is nothing worse than getting something to work the way I want, then taking it apart to build the next version and forgetting how it went together!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I do occasionally photograph the different stages of a model for the same reason. I often make instructions of my models once they are finished though, so I can share them with others, and also so I can rebuild them if I ever have to take them apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">What role does failure have in your creative process?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">When things don’t work as planned, it’s an opportunity to try different approaches and be more creative. I find this is often when the real magic happens, and is also a great opportunity for learning. I’ve encountered many problems while designing models, and abandoned several projects altogether because they just haven’t worked out. I don’t consider any of these ‘failures’ though, because in each case I learned a lot about different mechanisms, building techniques, and what is possible within the LEGO system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">How do you evaluate your success?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I’m very much internally motivated, so I usually count a model as successful if it achieves my initial goals, often before I’ve even finished the final model. Usually, by the final prototype all of the major technical problems have been solved, and all that’s left to do are the finishing touches. At that point I often find it difficult to actually focus on finishing a model. I’m easily distracted by new projects with new problems to solve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">For students who are ready to go beyond the basics, what project would you recommend to get them motivated, without overwhelming them?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I would say, find a subject matter that you are really excited about and try to build something related to that. I always find it’s an interesting and useful exercise to try and reproduce some real-life mechanism using LEGO components.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif;">Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone. There is so much to be learned by pushing your limits.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Which projects and/or builders have most inspired you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I’m sure I’m not the first to say, <span style="color: #3e728f;">Yoshihito Isogawa</span> is a master of mechanical design.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-tFfMY9ujV3bMuk0o2AmCY4m_9qJPaLm29-KuGdaNMaxl5gBjOUHQyuEhGToYhQrRCLWGn-ok9CUTMf-t8qGoGmbM6JfUPjV7VMSozWV-msBAFE5Gjcss_WPKtI-wwPsgRJMJg/s1600/legoRoom2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-tFfMY9ujV3bMuk0o2AmCY4m_9qJPaLm29-KuGdaNMaxl5gBjOUHQyuEhGToYhQrRCLWGn-ok9CUTMf-t8qGoGmbM6JfUPjV7VMSozWV-msBAFE5Gjcss_WPKtI-wwPsgRJMJg/s320/legoRoom2016.JPG" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">What’s something you’ve always wanted to build that you haven’t got around to yet?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">It’s been on my list for a long time to try and build an automated tower-building MINDSTORMS robot. Someday I’ll get around to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">How do you store all your pieces?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Mostly in drawer units of different sizes, with most of my pieces sorted by type. I also have bins for extra parts and parts I don’t use very frequently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<i><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">To see more of Jason’s work, visit his <a href="http://jkbrickworks.com/"><span style="color: #3e728f;">website</span></a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUaiGrBfRCaC6pL7ZnZjWbg"><span style="color: #3e728f;">YouTube channel</span></a>.</span></i><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> [The original version of this article was published on LEGO Engineering. It has been updated and reposted here with the author's permission.]</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-90260613421527565842022-07-09T05:27:00.000+10:002022-07-09T05:27:12.962+10:00Start Your Engines<p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">MINDSTORMS Formula 1 Racecar</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enter the world of Formula 1 with your own MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor racecar!</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a8e35263-7fff-745f-dcaa-d64331c05038"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watch the video below to see Ahmad Sahar (Malaysia) build a racecar in just a few minutes. Using the elements from one set, he shapes his robot into a working racecar. He brings the car to life using the Robot Inventor App to program a remote control for the vehicle.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kZ9jjPST01o" width="320" youtube-src-id="kZ9jjPST01o"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, you can build your own racecar and test it out at the next Grand Prix!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="border: none; clear: right; display: inline-block; float: right; height: 250px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 334px;"><img height="250" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/E6vcyb8pRM5xwWF_G_95oSifVpR1cDuUJogG36dzCTXaRrV0QOQylEgv-qiuPaEvofKQab4re7UlKTy7BXOX3fO5eTA2GAx1smFdq1f9bbTjduE9aLI-0oNo8YbbdX_P7fS_Dp1cpXH44TS7Vg" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="334" /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can create many variations of this car with just one Robot Inventor set. For your inspiration, take a look at two more Formula 1 racecars created by the MINDSTORMS fan community.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;">Get in the zone with this Formula 1 race car on the right built by <a href="https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-62452/gubsters/f1-race-car-mindstorms-robot-inventor/#details">Nino Guba (USA)</a>.</span><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;">It features motorized drive and steering with differential, exposed engine with moving pistons, an aerodynamic design and detailing all around.</span><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;">Aside from being remote-controlled with the LEGO MINDSTORMS mobile app or compatible wireless controller, it is capable of full autonomous driving using the light/color sensor and the optional ultrasonic sensor for object avoidance maneuvers.</span><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;">There also added play features such as the raised turntable platform and quick-release car jack while your race car is in the pit.</span><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-size-adjust: auto;">The race car measures 10 cm high, 38 cm long, and 19 cm wide.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; clear: left; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 207px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 367px;"><img height="207" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/NcmF_DO2VPDPtJy_S6TI6YwJYZ9rT72eY_J-NqOCkBnlnXDI7r5DM_v-La_VHZddOeTak_inS8WS-bqpfgMfMkKIG7ybte5WLHZuxI2GBJ2o8urKWT7uHe3PAxkwMXQJvdHQ97SbC2ICxavIdQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="367" /></span>The F1 Racer on the left is made by <a href="https://www.onekitprojects.com/51515/formula-1-car">Dave Parker (USA)</a>. The car features pivoting front wheels and two rear drive motors. A key component in this model is the synchronization between the rear wheels with the front steering which enables improved turning.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-53754162156895160712022-06-19T03:55:00.001+10:002022-06-20T04:12:32.831+10:00 Machine Learning Meets MINDSTORMS<div class="separator"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKWSsL_D-nUeZJcBpf7BG82U17uQzCxVLAUPIZjYGp__ZRqxo-pwv4tYTCWjVj9Q2mVLfLro5OBOkU7IJfTj7vlg_90yamCDgcYOgjq39R5Be6-LGtrItnmxKdQBCxh4tsRKraFdiXS4t5969bvSaHTUvfOXWfFVMJFcfcMr6fU3C7SHHhnw/s826/IMG_E7DEF4E23CC3-1.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="736" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKWSsL_D-nUeZJcBpf7BG82U17uQzCxVLAUPIZjYGp__ZRqxo-pwv4tYTCWjVj9Q2mVLfLro5OBOkU7IJfTj7vlg_90yamCDgcYOgjq39R5Be6-LGtrItnmxKdQBCxh4tsRKraFdiXS4t5969bvSaHTUvfOXWfFVMJFcfcMr6fU3C7SHHhnw/w178-h200/IMG_E7DEF4E23CC3-1.jpeg" width="178" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Machine Learning Extension</td></tr></tbody></table>LEGO MINDSTORMS announced today a brand new feature that is sure to excite all users. Machine Learning Extension is coming to the software in August 2022. This will allow users to implement new applications that were not possible before. Machine Learning has become exceedingly popular in recent years with applications in all sorts of industries from robotics to financial services to climate change. Now, even the youngest of robot enthusiasts and programmers have access to the world of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.<div><br /><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EnRUk9hdhu2nUn2a_ZZZCCvknqleiogMUZCZElcNZgaoRSgvWhbKW3NkmXq0Yp4dLvDq7Yzpr69aNTzOFWJsnJHU63wFRRt87lNXt7iiSwXZeTrqrIdjtPP2MtqBWlQrYo27JIM97Emm2Hfs9hqLgj_U5PY3TSSkpHdfG-XbKqsrBizhCQw/s1348/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-18%20at%2010.42.10%20AM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1348" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EnRUk9hdhu2nUn2a_ZZZCCvknqleiogMUZCZElcNZgaoRSgvWhbKW3NkmXq0Yp4dLvDq7Yzpr69aNTzOFWJsnJHU63wFRRt87lNXt7iiSwXZeTrqrIdjtPP2MtqBWlQrYo27JIM97Emm2Hfs9hqLgj_U5PY3TSSkpHdfG-XbKqsrBizhCQw/w200-h181/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-18%20at%2010.42.10%20AM.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comparing two classes</td></tr></tbody></table>Machine Learning on MINDSTORMS will work with both images and audio. For instance, you could train your model to recognize smiles and frowns on your face and have the emotion displayed on your hub. You could train your model to recognize when a red ball is present or not or identify a particular LEGO element. You can control your robot with audio commands that use your own voice. It is exciting to see what new possibilities the Machine Learning Extension in MINDSTORMS opens up.<p>Up to six classes can be trained at one time and a minimum of two are needed for the model to work. It is very easy to set up these classes and collect samples. All the steps, including the training, are conducted within the App. Visual probability bars allow the user to see exactly what is going on and determine if they need to make changes.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrTheodVWlBmApTm-0EM15UPvUW_duWoEB5M-Ev-5xivYIoUJgm84sniL6kcLUmqJzJLi0qP51phKAeB8-AZ5tbVlegy2w892A80Jgm6GZMG13fiMIyPNIEUv73upNekKJ0v_sey_iv8IuGUPDlvjU2RUbb_OPMxHPiEIIFpW0pyizvIRsjIg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="1176" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrTheodVWlBmApTm-0EM15UPvUW_duWoEB5M-Ev-5xivYIoUJgm84sniL6kcLUmqJzJLi0qP51phKAeB8-AZ5tbVlegy2w892A80Jgm6GZMG13fiMIyPNIEUv73upNekKJ0v_sey_iv8IuGUPDlvjU2RUbb_OPMxHPiEIIFpW0pyizvIRsjIg=w446-h184" width="446" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using Machine Learning to Identify Sad and Happy Faces</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrTheodVWlBmApTm-0EM15UPvUW_duWoEB5M-Ev-5xivYIoUJgm84sniL6kcLUmqJzJLi0qP51phKAeB8-AZ5tbVlegy2w892A80Jgm6GZMG13fiMIyPNIEUv73upNekKJ0v_sey_iv8IuGUPDlvjU2RUbb_OPMxHPiEIIFpW0pyizvIRsjIg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSlVyuIcdQBu-yV8Dx0iK-KUImxInxPrzbaYiI-nTcwWHMecqw5Ft90YgF_YSeQm7bRPB8TDYI9Fw1jHOeCUqE0sp_5tm5d_CoVWzTvJf8prVnYs-UzKrLiV1Hyvm_-G7mHYdFuDladct1HVQMHvcRvr_vBx8ZnCMQefoPotP8KLNhKRTHK6c" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="878" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSlVyuIcdQBu-yV8Dx0iK-KUImxInxPrzbaYiI-nTcwWHMecqw5Ft90YgF_YSeQm7bRPB8TDYI9Fw1jHOeCUqE0sp_5tm5d_CoVWzTvJf8prVnYs-UzKrLiV1Hyvm_-G7mHYdFuDladct1HVQMHvcRvr_vBx8ZnCMQefoPotP8KLNhKRTHK6c=w200-h150" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding Samples</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Dan Meehan, Creative Design Lead said, "Being able to quickly create a Machine Learning model that makes their robot behave differently when it detects their face, or their friends, gives them the confidence to explore, understand and use machine learning in the real world. And if things don't work, they're quick to understand that maybe the model needs re-training with more samples, or they need to reposition the camera to get a better view."</p><p></p><p>By adding Machine Learning to MINDSTORMS, you can now build even smarter robots and continue your "Learning through Play" journey.</p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-86573907109548580222022-05-11T03:30:00.000+10:002023-06-14T23:52:40.269+10:00Meet the ROBOTMAK3R: Yoshihito Isogawa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuD4NPXHlGJ8Isxvs18P1B-jSfic1S-f1IdhTwrsJKDnYMUJl-MJKh6tF6FbT_DkG593aCZY8vhePT8lEOiUq4_alX_HrZCIb36wOWsiXssgmUWuNdScUfxOlSt-bSm65_Zflnpg/s1600/isogawa_portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuD4NPXHlGJ8Isxvs18P1B-jSfic1S-f1IdhTwrsJKDnYMUJl-MJKh6tF6FbT_DkG593aCZY8vhePT8lEOiUq4_alX_HrZCIb36wOWsiXssgmUWuNdScUfxOlSt-bSm65_Zflnpg/s320/isogawa_portrait.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Yoshihito Isogawa is the author of the <i>LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Idea Book </i>and the <i>LEGO Power Functions Idea Book</i> series, as well as other LEGO titles. In addition to creating LEGO moving models and conducting educational workshops and events using LEGO bricks, he is a judge for World Robot Olympiad (WRO) and for FIRST LEGO League (FLL) in Japan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">How did you get started building with LEGO bricks?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">When I was about four or five years old, my parents bought me a LEGO set. Before then, I loved playing with blocks that were not LEGO bricks. A couple of years later, having saved my allowance, I bought an early version of the LEGO Technic series. I have enjoyed building with LEGO bricks ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Which project (or projects) are you the most proud of? Why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">It is difficult to choose. </span><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> More than that, I feel pride and joy when I look at the creations of children inspired by my projects and books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVDWF_BQvjIjOMI6-kZm2HekRZOBBzLYE1y6gLC_pS_Vh2Cf9sSRp_6cBTpZubvZZKp4blYBzjri_b6pL0iLtJiK9LpMrOnJ0HZHNSj4CI8rNxEsjBv_k1RBp4y-AR4BRxYc5cQ/s1600/isogawa_circle_pattern_draw3r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVDWF_BQvjIjOMI6-kZm2HekRZOBBzLYE1y6gLC_pS_Vh2Cf9sSRp_6cBTpZubvZZKp4blYBzjri_b6pL0iLtJiK9LpMrOnJ0HZHNSj4CI8rNxEsjBv_k1RBp4y-AR4BRxYc5cQ/s320/isogawa_circle_pattern_draw3r.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Where do you find inspiration for new projects?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Suddenly an idea comes into my mind. It happens often when I am walking, when I am relaxing in the bath, or when I am in a comfortable morning doze. I grab hold on to this fleeting idea that is in my head for just a moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">How many iterations do you typically go through when you create your projects?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I iterate as many times as possible from the nearly completed state to the perfect one. I spend the most time finishing the project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Do you document your creative process? If so, how and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I don’t document the process of my project, because there is a possibility that I could be bound to it by doing that. The process of creation is always in flux and continues to change. I enjoy having this flexibility.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiyfQfFhLymNoEhbIfbJ2MxyBPEbnETWzp0n8x0JcgXajv_SgojgEyzGMgFg8oUhCHMOzI9HaOpAlLMgizrk5zb3G1jobCZBIUclyP3bTfKpKnzj08WTOsG4xAdHuB3edqxGWeQ/s1600/isogawa_mecanumcar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiyfQfFhLymNoEhbIfbJ2MxyBPEbnETWzp0n8x0JcgXajv_SgojgEyzGMgFg8oUhCHMOzI9HaOpAlLMgizrk5zb3G1jobCZBIUclyP3bTfKpKnzj08WTOsG4xAdHuB3edqxGWeQ/s320/isogawa_mecanumcar.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">What role does failure have in your creative process?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">A failure (the movement which is different from the goal) becomes the source of the primitive idea for another project. In other words, the more failures I have, the more ideas I will have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;">“In other words, the more failures I have, the more ideas I will have.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">How do you evaluate your success?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">When children play with my machines and robots at hands-on exhibitions, I can see the weak points of my projects. So, they are updated after the exhibition. Hence, my creations evolve into stronger and better ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Also, kids sometimes find new ways of playing that are unexpected and surprise me. Anyway, it is very important for me to let kids (and adults who are kids at heart) play with my models.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT12DaSTRZ_KQ94EISz8xNNEXDk6MZT_MQON3_2JdcjyndIiZ8027VzA0qKQcHJJ5C5jVf5Yv8bAxL7tc0O9AkymxY7JD6H8-DT11CfagKaGRs4Md7WD5H1Xd2XjONQueZ-eKdKw/s1600/isogawa_monkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT12DaSTRZ_KQ94EISz8xNNEXDk6MZT_MQON3_2JdcjyndIiZ8027VzA0qKQcHJJ5C5jVf5Yv8bAxL7tc0O9AkymxY7JD6H8-DT11CfagKaGRs4Md7WD5H1Xd2XjONQueZ-eKdKw/s320/isogawa_monkey.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">For students who are ready to go beyond the basics, what project would you recommend to get them motivated, without overwhelming them?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Some students grow with the motivation “to compete with others”. Others grow with the motivation “to create something they like”. I think that it is necessary for teachers/coaches to understand this and provide students appropriate challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">As for myself, I really like to let students build their own models freely by giving them a big theme, such as “a robot that surprises people” or “a robot that does something with a card”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">What’s your favourite building technique?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">My concept of building models is to create “amazing creations” in almost the same conditions that the kids have. Therefore, I don’t make huge models with a large numbers of parts, and I try not to use hard-to-obtain parts. Furthermore, I try to not use programs except the programming application for LEGO kits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">My models are created with these conditions in mind. As a result, I hope kids get inspired by them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcsjruNiE3x85A0hZWFp2E5BD-5qs05rR0VoiKxYEWxxMRNpPEpv2-NFVkCA6wPtlEyafmua8Nf04UtUsOpzv0-6SCoAjBYMnfFT0QQr3B3VEH9AV1Y1lVPNrAQMaJzdf8wROfA/s1600/isogawa_books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcsjruNiE3x85A0hZWFp2E5BD-5qs05rR0VoiKxYEWxxMRNpPEpv2-NFVkCA6wPtlEyafmua8Nf04UtUsOpzv0-6SCoAjBYMnfFT0QQr3B3VEH9AV1Y1lVPNrAQMaJzdf8wROfA/s320/isogawa_books.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">To see more of Yoshihito Isogawa’s work, visit his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/ISOGAWAYoshihito/videos" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">YouTube Channel</span><span style="color: #3e728f; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></a>and follow him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/isogawastudio" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">Facebook</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "source sans pro" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">[Original article written in LEGO Engineering. Reposted here with author's permission.]</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-8752157807927476702022-03-11T00:05:00.001+10:002023-06-14T23:53:59.204+10:00Meet the ROBOTMAK3R: Anton<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieG53PumJ8cezx-PTnafETs3Mjn3t60Fb9-V_OIC0F1rb4yTYSusBnp9ucxgVWc7w35Z7kWS2JZXZHZDu2A8-dgP9E2c_NKzKmW6mDZiSM9yK7YrtKZE_MbQ_GxdF9wrher6Ww64H4UsR2O7KUYoTkks-LHqzVuqxYHi-lCuGPlg5jRaPji7o" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieG53PumJ8cezx-PTnafETs3Mjn3t60Fb9-V_OIC0F1rb4yTYSusBnp9ucxgVWc7w35Z7kWS2JZXZHZDu2A8-dgP9E2c_NKzKmW6mDZiSM9yK7YrtKZE_MbQ_GxdF9wrher6Ww64H4UsR2O7KUYoTkks-LHqzVuqxYHi-lCuGPlg5jRaPji7o" width="241" /></a></div><br />Anton Vanhoucke is from Delft, the Netherlands. He is an online strategist at Fabrique, a strategic design agency, developing new services and communication strategies. Anton has always wanted to be an inventor and combines his love of invention with LEGO bricks. He is best known for his BB-8 as well as his vertical drawing robots. Anton is a MINDSTORMS Community Partner as well as a FIRST LEGO League coach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">How did you get started building with LEGO bricks?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I used to ask for LEGO every Christmas, as far back as I can remember. It just fascinated me the first time I saw it and I never stopped playing with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">My very first Technic set ever was the LEGO Technic 8841 Dune Buggy. It had a working steering wheel. I still remember the sore fingers from that time because studded technics bricks required more force than today’s studless bricks. After that, I remember a Polar Helicopter (8640) and a Plane (8855). I have always been fascinated by planes, and, today, I build lasercut and 3D printed RC planes as a hobby. I even add autopilots to them so they are in fact flying robots!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">As soon as I was old enough, I connected my LEGO Technic to my Mac. Using a serial port IO board, aluminum foil, wire and some old 4,5V technic motors I built drawing robots and robot arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">When the RCX was released, I was studying Industrial Design Engineering in Delft, The Netherlands. I didn’t have the money to buy an RCX back then. With my first wage as a packaging designer, I bought an NXT2.0. I went on to developing a windows phone app for proportional steering remote control for the cars and spiders I built with that set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6U2d_XX1YpgnX2TQi6UYhxrJhlAMhQ6hBF_xuDypgNhBCYJ2qsOYdNWCTw1yYShwDXFerMffr0DEjxZuMs_CcLiz7-2qfDtuN7an8VFZ0ZBqYLYCAY4ySby4OPvT65Cqwsj8M0LeVQKn39l7z1qTNmKA6Ce5luwkLsYH-sbHJKATm1l96TkQ" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6U2d_XX1YpgnX2TQi6UYhxrJhlAMhQ6hBF_xuDypgNhBCYJ2qsOYdNWCTw1yYShwDXFerMffr0DEjxZuMs_CcLiz7-2qfDtuN7an8VFZ0ZBqYLYCAY4ySby4OPvT65Cqwsj8M0LeVQKn39l7z1qTNmKA6Ce5luwkLsYH-sbHJKATm1l96TkQ" width="240" /></a></div><br />Which project (or projects) are you the most proud of? Why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">BB-8 and the drawing robots. BB-8 was an extreme building and programming challenge. It was really hard. That made the realisation extra sweet. It’s also very nice that he is life size, just like in the movie. My drawing robots (vertical plotters) were also quite hard to build. I’m proud of them because they are mesmerizing to watch, and there is no end to things you can draw. I’m also proud of the drawing robot because it runs a web server on the EV3 as a user interface.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">Where do you find inspiration for new projects?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">It varies. Sometimes it can be a certain brick, like the banana gear, that inspires me with new possibilities. Sometimes it’s something I’m doing, like cycling, sitting on a swing, or walking. I begin to wonder how a robot would do the same movement and try to build that. And sometimes it’s a toy I’d like to have – like a remote controlled dragon. Once inspired, I start building that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">If you want to learn more about the making of Saphiro the Dragon, <a href="http://www.thenxtstep.com/2017/07/saphiro-blue-dragon-robot-remix-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">read about it in this NXTStep article</span></a>.</span></i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">How many iterations do you typically go through when you create your projects?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Eight to ten. You learn from iterations. It’s what makes LEGO fun. I found that the projects with the most iterations are the most amazing. When looking back on them, I can’t imagine how I ever arrived at those solutions. Iterations are even more fun with two. I like to build the same robot together with someone else, compare our solutions, and then go with the best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiABML07v1d7HsMPQUyreYDIuuRMqMunmWrQ51lLjc_InwdhnEY_det55ZzwRmXRM8q9th-pKX8vtEFSThpVyentQs37qtGUngHe7z5y71wECG8zls6jrNGa0WHmzib1zbrR0iclewQdS5z0IQReP7esN3vr5yPJanP7Vmz3RiWM7kBtjM7N9k" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiABML07v1d7HsMPQUyreYDIuuRMqMunmWrQ51lLjc_InwdhnEY_det55ZzwRmXRM8q9th-pKX8vtEFSThpVyentQs37qtGUngHe7z5y71wECG8zls6jrNGa0WHmzib1zbrR0iclewQdS5z0IQReP7esN3vr5yPJanP7Vmz3RiWM7kBtjM7N9k" width="320" /></a></div><br />Do you document your creative process? If so, how and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I try to take pictures and make videos at every iteration. They are fun to watch afterwards; all the mistakes I made that seem so obvious in retrospect. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to take pictures when I’m totally focused on the building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">What role does failure have in your creative process?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I fully expect failure the first eight times. I try to test build the most difficult parts of a new build first. For instance, Saphiro the Dragon started as wings (separately) and legs. The first four wing systems failed. And when I put them together with the legs, the legs failed under the heavy load of the wings and I had to start over with them too. But it is not a terrible thing to have a rough build. When all the hard parts are done I start to add details.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">How do you evaluate your success?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">The reactions from my fellow MINDSTORMS Community Partners (MCP) are really nice. But just the joy of cracking a hard mechatronics problems is usually enough for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">For students who are ready to go beyond the basics, what project would you recommend to get them motivated, without overwhelming them?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Try <a href="http://www.ev3dev.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">ev3dev</span></a>. It opens a great lot of new possibilities. I wish I had time to make more tutorials.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">Which projects and/or builders have most inspired you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Isogawa inspires me a lot. His work is often pure poetry. Laurens Valk’s books helped me lot for making the step from studded to studless building. I also like a lot of Hassenplug’s projects. My favorite model is the EV3 elephant. It’s so beautiful!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">What’s your favourite building technique?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">The speed at which you can make iterations is incredible. Much faster than wood or metal or 3D printing or any other building material. This is what it means to fail fast. Build something, test, see the problem (fail), and to then do another iteration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #666666;">“Fail fast, disassemble and start over.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">What’s your favourite LEGO piece?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">The 5×7 frame is my favourite because it’s in the base of almost every robot. It is incredibly versatile because it’s rigid and it has holes in all directions. It allows one to build fast and sturdy. I wish the original EV3 set had more of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">How do you store all your pieces?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I have enough pieces sorted in sorting boxes to build fast. But I don’t sort all of them. I try to find a balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">What’s something you’ve always wanted to build that you haven’t got around to yet?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I want to make a hopping rabbit because I like quadrupeds and we have a rabbit here at home. Whenever I watch it, I wonder how its robot version would look. I haven’t seen one yet, that hops as I imagine it could.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCkbF3W9zx-EBxGo1khVho4-NRWex6jfnFAQvNQ1WD_MEeilPjcR1QWloIb58VKiDBeKKZVj2OcHBsWbJkV-y2KWFfQeAYYFKA8arXiZSYmUOWnCcrCyOAb7i69EesTQ4j4leyKDifUvQEFU0u0j7gKkXgAq9Wykj4NGo0YhPVbh3_JUZkfjY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCkbF3W9zx-EBxGo1khVho4-NRWex6jfnFAQvNQ1WD_MEeilPjcR1QWloIb58VKiDBeKKZVj2OcHBsWbJkV-y2KWFfQeAYYFKA8arXiZSYmUOWnCcrCyOAb7i69EesTQ4j4leyKDifUvQEFU0u0j7gKkXgAq9Wykj4NGo0YhPVbh3_JUZkfjY" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">To see more of Anton’s work, visit his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/avtov" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">YouTube Channel</span></a> or his <a href="http://antonsmindstorms.blogspot.nl/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">website</span></a>.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 14px;">[Original article written in LEGO Engineering. Reposted here with author's permission.]</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-84213047707003459272022-01-02T00:15:00.001+10:002023-06-14T23:54:12.812+10:00Meet the ROBOTMAK3R: Lee Magpili<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AM27svNXFN0gaOiIR9o46HIQJgbnv3BLjkiAkxSjGaPCjWdJIY9wSIghaJI1Kay79fmdyQL7c01Oh_yG2jhVaCcCz-P8VGQiVlmfYPfYnOnlVzsOdLdWHe5PHIH_NIViiGbeZl-uDp9wBxU2fGRzyGTT1Xas6Ai7vS7w9QHF52mYT9Pz4AA/s1440/117173706_10158506825174731_5170793482067087104_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AM27svNXFN0gaOiIR9o46HIQJgbnv3BLjkiAkxSjGaPCjWdJIY9wSIghaJI1Kay79fmdyQL7c01Oh_yG2jhVaCcCz-P8VGQiVlmfYPfYnOnlVzsOdLdWHe5PHIH_NIViiGbeZl-uDp9wBxU2fGRzyGTT1Xas6Ai7vS7w9QHF52mYT9Pz4AA/s320/117173706_10158506825174731_5170793482067087104_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Lee Magpili is a LEGO Education Designer who lives in Billund, Denmark. Lee was the lead model designer for the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 Core Set. He is also well-known for many large creations including EVan, SI3RRA, STRYD3R, Eagle and a MINDSTORMS pneumatic dress. He was also the designer for models that are part of the FIRST LEGO League game.</span></i></div></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">How did you get started building with LEGO bricks?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Mom brought LEGO to the Philippines when I was growing up. Never really stopped from there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;"><b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">Which project (or projects) are you the most proud of? Why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">My favorite project is probably the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 Core Set. It’s kind of a dream to have something with “your name” on it. The set reflects all the work and experience in my life that led up to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">Where do you find inspiration for new projects?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I’m a big movie buff and also really into Cartoons, Comics, Anime and robots. So if I find anything like that, I’m inspired. You can add stuff that kids make, really awesome creations from LEGO Fans and that big beautiful world that we live in. Little appreciation for beauty and the arts never hurts to fill the mind with ideas</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;"><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-mJtwD36EwdxzIbmGg4VicdQ3paD2OHydOaCRst7yfdTmOzID9xSfMu0dpnnkzb1b2yUSTLUzIobk7EAcjFhUOQoXesJneCsv39qi5wrK_Q7HlIX4NeI2ut2bxL3ISiKXlis-yeyhSArgjFIboJYdqsZTXTPry4sxMPMHG5So2xTHQygD2Y/s1146/red.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1146" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-mJtwD36EwdxzIbmGg4VicdQ3paD2OHydOaCRst7yfdTmOzID9xSfMu0dpnnkzb1b2yUSTLUzIobk7EAcjFhUOQoXesJneCsv39qi5wrK_Q7HlIX4NeI2ut2bxL3ISiKXlis-yeyhSArgjFIboJYdqsZTXTPry4sxMPMHG5So2xTHQygD2Y/w400-h244/red.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">How many iterations do you typically go through when you create your projects?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Depends on how long I have to build. It can go from one, to dozens depending on the project, you’ll know when you get it right.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;"><b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">Do you document your creative process? If so, how and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I try. I’ve recently been trying to do timelapse videos but it’s very hard to actually capture the creative process. When I sketch, it’s at least in a notebook of some sort, but for building, it’s very organic and sometimes something just comes out of nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">What role does failure have in your creative process?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">It’s a way of learning what doesn’t work. And sometimes it tells you if you need to abandon a project. But you need to fail, to know what it feels like to succeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #666666;">“You need to fail, to know what it feels like to succeed.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">How do you evaluate your success?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">If something cool is just out there and being shown to people, it’s successful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">For students who are ready to go beyond the basics, what project would you recommend to get them motivated, without overwhelming them?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Maybe try something with multiple MINDSTORMS units, that’s always fun. But hey, we have the more advanced EV3 models, and maybe even some of the bigger Technic models to try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLZ8sAs6m5HxnnYdsew4V0scO6yR2rgin6p8FcFL5gwjyh5rnjkNO5_pbkmVwfPiVzxllt8d2Dm4dCwDHcWefvUcE16BjY7rwlD76r22S1XlCItKEHA6tZl523_UDcNyBf56uKkuPt_F2JsaA7HKjT__KxCTmycjFDvAEA__kNxhEsXVTf_4/s960/46831144_10156829851649731_4289614645762719744_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLZ8sAs6m5HxnnYdsew4V0scO6yR2rgin6p8FcFL5gwjyh5rnjkNO5_pbkmVwfPiVzxllt8d2Dm4dCwDHcWefvUcE16BjY7rwlD76r22S1XlCItKEHA6tZl523_UDcNyBf56uKkuPt_F2JsaA7HKjT__KxCTmycjFDvAEA__kNxhEsXVTf_4/s320/46831144_10156829851649731_4289614645762719744_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">Which projects and/or builders have most inspired you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Back when I first started really getting into LEGO as an adult, I would browse the mecha sections in <a href="http://www.brickshelf.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">brickshelf.com</span></a> and see some really amazing robots that got quite big, around 1m tall or so. Robots have always fascinated me and I always wanted to go big!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">What’s your favourite LEGO piece?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">Currently, it’s the 1 module new worm gear [<a href="https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=27938#T=C&C=85" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">27938</span></a>]. It’s opened up a lot of possibilities in building smaller gearboxes for me. A lot of people might know me for using a lot of the 5×7 frames as well [<a href="https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=64179" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">64179</span></a>], it’s not my favorite piece, but I use it like it is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0.25in 0in 2.4pt;">
<b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #555555; font-size: 10.5pt;">How do you store all your pieces?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">I like to have a bit of a mish mosh, as I believe it helps the creative process. It’s like discovering something new. But I do have some stuff sorted out, like Technic pins, axles, and gears. Creatively, I believe sorting by color then by piece works best, but for some parts, its by part category or type, then into colors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;">See an interview with Lee about the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Core Set models <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34zmrFv4k88" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">here</span></a> and more of his creations on his <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/1brick" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3e728f;">Flikr</span></a> page.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;"><i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-size: 14px;">[Original article written in LEGO Engineering. Reposted here with author's permission.]</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.2in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-49215592977149378882021-08-03T02:09:00.004+10:002021-08-03T03:19:15.504+10:00New Robot Inventor Book by Daniele Benedettelli<p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Activity Book by Daniele Benedettelli</h1><h3 style="text-align: left;">Review by <a href="https://www.robotmak3rs.com/Sanjay-Seshan/">Sanjay</a> and <a href="https://www.robotmak3rs.com/Arvind-Seshan/">Arvind</a> Seshan, <a href="https://primelessons.org/en/">PrimeLessons</a></h3><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3vpakezHMXqqsv0t6hoqNar7N6KxpfiUJQJ68RvifxbvzH2b2irwu2pyBQwxsyfl7NRd0Kagf8LL4tzW7j3AJ7JL3JXTyBf6UFklQCtojg_8fQAcflQ3xGI_BeP_Izp7h3Cwug/s325/bookcover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="260" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3vpakezHMXqqsv0t6hoqNar7N6KxpfiUJQJ68RvifxbvzH2b2irwu2pyBQwxsyfl7NRd0Kagf8LL4tzW7j3AJ7JL3JXTyBf6UFklQCtojg_8fQAcflQ3xGI_BeP_Izp7h3Cwug/w196-h245/bookcover.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>The LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Activity Book by ROBOTMAK3R, Daniele Benedettelli, provides an excellent project-based introduction to the new LEGO MINDSTORMS set launched last year. <p></p><p>The book focuses on seven interactive models: a baseball batter, a paper gobbler, a pinball machine, an electric guitar, a transformer, a turtle, and an arcade game. Each chapter is devoted to one model. Clear building instructions and code are included for each model within a chapter. All his designs use sensors and incorporate interesting features of Robot Inventor. The result is seven fun and interactive projects to inspire builders of any age.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5gT6LFC5nLJhXWz-nzFaK10CdmpZn3SnB-rzefha7piLfcvAzlK-wlkCKrvOaXSkT5MWzBjUlW-3X0_e9j-DKLre4201_7NuFd-GOgpyx5oJkPQzh6dWkPUnUMJSPlj14zTcrQ/s300/baseball.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5gT6LFC5nLJhXWz-nzFaK10CdmpZn3SnB-rzefha7piLfcvAzlK-wlkCKrvOaXSkT5MWzBjUlW-3X0_e9j-DKLre4201_7NuFd-GOgpyx5oJkPQzh6dWkPUnUMJSPlj14zTcrQ/w170-h170/baseball.jpeg" width="170" /></a></div>Benedettelli's book progresses from an easy first project to more complex building and coding techniques in subsequent projects. The baseball batter is a relatively simple build. The author uses it to introduce Robot Inventor parts and the new MINDSTORMS App. This provides an easy entry point for all readers. He takes time to explain the basics of the App in this chapter. An added bonus is that the Appendix provides a helpful programming block guide for those who want an overview of all the blocks in the App.<p></p><p></p><p>Starting with the second project, the Gobbler, Benedettelli begins introducing more advanced programming concepts. What makes Benedettelli's book excellent is that he does a thorough job explaining the process. He includes pseudocode for the program, he explains new coding concepts, and walks the reader through the process of programming. Side "notes" provide added tips. By the end of the book, readers learn far more than basic coding. They learn to make their own my blocks, use variables, create lists, and much more.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gS6kA9aJAht91An_dFiKd0uEv8Hjr9j9k2t0NlMkZ_l3jYEKq2bIbDpO2WSIYCrKCJl-oQudOaiEJA9NLF0sdlpwQC8rbkI6qNGfWJTeX5WTvZ_Kanw2X40yLwNileL-ADwaBA/s220/Transformer.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gS6kA9aJAht91An_dFiKd0uEv8Hjr9j9k2t0NlMkZ_l3jYEKq2bIbDpO2WSIYCrKCJl-oQudOaiEJA9NLF0sdlpwQC8rbkI6qNGfWJTeX5WTvZ_Kanw2X40yLwNileL-ADwaBA/w128-h128/Transformer.jpeg" width="128" /></a></div>Another good feature of his book is that he provides extensions to the basic code. Using "exercises", he asks the reader to adapt the program to add a new feature as an additional challenge. This is a great way of going beyond the book and engaging the readers to learn and do more. When showing the code, he also does an excellent job explaining how the blocks go into other blocks through the use of arrows and splitting the blocks up to show "their insides". This can be a challenge for Scratch-based coding, but Benedetti's images greatly simplify the process.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDjNfhtSe_LgFjRz8EeYJTkhhwNi19QFFQXBjsKSItkKMCf4Jq_SE9f6hV891IKj16qAYB04IFrfeljUZTW4ouXBS_IKJRH29Xi4HLjeX5D1Ga0rbW9ZFATLID4s_B_wp2Q9tkg/s220/Pinball.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDjNfhtSe_LgFjRz8EeYJTkhhwNi19QFFQXBjsKSItkKMCf4Jq_SE9f6hV891IKj16qAYB04IFrfeljUZTW4ouXBS_IKJRH29Xi4HLjeX5D1Ga0rbW9ZFATLID4s_B_wp2Q9tkg/w122-h122/Pinball.jpeg" width="122" /></a></div>The pinball machine in Chapter 7 offers a unique experience as it uses the Robot Inventor set's box as part of the building instructions. The build instructions for this game include the box, making it easy for the reader to understand how to assemble the final build. What is nice about this project is that the author builds upon an initial design, adding further instructions to enhance the realism of the project.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFA9sjxI4k2IAZzMaDtrzL_jMeaOkUrn-gqe7jSIfwhIri2vdYpYcX6WbXpjVPqG618NpbzRZALWG8Qfsm42ohGVfDtCwQScJkCP-0fSRGaSgWFB2iXAWZFPtwkKmdNpl6b7BGbA/s300/Guitar.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFA9sjxI4k2IAZzMaDtrzL_jMeaOkUrn-gqe7jSIfwhIri2vdYpYcX6WbXpjVPqG618NpbzRZALWG8Qfsm42ohGVfDtCwQScJkCP-0fSRGaSgWFB2iXAWZFPtwkKmdNpl6b7BGbA/w144-h144/Guitar.jpeg" width="144" /></a></div>The electric guitar is Benedettelli's signature model as he also created one using the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 in the past. His new version, made with the Robot Inventor set has a similar look and feel. Benedettelli's book offers detailed instructions on how to change the scale and notes, play chords, and more. The book also has a companion website where Benedettelli shares additional programs and tips to extend each project, including the electric guitar.<p></p><p>The final chapter of the book is to inspire the reader to go beyond. The author offers some tips for programming Robot Inventor in Python and how to add hub-to-hub communication. He also encourages readers to share their work in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindstormsrobotinventor">Robot Inventor Facebook Group</a> that was founded by <a href="https://www.robotmak3rs.com/Marc-Bazergui/">Marc-Andre Bazergui</a> and managed by members of the <a href="https://www.robotmak3rs.com/">ROBOTMAK3RS</a> RLOC.</p><p>Through creative models and platforms to develop coding skills, the book provides something for everyone. Overall, Benedettelli's projects are a great way for anyone to dive into LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor. </p><p>One challenge regarding the book is that the Robot Inventor App is a moving target. LEGO tends to update features and add/change blocks relatively frequently in the early years of a product. While LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Activity Book is accurate today, there may be new blocks and features that come out in the next year that are not in the book. Hopefully, Benedettelli will offer new editions to incorporate any future changes.</p><p>You can learn more about Daniele Benedettelli's book <a href="https://nostarch.com/lego-mindstorms-robot-inventor-activity-book">here</a>.</p><h4 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">About the Reviewers</span></b></span></h4><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sanjay and Arvind have been writing lessons for MINDSTORMS and SPIKE Prime since 2014. They are the founders of </span><a href="http://ev3lessons.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">EV3Lessons.com</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://primelessons.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PrimeLessons.org</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They have taught 1 million students in 175 countries to build and program using LEGO Robotics platforms. They have also been technical editors for another MINDSTORMS-related book. Sanjay is currently a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he studies Computer Science. Arvind is a high school student in Pittsburgh, PA. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credits: Amazon.com</span></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-62759370496868478692021-05-12T00:36:00.003+10:002021-05-12T02:06:46.777+10:00MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor is Now Even Better than Ever<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUiHoi_T6MpIbTeKyrmqVg0TLtmqAp6eJuMJRj3NloM-QXcd5tvY97hphOz14Qzf0RrI1vayKk_EqeYiq6vfbKDgs_hfg3KQgZ7XzKo99zda8vkiVxmn8dE1QO0yo5uOnPurS2Q/s2048/Screen+Shot+2021-05-11+at+12.04.01+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="2048" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUiHoi_T6MpIbTeKyrmqVg0TLtmqAp6eJuMJRj3NloM-QXcd5tvY97hphOz14Qzf0RrI1vayKk_EqeYiq6vfbKDgs_hfg3KQgZ7XzKo99zda8vkiVxmn8dE1QO0yo5uOnPurS2Q/w640-h570/Screen+Shot+2021-05-11+at+12.04.01+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>Great news for MINDSTORMS fans: the newest member of the LEGO MINDSTORMS family, Robot Inventor, received a significant upgrade this month. New features bring to life even more possibilities for creativity and inspiration. We sat down with Morten Svendsen and Dan Meehan, two LEGO MINDSTORMS Designers, to discuss the Robot Inventor set and chat about future plans during a recent MINDSTORMS Roundtable discussion.<p></p><p>The two main features added this month are the inclusion of a <b>Community</b> section as well as c<b>ompatibility with all Powered Up</b> motors and sensors.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">New Community Section</h3>In late 2020, we saw a quick preview of the addition of new content with the inclusion of two add-on models by community builders, Anton Vanhoucke and Anika Brandsma, from the Netherlands. Anton transformed Tricky to create a sumo-style flipping robot. Anika embellished Gelo to transform it into a pet you can interact with. These two models are great examples of how children can take the original designs in the MINDSTORMS App and enhance them by adding more LEGO brick and creating programs of their own. According to LEGO, the fan model additions from the community increase the scope and breadth of what you can do with the product.<p></p><p></p>During the Roundtable, LEGO announced that in 2021, they will bring a larger collection of curated fan models to life within the MINDSTORMS App. The most recent release includes completely new models by Sanjay and Arvind Seshan, Anika Brandsma, and Laurens Valk. Sanjay and Arvind, from the United States, have created a quick-build Melody Maker for young children to explore sound and use the color sensor in the set. The robot drives over the colored bricks and plays a tune. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHooUNTtUqJqhkDPCV6BSr5X6vdhXdc7QkM7gmVqTEOOitZBjWG3keCUwyyQQecnbu-pYz4-HoP5Pi72oT2tbO2row21TjHzNSQRCbEkmrXlwMg4fOSrRni8_acV-rKblFzoXiQ/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHooUNTtUqJqhkDPCV6BSr5X6vdhXdc7QkM7gmVqTEOOitZBjWG3keCUwyyQQecnbu-pYz4-HoP5Pi72oT2tbO2row21TjHzNSQRCbEkmrXlwMg4fOSrRni8_acV-rKblFzoXiQ/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melody Maker by Arvind and Sanjay Seshan</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI76jtSbmfzj6Xa2ebHbwM-65StTessBkwOnFuDAtIu0ei4V59gEJFV1XqgaWVqiI1otDGYLDUXUYBexGSelNaE8UVyWjZFftDheHnplbJoWdKrZq2TH63aYeFDVn87pKhgXOlew/s1500/turtle_Image+%25281%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI76jtSbmfzj6Xa2ebHbwM-65StTessBkwOnFuDAtIu0ei4V59gEJFV1XqgaWVqiI1otDGYLDUXUYBexGSelNaE8UVyWjZFftDheHnplbJoWdKrZq2TH63aYeFDVn87pKhgXOlew/s320/turtle_Image+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Turtle by Anika Brandsma</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br />Anika, who is well-known in the community for creating animals with LEGO MINDSTORMS, has built a brand new Sea Turtle model using Robot Inventor. The Sea Turtle moves, avoids obstacles and even reacts to colors. Finally, Laurens, a life-long space enthusiast from the Netherlands, has created his own version of an Exploration Rover. The build instructions and code can be accessed through the MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor App.</div><div><br /></div><div>According to Dan and Morten from LEGO, the initial set of models are being created by a small group of designers known as "Day 1 Creators". These designers, selected by LEGO, worked with company designers for a year or more to propose, develop, and finalize their robots. Additional models by selected fan community members are expected to be added into this Community section over time. These new models will continue to be moderated and have LEGO involvement to ensure diversity, consistency, and product safety.<p></p><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br />New Capabilities and Blocks</h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGgsg-4MgkIrtsMHo7ialcFXfybDokKXWC3SQb_9lPuYiHcd4xLQpOuRccJt_4PlkqT47zEEFIG0DVeFecOWrG_DAyW4QL0Ob_eGr8w0OC_A4pdRxKMsRJOHC6V1ScysOkUpSrw/s684/Screen+Shot+2021-05-11+at+10.55.30+AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="684" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGgsg-4MgkIrtsMHo7ialcFXfybDokKXWC3SQb_9lPuYiHcd4xLQpOuRccJt_4PlkqT47zEEFIG0DVeFecOWrG_DAyW4QL0Ob_eGr8w0OC_A4pdRxKMsRJOHC6V1ScysOkUpSrw/w261-h88/Screen+Shot+2021-05-11+at+10.55.30+AM.png" width="261" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhra2Mtg27xBgWoP-Ec0WPwiZd0bjUtKGRAWmSKfhYfqtWnHa3urwav0lSnXAHRyz0kANV8QGFo_Cnwq2l0XdDeFZjkjHxbeOUr-fGB9n1Q4T284_TC47aJD1xMseRSM142-2_5sQ/s668/Screen+Shot+2021-05-11+at+10.32.18+AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="668" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhra2Mtg27xBgWoP-Ec0WPwiZd0bjUtKGRAWmSKfhYfqtWnHa3urwav0lSnXAHRyz0kANV8QGFo_Cnwq2l0XdDeFZjkjHxbeOUr-fGB9n1Q4T284_TC47aJD1xMseRSM142-2_5sQ/w261-h101/Screen+Shot+2021-05-11+at+10.32.18+AM.png" width="261" /></a>The new update also brings with it a significant expansion of programming blocks. Now, there is full compatibility for all Powered Up motors and sensors which use the same cables as the Robot Inventor set. Users can add a new pallet of blocks by clicking on Extensions icon in the App and adding the brand new LEGO Powered Up Extension pallet. Also explore the More Sensors Extensions. You can now get raw color sensor readings as well as a new Force Sensor block.<p></p><p></p>According to Dan Meehan, with this additional capability, MINDSTORMS truly becomes a "robot inventor set". For example, now that MINDSTORMS users can connect their Boost and WeDO motors and sensors and use the dedicated blocks to bring their designs to life, we can expect to see an increase in creativity and multi-platform models. As Dan mentioned, LEGO understands that they are providing a "toolkit" to the community and are excited to see what the fans create with it.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Future Plans</h3><p>Dan and Morten gave much credit to the community who were involved from the early days of product development via workshops held in Billund, Denmark. LEGO recognizes the role of fans and older builders and are very aware of the needs of the community as well as feedback they provide. MINDSTORMS builders will be excited to learn that LEGO is currently working on adding Hub-to-Hub communication. This is perhaps the most requested feature from the community since the launch of Robot Inventor in late 2020. We are looking forward to seeing this feature added as we know that multi-hub models means new and inspired ideas. LEGO also announced that they are planning to enhance the Python experienced within the MINDSTORMS App in the future.</p><p>Image Credits: Sanjay and Arvind Seshan, Anika Brandsma</p><p><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-84235663124785666602021-04-04T23:29:00.000+10:002021-04-04T23:29:27.433+10:00ROBOTMAK3RS Animal Contest Winner: Menno Gorter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPKSgDYyhFw5JM5yg8gdCVPqM2nGq2jOd8feA3w2GcWP0rthk9uWTMIIdO61y5qdZLw5WeFkfsc_w5vNrLIOfgWr0eXOAc6-OE6jZqq-Qj_g-D-tlNasqouunZbU93fPg8fWfQQ/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPKSgDYyhFw5JM5yg8gdCVPqM2nGq2jOd8feA3w2GcWP0rthk9uWTMIIdO61y5qdZLw5WeFkfsc_w5vNrLIOfgWr0eXOAc6-OE6jZqq-Qj_g-D-tlNasqouunZbU93fPg8fWfQQ/w400-h300/20210319_220104+B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Every quarter, the ROBOTMAK3RS RLOC sponsors a community contest. Last quarter, builders were challenged with the task of creating a pet, a wild animal, or an assistant for the animal. <p></p><p>There were many creative entires including a dog, a snake, an ox and even a reindeer. The winning entry was an Omnispider by Menno Gorter from the Netherlands.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQspZZ_dhYsuzC6BCrDcnTjZYS2irjeyKwZQbdGU9gtGwr4gOQY6l2dZzeQ02m6zIsspqTZ8jNPzv41IG72uyr495aqWSY0Wz4HaSgIdHIKRwknnGEE5Fu6tghkggmNzWnKi7pNw/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQspZZ_dhYsuzC6BCrDcnTjZYS2irjeyKwZQbdGU9gtGwr4gOQY6l2dZzeQ02m6zIsspqTZ8jNPzv41IG72uyr495aqWSY0Wz4HaSgIdHIKRwknnGEE5Fu6tghkggmNzWnKi7pNw/" width="320" /></a></div>Menno has a long history building with LEGO robotics systems. He is most intrigued by creating movement without wheels. Hence, a large fraction of his work involves clever robots without wheels. The result is a vast collection of insects and various walkers with Menno's unique signature style to them. His work has been featured at various events including LEGO World in the Netherlands and Denmark. <p></p><p>ROBOTMAK3RS RLOC interviewed Menno to learn more about his creative process and learn about how the Omnispider works.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">Why did you decide to build this particular model?</h3><p>It began when the ROBOTMAK3RS challenged the community to make an animal-like robot. Given my history making spiders, I took this opportunity to create a SPIKE Prime spider. The new SPIKE Prime Hub is so much lighter than previous hubs that I thought this was a good opportunity to create a new version of the Omnispider. I have built Omnispiders <a href="http://www.thenxtstep.com/2010/09/nxt-spider.html">before</a>.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogqd2e5BergUtBgmrfjj7utYm1nJt-D6UMNgxzxoQDVCt9HkETHJPV9QYPeiEhYQclAXA-KbA85HsxUC8PXjx-KMgh3YHjIR7iycoew3uKNA73EsJ5-wXSV3CK39F5LCGXUeVCg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogqd2e5BergUtBgmrfjj7utYm1nJt-D6UMNgxzxoQDVCt9HkETHJPV9QYPeiEhYQclAXA-KbA85HsxUC8PXjx-KMgh3YHjIR7iycoew3uKNA73EsJ5-wXSV3CK39F5LCGXUeVCg/w640-h480/20210319_223022+B-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />What was your process for creating this model?</h3><p>I started by experimenting what the best setup would be for a sturdy way to attach the four motors to the hub. Because these were also the strongest and sturdiest parts of the design, everything else is mounted to these five parts. The first prototype took two days to get up and running. Then it took another two days to learn from it and tweak it to create the second prototype. It took another week to fine tune the programming, especially to get the movements of the legs correct.</p><p>Besides strengthening the legs to withstand the movement of the spider, the most challenging aspect of the project was giving the Omnispider character. The goal was to give the impression that it is exploring its environment tirelessly.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMnfekOIz2VpY9UlZf0kNQ558LHM9fVPw7WIvmpsu253REaSdx8LMKHlTm7qv9hKNochqizeML0sQOZ26ks0OnY9SwoYPQNM2xyI5owG_60SGfNlgczx0iq2Pv4TJerPiP9D-tA/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMnfekOIz2VpY9UlZf0kNQ558LHM9fVPw7WIvmpsu253REaSdx8LMKHlTm7qv9hKNochqizeML0sQOZ26ks0OnY9SwoYPQNM2xyI5owG_60SGfNlgczx0iq2Pv4TJerPiP9D-tA/w240-h320/20210319_215951+B.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />How does your model work?</h3><p>The Omnispider uses four PowerdUp Large Motors. Each motor drives a pair of legs in a 90-degree angle which allows the robot to move in any desired direction. On top of this, the setup makes an octagonal orientation of the legs possible, which makes the movement much more spider-like. I have also used two Ultrasonic sensors and managed to use one of the Hub buttons as a touch sensor. The sensors are used by the Omnispider to detect obstacles in its path.</p><p>To see the spider in action, see the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/menno.gorter.37/videos/1038602149940913">video on Facebook.</a></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">What advice do you have for a young person who wants to build with LEGO robots?</h3><p>It may sound very simple, but, "never give up"!</p><p>You can take a look at Menno's prior work on his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MennoGorter/videos" target="_blank">YouTube </a>channel and on <a href="http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=Menno-Gorter" target="_blank">BrickShelf.</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-20739997937184559532021-01-03T11:13:00.002+10:002021-01-03T11:17:17.800+10:00ROBOTMAK3RS Halloween Contest Winners<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mGdPz71YNzVB83JAZ2sHT-GyjP2-l7ru3o91868wzhYelGpoMGu3d3XmbEru5JXy2fIMJ7d5a7rpvxLc3bEv2buvkB8jNzQaIYbBdjNInkZBQKjnOGHN4D4-89nwOWTF18yQtg/s1080/131047131_757192988214700_7079789873476385076_o.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1080" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mGdPz71YNzVB83JAZ2sHT-GyjP2-l7ru3o91868wzhYelGpoMGu3d3XmbEru5JXy2fIMJ7d5a7rpvxLc3bEv2buvkB8jNzQaIYbBdjNInkZBQKjnOGHN4D4-89nwOWTF18yQtg/w243-h226/131047131_757192988214700_7079789873476385076_o.jpg" width="243" /></a></span></div><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><br />Every quarter, the ROBOTMAK3RS Community sponsors a contest. Our goal is to inspire our group members to build and program using one or more of the LEGO robotics sets. Our RLOC members carefully examine all entries and select the winners based on many factors including creativity, complexity, use of sensor input and more.</span><p></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">At the end of 2020, the ROBOTMAK3RS community ran a Halloween-themed contest. The winners of the contest were Vatsal Sharda (under 18) and Patrik and Simon Dober (over 18). Finalists included: Ahmad Sahar, Lukasz Brodowski, Fashkarten Inf and Jon Lazar.</span></p><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 13.8px;"><br />In this blog, we highlight the excellent work of our youth winner to help inspire the next generation of ROBOTMAK3RS.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 13.8px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 13.8px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 13.8px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCX-sjLAlSoYfzRFlLjDlImPCNNnW8DK0BYuj7NSuhjUUFUPMmN36m39rPks9qv4PxcoMI6tEejf7FBHI_iA0_I0p_bozUZH208F_6Khc4zSc3OPGWbtyRnOM0iqLkR9LGHPOcw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1226" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCX-sjLAlSoYfzRFlLjDlImPCNNnW8DK0BYuj7NSuhjUUFUPMmN36m39rPks9qv4PxcoMI6tEejf7FBHI_iA0_I0p_bozUZH208F_6Khc4zSc3OPGWbtyRnOM0iqLkR9LGHPOcw/w153-h200/Vatsal+with+Robot.jpeg" width="153" /></a></div>Vatsal Sharda is a ten-year old from Houston, Texas. He has been building and programming with MINDSTORMS since he was seven. In addition to his winning project, Vatsal has made many MINDSTORMS robots including </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">EV3RSTORM, EV3 R3PTAR, EV3 Puppy, EV3 Printer, EV3 Boat and EV3 Color Sorter. Vatsal is also on a FIRST LEGO League Challenge team. Vatsal loves making toys with LEGO. Visit his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzM4Mfi3K6ee8_SD493xiaw">YouTube Channel </a>to see his projects. It took him four</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> days to build and program his winning robot, Candy Dispenser.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Let's learn a bit more about his project and a bit more about him.<br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">What inspired you to make this project? </span></h3><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">I follow JK Brickworks and as soon as I saw this contest from the RobotMak3rs, I remembered his candy shooter robot and that inspired me to make this. Due to COVID, I wanted to make it touchless and still give kids an option to select the candy of their choice. </span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">How does your robot work?</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"> </span></h3><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">The Candy Dispenser Robot has been designed to dispense the candies without touching the machine and provides an option to choose between Hershey's and KitKat. Each Candy slot can hold up to 4 candies, so 8 candies in total. The robot waits for a hand in front of the color sensor and stores the value. Then, when a bag is placed in front of the infrared sensor, the large motors rotate. Candy Sliders have been attached to the large motors and it pushes the candies out into the bag.</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"> I used 2 Large Motors, 2 Color Sensors and 1 Infrared Sensor. </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">Color Sensors are used to select the candies, Infrared sensor is to detect the candy bag and Large Motors are used to dispense the candies.</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">Watch the video to see his robot in action.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aCrJL9PURVE" width="320" youtube-src-id="aCrJL9PURVE"></iframe></div><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoKn317zV45no2ZLmJ9oU0pXw0ZYNtJK686JSyYpqdobiroO8muoreOCbq4WBYO9wf0yC9kNCVHzuUdtvl4zD1KHoh5laV1kwVPlP-z39UqoB5eXmmWiM9vYLV6t40l9tof4Log/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1519" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoKn317zV45no2ZLmJ9oU0pXw0ZYNtJK686JSyYpqdobiroO8muoreOCbq4WBYO9wf0yC9kNCVHzuUdtvl4zD1KHoh5laV1kwVPlP-z39UqoB5eXmmWiM9vYLV6t40l9tof4Log/" width="178" /></a></div>What was something you found the most challenging about this design? </span></h3><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">Hershey’s and KitKat's are different size candies and hence the machine was dispensing 2 Hershey’s instead of 1. Then I made the gap to dispense the Hershey’s shorter by using 1 × 2 Lego Technic lift arm instead of 1 × 3 Lego Technic lift arm and that worked.</span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">What advice do you have for other children trying to build a LEGO robot without instructions? </span></h3><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">Put your ideas on paper before you start building, use your creativity and build the robot and remember to keep improving it.</span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit; line-height: 13.8px;">Is there anyone who inspires you or has influenced you in your robot building?</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"> </span></h3><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">I am inspired by JK Brickworks, Seshan Brothers, Yoshihito Isogawa, and also my friend Siddharth Agarwala.</span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-7540918761307035102020-10-17T01:48:00.000+10:002020-10-17T01:48:06.376+10:00Meet Edward Young: Winner of the ROBOTMAK3RS Contest<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XoX1n7wlGUCKbOtZDe_uYER24RT9bc06ahSkaWfUPvaIyvuO4tSaHn0Qg-ESTOXl0Ga2TNDRjfQvPs4mf4gK77EP6K8Dzje7GSGD1NoNc47mjBw8SgFWvoCEgSLEwx4swuO33Q/s2048/50458380783_91ad35cc7d_k.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XoX1n7wlGUCKbOtZDe_uYER24RT9bc06ahSkaWfUPvaIyvuO4tSaHn0Qg-ESTOXl0Ga2TNDRjfQvPs4mf4gK77EP6K8Dzje7GSGD1NoNc47mjBw8SgFWvoCEgSLEwx4swuO33Q/s320/50458380783_91ad35cc7d_k.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Edward Young is a 19-year old mathematics student in the Czech Republic. He has been building with MINDSTORMS and Technic ever since he received the NXT 2.0 set in 2009. He has been creating machines of various types since then. LEGO MINDSTORMS played a part in developing his interest in math and science.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recently, Edward won the grand prize in the ROBOTMAK3RS Community Challenge for his RoBoxers design. Participants were asked to design a game using any LEGO robotics platform of their choice. Edward designed a boxing game made up of two robots.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e6fa15ba-7fff-8ea7-0e7b-5ba613f92db9"><h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What inspired you to create this project?</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three years ago there was a “battle bot” competition held by another AFOL website. I entered a video of a <a href="https://youtu.be/UpBOd3CSjAw" rel="nofollow">spinning robot </a>with some ridiculous durability tests. I didn’t have any success then, but I really liked the idea of two LEGO robots competing with their strength and durability. So this idea stayed with me, though I never got around to it. Then I saw the ROBOTMAK3RS Game Contest and it was obvious what I had to do. I decided against a fight to the death, because I’ve come to care for my bricks since that earlier video and the game would have to be reusable, too. I tried to make robots that would fall apart on purpose when hit in a certain spot, but they were unstable and the game didn’t work very well. So I arrived at the final design — an artificial fighter that can’t be beaten, but can be hit in a few tender areas and a weaker, but resilient opponent controlled by a human.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How long did it take you to design and build your robot?</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It took just under a week to complete the first viable prototypes and their programming. I came back to the models a few times over the course of another week, tweaking and perfecting the design.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d3dYRpbBy3M" width="320" youtube-src-id="d3dYRpbBy3M"></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How does the model work?</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ROCK3Y’s legs are a reinforced version of the ones on the Alpha Rex model from my beloved Mindstorms NXT 2.0 set. They use one touch sensor each to keep track of the position of the legs. There is a third touch sensor attached to the back of the robot. Two targets on the robot’s chest are connected by a liftarm that presses the touch sensor when either of the targets is hit. These targets are worth 50 points. The EV3 brick buttons also serve as targets, they are much harder to press down and are therefore worth 100 points. The EV3 brick counts this score and keeps a file with the high score.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The large EV3 motors that power the arms double as the robot’s fists. Their weight makes for some very hard punches. The arms are attached at such an angle that, when ROCK3Y throws a punch, the extended arm shields the chest targets, making it extra hard to score.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, we arrive at the head. The design is an homage to EV3RSTORM from the MINDSTORMS EV3 retail set. ROCK3Y uses the beacon tracking function of the IR sensor to search for his opponent. The program simply works to keep the opponents facing each other and makes ROCK3Y approach when he is facing the opponent. Once he gets within arm’s reach he braces his legs in a stable position and then chooses randomly between a left hook, a right hook and a shove (both arms punch at the same time). This decision is repeated every 0.5 seconds. The IR sensor also allows another human to control ROCK3Y in Person vs Person play.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hubby’s legs are a reinforced version of my earlier work (a walking LEGO robot pictured below). One Technic L motor moves both legs to make the robot walk forward. An axle is fed through each leg and powers a pair of wheels in the feet which spin in opposite directions and make the robot turn. It’s almost like how humans turn when walking by twisting their ankle.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wZiGEOuJdCc" width="320" youtube-src-id="wZiGEOuJdCc"></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The XL motors that power the arms again double as the robot’s fists. Hubby’s punches are much faster than ROCK3Y’s, but he can’t push with as much strength.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Technic HUB is attached to Hubby’s back. It’s protected by a pair of axles that protrude from the back. These axles are attached in such a way that you have to overcome a lot of friction to push them in, which breaks the impact when the robot falls on its back. The hub’s internal gyro detects falls and Hubby’s programming then stops responding for five seconds as penalty.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hubby’s head is built around the EV3 IR beacon, which allows ROCK3Y to see him.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is a high-level look at the code for each of the robots:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXiRskn9a-wc7UTIBqHl7eH6C4Zu4HgVNlaFS8NuDBjk66BF-1r1h5xdUM0QT4IhYsNf2Oq-Qf9lEprQUt1MA6MrYRMKtgPypk7scF1zqx_6gQ8AuqXSEo8Wl0MEcmHmk-2OsWw/s1440/121440926_348025753289299_5583469698646887438_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXiRskn9a-wc7UTIBqHl7eH6C4Zu4HgVNlaFS8NuDBjk66BF-1r1h5xdUM0QT4IhYsNf2Oq-Qf9lEprQUt1MA6MrYRMKtgPypk7scF1zqx_6gQ8AuqXSEo8Wl0MEcmHmk-2OsWw/w640-h400/121440926_348025753289299_5583469698646887438_n.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6v34pjdaIP0s-j1eU9LUnvSZnAdMGoX4lMSVdQsX2SrzXmKoY3PgEcaqdF-dpPLcMKmX8dXSaYWOL8sK8yoUEjeN0Ex48JREQRmeufX85Idznxd9hyphenhyphen0QsnTg6WMiejLqbS05HRA/s1792/121495068_792838744886687_699346056881643264_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1792" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6v34pjdaIP0s-j1eU9LUnvSZnAdMGoX4lMSVdQsX2SrzXmKoY3PgEcaqdF-dpPLcMKmX8dXSaYWOL8sK8yoUEjeN0Ex48JREQRmeufX85Idznxd9hyphenhyphen0QsnTg6WMiejLqbS05HRA/w640-h296/121495068_792838744886687_699346056881643264_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What was something you found most challenging about this design?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t own an EV3 gyro sensor so ROCK3Y could never be able to detect his falls. I decided that, therefore, he could never even be allowed to fall over. The most challenging part of the design was to make ROCK3Y’s legs and their programming strong enough to achieve this.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The legs used on Hubby were much more work, I spent a month or two making them work well. But that was for an earlier robot of mine so I had them in my repertoire, so to speak.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What is your one piece of advice to a young robot maker about creating such robots?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The best thing about LEGO is there is no wasting material — you can rebuild as many times as you wish. My advice for building LEGO robots is prototyping. Put together a simple version of what you want to achieve, test it, learn from it and improve upon it. And don’t give up when the prototype is “good enough” — finish when you are happy with the result.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Have you made anything else?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My favourites are a <a href="https://youtu.be/zMNeBIve32o" target="_blank">Lamp</a> that tracks what you do on your desk because the programming uses some nice maths, a <a href="https://youtu.be/etGIXMGSNpM" target="_blank">Santa Claus</a> that delivers presents in his sleigh because it came together so well with so many moving functions and a <a href="https://youtu.be/DdzfIqdBvCI" target="_blank">Transforming Monster Truck</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am currently working on a mechanical calculator that will perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can follow Edward's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnMgkPW3o7nXBn8gXwUROjA?view_as=subscriber&fbclid=IwAR1WjdCGwIEsaA0o0YDJ68Vb7p2yqx80klxL65eXM5L473-LgUQ1Ff6vqvI" target="_blank">YouTube</a> Channel.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-29237829414316084542020-10-12T10:29:00.005+10:002020-10-12T12:55:14.415+10:00LEGO Robots Build Kids<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToKcs00v7SOjd7qHkSwDeQANlGX0ka1hqCY0chf_TUWARFC5PMs99PHkUA2Vof3kByBUrACbyED-Na6CyYyXfGhkecaEOSTrUfRaSvVKM4O7u_FxCxaHm7prMDF08kxKmaJzlcA/s960/21740309_116482939065560_6515545052576399462_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToKcs00v7SOjd7qHkSwDeQANlGX0ka1hqCY0chf_TUWARFC5PMs99PHkUA2Vof3kByBUrACbyED-Na6CyYyXfGhkecaEOSTrUfRaSvVKM4O7u_FxCxaHm7prMDF08kxKmaJzlcA/w320-h240/21740309_116482939065560_6515545052576399462_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />LEGO robotics is a great way to develop creativity and STEM skills in children. In this blog post, we highlight some children who are learning by building and programming robots.<div><br /></div><div>The ROBOTMAK3RS are committed to inspiring and fostering the next generation of inventors, engineers and programmers through our events, workshops and competitions.<p></p><p></p><p>Every quarter, we run a community build contest with a theme. Children are permitted to enter. In this article, we highlight the work of some entrants in our last contest as well as work we have seen posted by children across our six ROBOTMAK3R Facebook Groups. </p><p>Siddarth Agarwala from Houston, TX started out on a FIRST LEGO League team. Having aged out of the program now, he not only mentors other teams, but is taking his building and programming skills to the next level. Siddarth built this amazing model that combines LEGO MINDSTORMS with Raspberry Pi to play Rock-Paper-Scissors. His project made the top 6 in the ROBOTMAK3RS Game Design Competition in September 2020. Judges were very impressed with the sophistication of his project and how he incorporated multiple platforms into his design.</p><p><b>How it Works: </b>The MINDSTORMS brick randomly chooses between Rock, Paper or Scissors and sends that information to the Raspberry Pi. The Pi uses a speaker to tell the use what the brick chose. The microphone on the Pi records whatever the user says. Since the model uses voice control, the user has to verbalize his or her next move. However, they may chose to physically show their move for fun as well. The Raspberry Pi then compares the input from the user and the output from the MINDSTORMS to determine who wins the round. The results are announced via the speaker. After this, the robot asks the player for a fist bump. The robot returns to its starting position and starts pumping the pneumatics again for the next round.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WJuadlaDCGw" width="320" youtube-src-id="WJuadlaDCGw"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJNrjNVgFBrmSrBoL1PSt8CM22tBk1PBkCXcXfBff5cCewFNpX_Oa8JXkvyUp5B8hZtCm3-i8-Jd7fCKzinBpcrLQm2ZrPSXL5m_mtP2jpVe2_DasNZNdr-6Rl0NLr0IXEeOhyphenhyphenQ/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1726" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJNrjNVgFBrmSrBoL1PSt8CM22tBk1PBkCXcXfBff5cCewFNpX_Oa8JXkvyUp5B8hZtCm3-i8-Jd7fCKzinBpcrLQm2ZrPSXL5m_mtP2jpVe2_DasNZNdr-6Rl0NLr0IXEeOhyphenhyphenQ/" width="320" /></a></div>Diego Barreda, an eight-year old from Mexico, is developing his STEM skills using SPIKE Prime. Recently, he built the Labyrinth. It is a maze game controlled by the built-in gyro sensor in the SPIKE Prime Hub. Diego's entry also made top six in the ROBOTMAK3RS Game Design Challenge. The judges were very impressed with Diego's creativity, coding skills and explanations. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/SPIKEcommunity/permalink/1186770075034556/">Here</a> is a link to Diego's work. <p>Two young brothers on YouTube are also creating robotics lessons for Spanish-speaking children. These boys are inspiring future engineers with their content on MINDSTORMS. We love their energy and enthusiasm.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0UbT7i8JtZA" width="320" youtube-src-id="0UbT7i8JtZA"></iframe></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicB68wZiWQ5LeHKJUULeMLsP-ZnQ1JEqTSdEQZT06MmIal95Ci8ENAu3mIa97rM5GBGanJKgJXt2BztEQ-YqoImLJXWWeW1Mkqkpo4hl0Th6QxXw3MdsCNAgW1TgViW42V7dGMxw/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1025" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicB68wZiWQ5LeHKJUULeMLsP-ZnQ1JEqTSdEQZT06MmIal95Ci8ENAu3mIa97rM5GBGanJKgJXt2BztEQ-YqoImLJXWWeW1Mkqkpo4hl0Th6QxXw3MdsCNAgW1TgViW42V7dGMxw/" width="240" /></a></div>Sai Pranav is a ten-year-old student in Goa, India, using LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 to learn math and science. You can watch his Ted talk on the impact of using LEGO robots <a href="https://youtu.be/nxwunvCOKzg" target="_blank">here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Follow our Facebook Groups and look out for our quarterly contests.</div><div><p></p><p><br /><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-31097436324834205612020-07-17T04:21:00.000+10:002020-07-17T04:21:08.345+10:00Smart Boat Contest<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDPd4mjd0i-Cll8vt0KYVBQ9LJIdyslMPNxd3exr51ZYMwLaRSulssIarcfpAzSYFtuScAsUrsvgDGgq3Eh3W-mtCi1mdDbUffiNn6VnF8EujhPZcM2SANrJx4D4I8a59Y_XcrQ/s1600/Smartboat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="595" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDPd4mjd0i-Cll8vt0KYVBQ9LJIdyslMPNxd3exr51ZYMwLaRSulssIarcfpAzSYFtuScAsUrsvgDGgq3Eh3W-mtCi1mdDbUffiNn6VnF8EujhPZcM2SANrJx4D4I8a59Y_XcrQ/s640/Smartboat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The ROBOTMAK3RS sponsored a community Smart Boat Contest. Participants were challenged with the task of creating a smart boat that includes MINDSTORMS, BOOST, Powered UP, CONTROL+, WeDO or SPIKE Prime. The boat did not have to float on water. The winner of the contest was Hector Fernando Palomino Gutierrez from Lima, Peru.<br />
<br />
Hector has been building with LEGO robots since 2012. He took a course called "Introduction to Mechatronics Engineering" at his university. One of the tasks in the course was to build a robot with an NXT core set to complete a challenge. That experience made him fall in love with LEGO MINDSTORMS. In 2015, he got a job as a high school teacher in educational robotics and now he continues working with MINDSTORMS.<br />
<br />
To come up with this design, Hector started by looking for inspiration on Google and YouTube. When none of the models were to his liking, he started thinking about the WRO robots his students have made. He remembered that every robot has some type of clamping or collection mechanism. He found a robotic arm design on LEGO Education's website. He felt the arm would be perfect for his ship as it would resemble a real-life rescue ship with a crane. He had to make several modifications to the design, but that robotic arm was the source of his inspiration.<br />
<br />
For his submission, Hector created a Rescue Ship powered by an EV3. The main feature of the design is robotic arm designed to rescue anyone lost at sea. The design features four motors. One motor is use to control the direction of the shop and for rotating the arm. One motor is used to used to control the movement of the boat and is connected to the propeller. A third motor is used to raise and lower the arm. Finally, a medium motor is used to open and close the claw. An ultrasonic sensor is used to measure the distance to the target and a gyro sensor is used to intelligently control the arm and the ship's position.<br />
<br />
The most challenging aspect of the construction was meeting the deadline since he only discovered the contest two weeks prior. He works until 8PM each night. Therefore he had only 8PM till 2AM every day to build the ship. He was exhausted by the end of the contest, but found it worthwhile.<br />
<br />
Another challenging aspect was incorporating the ultrasonic sensor into the design. He had almost completed the build when he realized that he had forgotten to add the sensor to the ship. It was a unique challenge of find space and also ensuring that the ship stayed balanced. It took another two nights of work to finish this aspect.<br />
<br />
See the Rescue Boat in action here:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/G3S0h6f5PKQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G3S0h6f5PKQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<h4>
<b>We also want to recognize the following finalists for their outstanding creations:</b></h4>
<b>Moz Malej </b>created a unique smart boat using LEGO Boost and LEGO City bricks. His idea was to create a stable platform for the Captain of the boat so that even when waves hit, the platform at the top of the boat remains horizontal, allowing the Captain to pilot his ship safely. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/BOOSTcommunity/permalink/2731666333768177/">Link</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2zLRlSnrTs_vhVddZBE78vwvPhyphenhyphenYx92Rz5RzMimPeFFc3ALWEZnsIvDFET-P0bNcourka8i1S4WSlGN7IEVp1t41t2oqcE41rWe9ZsYWOYruYaIJITOB-n81ef82Gsyg9KBV7g/s1600/104104950_4479230555436489_1694366832782321292_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2zLRlSnrTs_vhVddZBE78vwvPhyphenhyphenYx92Rz5RzMimPeFFc3ALWEZnsIvDFET-P0bNcourka8i1S4WSlGN7IEVp1t41t2oqcE41rWe9ZsYWOYruYaIJITOB-n81ef82Gsyg9KBV7g/s320/104104950_4479230555436489_1694366832782321292_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>Katherine and Daniel</b> worked together to create an elaborate scene involving a floating coastguard ship powered by an NXT and an island full of pirates. They programmed their smart boat to automatically aim and attack color-coded targets to rescue a stranded Pizza Man. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/letsdowedo/permalink/1573097389524861/">Link</a><br />
<br />
<b>CR8 Alor Setar</b> designed an EV3-based colorful catamaran. He used elements from 42077, 45444 and a few additional Technic panels. Although not tested on water, this design is sure to catch the eye. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/legomindstorms/permalink/1709445119203707/">Link</a><br />
<br />
<b>Dicky Laban</b> created an all-terrain crawler that can even float with Powered UP. His clever design of paddles allows the smart boat to navigate through the water. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/PoweredUp/permalink/2374641609503963/">Link</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>For your inspiration, we would also like to highlight a few projects created by the ROBOTMAK3RS themselves.</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oCL6aG5ib6ltmQPLMWkFqrqn2uX9ighVGCViA5KuL4KFh3Qd8i-9LrqlgtnBNiSfq6ZTBbork2knQzuihGgePWSV8PgGQOKjW_3fzVYKtiM1BvRtzs3SY25SKsrvg75j2jzLUA/s1600/IMG_1237-scaled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oCL6aG5ib6ltmQPLMWkFqrqn2uX9ighVGCViA5KuL4KFh3Qd8i-9LrqlgtnBNiSfq6ZTBbork2knQzuihGgePWSV8PgGQOKjW_3fzVYKtiM1BvRtzs3SY25SKsrvg75j2jzLUA/s320/IMG_1237-scaled.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Anton Vanhoucke used an EV3 and wind to power his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/legomindstorms/permalink/1726596317488587/">land yacht</a>. The sail was constructed from the the play mat included in the 31313 set. His clever construction is sure to provide hours of entertainment on a windy day.<br />
<br />
Ahmad Sahar recreated the iconic <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/legomindstorms/permalink/1695885213893031/">Mickey Mouse Steam Boat Willie </a>scene using an EV3.<br />
<br />
Dimitri Dekyvere created an entire <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/legomindstorms/permalink/1700410600107159/">port</a> using the LEGO MINDSTORMS 45544 and 42064 Ocean Explorer sets.<br />
<br />
We hope these ideas inspire you. You can learn more about the ROBOTMAK3RS <a href="https://www.robotmak3rs.com/">here.</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZtLbn8epQYk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZtLbn8epQYk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21402852.post-11147836171439637742020-06-12T22:00:00.000+10:002020-06-12T22:10:57.675+10:00Introducing 51515: the Next Generation of MINDSTORMS<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWh0f6DrAuz1GN16s7MslvR1SfO6SmkKcCK7nsMi4ICEVJY3oBAew4etStElsAhIGoC4SF7DAAMh1Wrbk1wKzYKisFl9NfFWP4cE-PO9Dj8NtlGldb0xtQzxCiiQVRLpRJxAF/s5498/51515+%25282%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5063" data-original-width="5498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWh0f6DrAuz1GN16s7MslvR1SfO6SmkKcCK7nsMi4ICEVJY3oBAew4etStElsAhIGoC4SF7DAAMh1Wrbk1wKzYKisFl9NfFWP4cE-PO9Dj8NtlGldb0xtQzxCiiQVRLpRJxAF/s320/51515+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Exciting news for LEGO robotics fans! Today, LEGO announced the newest member of the MINDSTORMS family. LEGO 51515 MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor set is a 5-in-1 set for ages ten and up. Get ready to build, code, play, and rebuild as many times as you want!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The new MINDSTORMS set features five unique designs you construct using the 949 elements available in the set. Robot Inventor even features a remote control that allows you to use your own controller using Bluetooth. There are more than 50 built-in coding challenges and activities using a drag-and-drop coding language based on Scratch. In addition, more advanced users can now program in Python. This allows MINDSTORMS to grow with your child and opens up many new possibilities for adult fans as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The five main models are:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih20tgyDr8IFsDw7ceDKg8xTGnVeO1kJxALE5EnYHqRKo7pJuSQHqSL3Qd9TQvHcrd1e9iZOEQ61F2ItoI8K-PA6GPRV3hyphenhyphen_tmb-2yILrr4vyOE2dnfze7Q74ZQCzXR7knE4Ld/s6545/Lifestyle+1+%25287%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4363" data-original-width="6545" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih20tgyDr8IFsDw7ceDKg8xTGnVeO1kJxALE5EnYHqRKo7pJuSQHqSL3Qd9TQvHcrd1e9iZOEQ61F2ItoI8K-PA6GPRV3hyphenhyphen_tmb-2yILrr4vyOE2dnfze7Q74ZQCzXR7knE4Ld/s320/Lifestyle+1+%25287%2529.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Blast – an action hero model that stands over 36cm tall<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Charlie – a playful sidekick<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Tricky – an athlete who enjoys playing sports<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Gelo – a four-legged robot that can perform tricks<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
M.V.P – a Modular Vehicle Platform that transforms into a buggy, crane, shooter turret or brick-eating truck<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin25uSfVrs4Ef80BHRwbtjOqYll3af7wB3Fhyphenhyphen3NJwJvybItuLrp_Jfk_5FezH0d8ogYzH1UAd0IDLbX3S0H69kiD2Elbd4UtDU2FYnk6ftbhVP1pQVSZGpgZUZAZ3QkWngmydc/s6494/Lifestyle+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4329" data-original-width="6494" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin25uSfVrs4Ef80BHRwbtjOqYll3af7wB3Fhyphenhyphen3NJwJvybItuLrp_Jfk_5FezH0d8ogYzH1UAd0IDLbX3S0H69kiD2Elbd4UtDU2FYnk6ftbhVP1pQVSZGpgZUZAZ3QkWngmydc/s320/Lifestyle+%25281%2529.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Robot Inventor’s new Hub features a 5X5 light matrix, a 6-axis gyro sensor (3-axis gyro and 3-axis accelerometer), a micro USB port, a speaker and a rechargeable battery. Connectivity is via Bluetooth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The set will come with four medium motors, a color sensor, and a distance sensor. These new motors have an integrated rotation sensor with absolute positioning. The color sensor recognizes eight colors and measures both reflected and ambient light. Finally, the distance sensor has programmable LED lights surrounding it and has an integrated 6-pin adapter for third-party sensors, boards and DIY hardware. This feature is likely to open up some great new opportunities for building, programming, and learning with MINDSTORMS.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJkssoODtI8g0_wlvxfuDttQRNJClvVTTpd2t2JuzpJBhdHX2meLTAsa-WZ0PEXAE6YG_Y66i0T8hMXKapVTbXXilVXK88rfxtlk8ZghFDQ70OoGduTpjFnaBrLJz1Y_77C4x/s6407/Lifestyle+%25287%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4271" data-original-width="6407" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJkssoODtI8g0_wlvxfuDttQRNJClvVTTpd2t2JuzpJBhdHX2meLTAsa-WZ0PEXAE6YG_Y66i0T8hMXKapVTbXXilVXK88rfxtlk8ZghFDQ70OoGduTpjFnaBrLJz1Y_77C4x/s320/Lifestyle+%25287%2529.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
You can learn more by visiting the LEGO website and reading the official press release. The 51515 Robot Inventor is expected to be available for purchase in Autumn 2020.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The ROBOTMAK3RS community hopes that the new LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor 51515 inspires even more children and adults to explore the world of LEGO robotics. We are excited to see what you will create with this newest generation of MINDSTORMS.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Please share your ideas and creations in our newest group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/313613029651658/">LEGO Robot Inventor Community</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4ZrZPyx-5GubZkYMxl012tQ9TkP4cfKlSlwQQ1wFBdsOGQKD8sRHhKeUbbkq5d2v5XzegSHtL53xTIVXbio5ypsVFlGKBUsFVXq5K-7s9Bp7lOef-oIGIfPwKG4e-Eq7oCXX/s1671/Artboard+1+copy+6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="1671" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4ZrZPyx-5GubZkYMxl012tQ9TkP4cfKlSlwQQ1wFBdsOGQKD8sRHhKeUbbkq5d2v5XzegSHtL53xTIVXbio5ypsVFlGKBUsFVXq5K-7s9Bp7lOef-oIGIfPwKG4e-Eq7oCXX/s320/Artboard+1+copy+6.png" width="419" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com