Lego Mindstorms NXT Robotics Announced 190
Denver_80203 writes "Just when you thought Lego Mindstorms was grinding its last gear, comes the announcement of Lego Mindstorms NXT Robotics Toolset, with sleek servo motors, an ultrasonic sensor which allows robots to 'see' by responding to movement, a sound sensor which enables robots to react to sound commands (including sound pattern and tone recognition) improved touch and light sensors, and a and a programmable brick with at least 7 or 8 RJ11 type jacks. Robot fun! Out in August 2006, and in true Lego style will cost $249." Wired has a preview of the cover story about the new kit on their site.
Zoom In! (Score:5, Informative)
If you look at the high-resolution image [lego.com], you can see that it has 7 RJ11 jacks and one USB port (top right corner).
The top three RJ11 ports look like servo outputs, the bottom four look like sensor inputs (though the fourth port is unnumbered; wonder why).
Re:orcboard, open source robotics controller (Score:5, Informative)
Nice, but most people here love RCX because we grew up with legos. RCX lets you get into the game without some crazy robotics boards / motors / computing stuff. Middle school kids can handle it.
BTW, for everyone with small kids, Lego now has super big quatro legos, double the size of duplo legos which are double normal size. Quatro runs from 1-3, duplo usually starts at age 2+...
Dont know why people think they are dead... (Score:4, Informative)
-everphilski-
Re:as a parent : why that price ? (Score:2, Informative)
Software development (Score:1, Informative)
I want to be able to write a program in maybe C#, Java, C++ compile it, translate it and then send it to the control unit.
The old mindstorms biggest annoyance was the stupid interface, okay labview is a lot better but still not the same.
Bluetooth! (Score:2, Informative)
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Not Quite C... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:That's nice but... (Score:2, Informative)
http://mindstorms.lego.com/?domainredir=www.minds
SNOT fans rejoice (Score:3, Informative)
When I was a FIRST Lego League coach, the designs often embedded motors, sensors, even the RCX as part of the structure. The latter was usually a bad, bad, idea, since you'd have to disassemble major parts of your bot to replace batteries, and during a competition, you'd replace batteries every other run.
I welcome the sensor-laden motors, bluetooth, ultrasonic 'vision'... but I wonder if they've beefed up the programming any. Lack of backward compatibility is a surprise -- I've got a number of old sensors and motors.
Looks like they are returning to their roots... (Score:2, Informative)
There were plenty of strategic blunders behind the dismal results: a misguided foray into making PC software games, expensive licensing arrangements (chiefly with Disney), and designs that puzzled rather than entertained. "We had started to make fire trucks that look like spaceships, building systems that no customer could truly appreciate," says Mads Nipper, a Lego senior vice president. "We had to clean that up."
awesome!
Mac support there is! (Score:2, Informative)
"The heart of the new system is the NXT brick, an autonomous 32-bit LEGO microprocessor that can be programmed using a PC, or for the first time in the retail offering, a Mac."
Re:Somehow I feel this won'd catch fire (Score:2, Informative)
Re:That's nice but... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Problem Lego Microsoft (Score:3, Informative)
Re:as a parent : why that price ? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:That's nice but... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Clarify something for me. (Score:3, Informative)
Not really, though. The outputs are really just on or off, but if you toggle them fast enough you can emulate a whole range of output voltages. Which, incidentally, is what the horribly limited system the RCX ships with does, though so slowly that the motors make wicked grinding noises (well, at least mine do) if you run them at anything less than full speed.
IHMO (less humble now, perhaps, after a glass or two), the processor in the RCX isn't all that limited. Sure, you only have 16-bit registers and 32 kB, but it runs at a higher frequency than the 68k in my Amiga 500. Which makes me wonder whether I should spend the weekend playing with LEGO or playing old computer games...
Re:orcboard, open source robotics controller (Score:3, Informative)
How about access to a supermarket? Get a Rubbermaid or Tupperware sandwich container and some standoffs and you're off to the races with a fairly slick case for under $5 ($10-$15 for the Tupperware, but Tupperware has a stronger edge to the bowl part, which can be worth the extra cost).
If you're worried about the "ghetto" look, cut properly sized round holes and use rubber grommets or small metal bulkhead connectors to clean up the edges. If you do a decent job locating the holes, it will look very nice, and with the removeable top, it's quite functional too!
One of the skills I find most useful in amateur robotics is the ability to repurpose everyday items. When I go into Home Depot, I'll start playing with something on just about any aisle and my fiance will ask me, "What kind of a robot part are you going to make from that?" The worst aisles by far are in plumbing. Worst as in hardest for me to get through without stopping multiple times.
Regards,
Ross
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