Xander Soldaat BotBench.com

Topics  What is Mindstorms?

 How can you build with it?  What can you build with it?

 Programming the NXT  What’s inside the brick?

 Sensing the world

Topics  My activities  Why do I do it?

 Books  Communities  Questions

What is Mindstorms?

How can you build with it?

• NXT brick • Motors • Sensors • Lego (Technic) parts • Parts in other Technic sets • Parts available online through webshops

What can you build with it?

What can you build with it?

What can you build with it?

2 0 0 9 L E G O W O R L D

What can you build with it?

2 0 1 0 L E G O W O R L D

What can you build with it?

2 0 1 1 L E G O W O R L D

Programming the NXT  NXT-G  Graphical programming using blocks and lines  Comes with the set when you buy it  Easy to get started with it  Very suitable for children

Programming the NXT  ROBOTC  C-like environment    100x faster than NXT-G Debugger More difficult to learn  Not free

Programming the NXT  NXC/BrixCC  C-like programming language/IDE  Can use standard LEGO firmware or enhanced firmware  Free (MPL)  Lejos  Java on your brick!

  Very complete API, really great classes Free (MPL)

What’s inside the brick?

1.

Bluetooth module 2.

AT91SAM7s256 @ 48 MHz 3.

Atmega8 @ 8MHz • • • 3 x Motor ports 4 x Sensor ports 1 x USB

Sensing the world

Sensing the world  Sense:  colour, light, sound, pressure  flex, touch, shapes, distance  rotation, acceleration, temperature  position, altitude, velocity  Control:  servos, motors, lights, relays  Communicate:  USB, XBee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RS485, IR

Sensing the world  LEGO: <10 sensors  Mindsensors: > 20 sensors  HiTechnic: >15 sensors  Dexter Industries: 8 sensors  MicroInfinity, Codatex, Vernier, POB

My activities  Software tester for Robotics Academy (Carnegie Mellon University)  Part of the LEGO MCP4  Hardware tester for all major sensor companies.

 Develop and maintain a ROBOTC driver suite, 50+ devices supported, 4500+ downloads

My activities  Co-owner Mindboards community  Maintainer of BotBench.com (300-500 visitors/day)  Contributor on official ROBOTC site  Give workshops and presentations (like this one)  Attend big LEGO events (LEGO World)

Why do I do it?

 It’s nice to help people  Keeps you mentally fit  Recognition within the Mindstorms community  “Thank you” emails from FTC teams, professors, teachers and users.

 Most of all, because it’s FUN!

Books  Countless books available  For beginners  For advanced programmers  Many different core subjects  Building  Programming  Electronics; “hacking”  Themed books

Some examples Just a few of the 65 results in Amazon.com

Communities  Massive online LEGO communities  Lego User Groups (LUGs)  (Belug, LowLug)  Mindstorms communities and blogs  NXT Step  Mindboards  BotBench.com

 Many other personal websites

Additional URLs  HiTechnic: hitechnic.com

 Mindsensors: mindsensors.com

 Dexter Industries: dexterindustries.com

 ROBOTC: robotc.net

 NXC: bricxcc.sourceforge.net

 Lejos: lejos.sourceforge.net

Additional URLs  Laurens Valk’s websites: laurensvalk.com

(personal) discovery.laurensvalk.com

(book site)  Mindboards: sourceforge.net/apps/phpbb/mindboards  The NXT Step: thenxtstep.blogspot.com

 Mindstorms site: mindstorms.lego.com

 De Bouwsteen: debouwsteen.eu

 LowLug: lowlug.nl

Questions?

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/251311

Xander Soldaat BotBench.com