Lego Mindstorms is a line of Lego sets combining programmable bricks with electric motors, sensors, Lego bricks, and Lego Technic pieces (such as gears, axles, beams, and pneumatic parts) to build robots and other automated or interactive systems. The first retail version of Lego Mindstorms was released in 1998 and marketed commercially as the Robotics Invention System (RIS). The current version was released in 2006 and is called Lego Mindstorms NXT. Lego Group logo. ... Rotating magnetic field as a sum of magnetic vectors from 3 phase coils An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. ... // Distinguish from censure and censer and censor. ... Lego Group logo. ... Tractor made using Lego Technic components. ... Spur gears found on a piece of farm equipment A gear wheel is a wheel with teeth around its circumference, the purpose of the teeth being to mesh with similar teeth on another mechanical device -- possibly another gear wheel -- so that force can be transmitted between the two devices in... An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. ... Beam may refer to: Look up beam in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Lego pneumatics is a variety of Lego bricks which utilise air pressure and specialised components to perform various actions utilising the principles of pneumatics. ... My name is tyler bonin. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The NXT motors, sensors and intelligent brick. ...

Mindstorms kits are also sold and used as an educational tool, originally through a partnership between Lego and the MIT Media Laboratory [1], [2]. The educational version of the products is called Lego Mindstorms for Schools, and comes with the ROBOLAB GUI-based programming software, developed at Tufts University[3] using the National Instruments LabVIEW as an engine. The MIT Media Lab engages in education and research in the digital technology used for expression and communication. ... “PUI” redirects here. ... Tufts University is a private university in Medford/Somerville, Massachusetts, suburbs of Boston. ... The National Instruments Campus in Austin, Texas National Instruments, or NI (NASDAQ: NATI), is a producer of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software. ... LabVIEW (short for Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench) is a platform and development environment for a visual programming language from National Instruments. ...

Lego Mindstorms may be used to build a model of an embedded system with computer-controlled electromechanical parts. Many kinds of real-life embedded systems, from elevator controllers to industrial robots, may be modelled using Mindstorms. A router, an example of an embedded system. ... A set of lifts in the lower level of a London Underground station. ... An industrial robot is officially defined by ISO[1] as an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes. ...

There is a strong community of professionals and hobbyists of all ages involved in the sharing of designs, programming techniques, and other ideas associated with Lego Mindstorms. With the ability to harness collaborative efforts of tens or hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of individuals, Lego Mindstorms system/website is a great example of a wiki. Lego also allows, actually encourages, sharing and peering by making software codes available for downloading and by holding various challenges. Look up Wiki in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Sharing is the joint use of a resource. ... Peering is the practice of voluntarily interconnecting distinctly separate data networks on the Internet, for the purposes of exchanging traffic between the customers of the peered networks. ...

The original Mindstorms RIS contained two motors, two touch sensors, and one light sensor. The NXT version has three servo motors and four sensors for touch, light, sound, and distance. Small R/C servo mechanism 1. ...

RCX

First-generation RCX programmable brick.

The first generation of LEGO Mindstorms was built around a brick known as the RCX. It contains a Renesas H8/300 microcontroller as its internal CPU. The brick is programmed by downloading a program (written in one of several available programming languages) from a PC or Mac to the brick's RAM via a special infrared (IR) interface. After the user starts a program, an RCX-enabled Mindstorms creation may function totally on its own, acting on internal and external stimuli according to the programmed instructions. Also, two or more RCX bricks can communicate with each other through the IR interface, enabling inter-brick cooperation or competition. In addition to the IR port, there are three sensor input ports and three motor output ports (also usable for lamps, etc). There is also an LCD that can display the battery level, the status of the input/output ports, which program is selected or running, and other information. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1036x1150, 271 KB)Lego Mindstorms RCX, photographed by Mairi. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1036x1150, 271 KB)Lego Mindstorms RCX, photographed by Mairi. ... Renesas Technology Corporation ) is a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer. ... H8 is the name of a large family of 8-bit and 16-bit microcontrollers made by Renesas Technology Corp. ... The integrated circuit from an Intel 8742, an 8-bit microcontroller that includes a CPU running at 12 MHz, 128 bytes of RAM, 2048 bytes of EPROM, and I/O in the same chip. ... Die of an Intel 80486DX2 microprocessor (actual size: 12×6. ... This article is about the computer terms. ... A programming language is an artificial language that can be used to control the behavior of a machine, particularly a computer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The first Macintosh computer, introduced in 1984, upgraded to a 512K Fat Mac. The Macintosh or Mac, is a line of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple Computer. ... Image of two girls in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false-color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than that of visible light, but shorter than that of radio waves. ... LCD redirects here. ...

Version 1.0 RCX bricks feature a power adapter jack to allow continuous operation instead of the limited operation time when using batteries. In version 2.0, the power adapter jack was removed. Power adapter-equipped RCX bricks are popular for stationary robotics projects (such as robot arms) or for controlling Lego model trains. In the latter context, the RCX needs to be programmed with Digital Command Control (DCC) software required for automated model train operation. Four double-A (AA) rechargeable batteries In science and technology, a battery is a device that stores chemical energy and makes it available in an electrical form. ... One section of a massive Lego train layout at the National Train Show in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 9, 2005. ... A Digitrax DCC system Digital Command Control (DCC) is a scheme for controlling locomotives on a model railroad layout that allows one or more locomotives to be independently controlled on the same electrical section of track. ...

Programming Languages

Lego-supplied Languages: Lego Group logo. ...

• RCX Code (included in the Mindstorms consumer version sold at toystores)
• ROBOLAB (based on LabVIEW and developed at Tufts University)

Popular Third-party Languages: LabVIEW (short for Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench) is a platform and development environment for a visual programming language from National Instruments. ... Tufts University is a private university in Medford/Somerville, Massachusetts, suburbs of Boston. ...

• C and C++ under BrickOS (formerly LegOS)
• Java under leJOS or TinyVM
• NQC ("Not Quite C")
• pbFORTH (extensions to the Forth programming language)
• Visual Basic (Through the COM+ interface supplied on the CD)
• RobotC (New Language and NXT Compatible)

C is a general-purpose, procedural, imperative computer programming language developed in 1972 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system. ... C++ (pronounced see plus plus, IPA: ) is a general-purpose, high-level programming language with low-level facilities. ... brickOS (previously legOS) is an alternative operating system for the Lego Mindstorms RCX Controller. ... Java is an object-oriented applications programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in the early 1990s. ... leJOS is a firmware replacement for the LEGO Mindstorms programmable RCX controller. ... Not Quite C (NQC) is a programming language, API and native byte-code compiler toolkit for the Lego Mindstorms, Cybermaster and Spybotics systems. ... pbFORTH is a programming language developed for Lego Mindstorms. ... Forth is a procedural, stack-oriented, reflective programming language and programming environment. ... Visual Basic (VB) is an event driven programming language and associated development environment from Microsoft for its COM programming model. ... The NXT motors, sensors and intelligent brick. ...

LEGO Camera

The LEGO Camera on its own is technically not a robotic toy; rather, it is a normal webcam (a Logitech Quickcam Web) packaged into a LEGO shell. Being a normal webcam, the LEGO Camera is, unlike most Mindstorms products, not programmable and is only usable connected to a PC or some other device that supports USB webcams. A Creative webcam A web camera (or webcam, real camera) is a real-time camera (usually, though not always, a video camera) whose images can be accessed using the World Wide Web, instant messaging, or a PC video calling application. ... Connectix Quickcam This 1996 picture was taken with the original Connectix QuickCam for Macintosh. ... Note: USB may also mean upper sideband in radio. ...

The LEGO Camera is meant to be used with the included Vision Command software which can also interface with an RCX and thus enables creating robots with "vision". The software is capable of detecting different lightings, motion, and colors. It can also be used with any other software that uses a webcam. The webcam is capable of recording up to 30 frames per second. It also contains a microphone to record sound for videos.

Cybermaster

Lego Cybermaster

Cybermaster was mainly sold in Europe and Australia/New Zealand, but was available for a short time via the Lego Club magazines. It was aimed at a younger audience as an early attempt of merging computer gaming with robotics and LEGO. The Pbrick shares many, especially software, features with the RCX but differs in appearance and technical specifications: 1 output (plus 2 built-in) and 3 sensors. Image File history File links Cybermaster. ... Image File history File links Cybermaster. ... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ...

• It uses RF (27 MHz R/C band) instead of IR for communication.
• It has two built-in motors with integrated tachometers and speedos.
• It is limited to passive sensors (a simple A/D with internal pull-up resistors).
• The sensors shipped with it are colour coded and have internal resistors in their open state (allowing the Pbrick to sense which sensor is attached to which port).
• It has a fixed firmware (so it can't be upgraded or replaced).
• It has limited RAM for programs and only one program slot.

Despite its obvious limitation it has a number of edges over its 'big brother', the RCX. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Radio waves. ...

• The RF link has greater range and is omnidirectional.
• The built-in tacho and speed sensors on the internal motors provides the same function as the external rotation sensor to the RCX, but without using up sensor ports.

This makes it very useful for various mobile platforms and performing basic motion/positioning tasks.

It talks the same protocol as the RCX but can't communicate directly to it (due to IR vs RF) but with a repeater (a computer with 2 serial ports and a simple program) they can be integrated.

Codepilot

Sold as part of the Barcode Truck kit. This unit was the first programmable brick (or Pbrick). It features a single motor, a single touch sensor and a light sensor. It is programmed by setting it to 'learn' and using the light sensor to feed barcoded commands. The command set is very limited. Since barcode is just a series of variances in light, this form of command entry was dubbed VLL (Visual Light Link) as has been used in several later Lego models.

Scout

Lego Mindstorms Scout microcomputer

Lego also released a brick named the Scout, which has 2 sensor ports, 2 motor ports, a built in light sensor, and no PC interface. The Scout can be programmed, but the user usually selects one of a collection of built-in programs. In order to program the Scout, a user must enable "power mode" on it. The Scout can store one program. Image File history File links Mindstorms_Scout. ... Image File history File links Mindstorms_Scout. ...

The RCX can control the Scout brick using the Send IR Message program block. The RCX does all of the controlling, and therefore can be programmed with the PC, while the Scout acts as a "slave". The Scout brick must have all of its options set to "off". Press run and then send IR codes to it.

The Scout is also cabable of using a third engine using VLL to slave a Micro Scout.

RCX/Scout IR Communication Codes

(IR Code/Left/Right) Look up ir in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

• 4/Fwd/Fwd
• 5/Rev/Rev
• 6/Fwd/Rev
• 7/Rev/Fwd
• 8/Fwd/Off
• 9/Rev/Off
• 10/Off/Fwd
• 11/Off/Rev
• 12/Off/Off

Micro Scout

The Micro Scout was added as an entry level to Lego robotics. It is a very limited Pbrick with a single light sensor and a single built-in engine. It is not programmable but has seven precoded behaviours. The unit was sold as part of the Droid Developer Kit (featuring R2D2) and later the Darkside Developer Kit (featuring an AT-AT Imperial Walker). The All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT), also called the Imperial Walker, was a major part of the Galactic Empires army in the fictional Star Wars universe. ...

However, the unit can be slaved to a Scout, Spybotics or RCX unit using its light sensor as a VLL (Visual Light Link, or Barcode) receiver, adding an extra (weak) engine.

Spybotics

Main article: Spybotics

Spybotics was more of an attempt to expand on the Cybermaster line. The kits were sold together with a computer game where part was played on the computer and part was played by controlling the Spybot to solve a number of fixed missions. The Pbrick itself shares many features of the Cybermaster, 2 internal motors with full tachometer and speed feedback, but is has a single integrated touch sensor. Spybotics a program created by legoâ„¢ that is compatible with spybots. ...

It also features an optical out and light sensor, which doubles as computer interface. This interface can also be used to connect to the Scout, Micro Scout and possibly the Codepilot using VLL. It has an expanded IR functionality allowing it to communicate with other Spybots or RCX units. The IR unit also has limited direction and range function, allowing it to track and locate other Spybots, Remote Controls or RCX units.

It was shipped with an IR remote control that can double as an IR beacon.

Lego Mindstorms NXT

Main article: Lego Mindstorms NXT

"Alpha Rex" - a robot built with the NXT set.

Lego Mindstorms NXT is a programmable robotics kit released by Lego in July 2006, replacing the first-generation Lego Mindstorms kit. [4]. The kit consists of 519 Technic pieces, 3 servo motors, 4 sensors(ultrasonic, sound, touch, light), 7 wires, a USB cable, and the NXT brick. It also includes NXT-G, a graphical programming environment that lets you create programs and download them to the NXT. The NXT motors, sensors and intelligent brick. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1808x2250, 1187 KB) This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising material or a promotional photo in a press kit. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1808x2250, 1187 KB) This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising material or a promotional photo in a press kit. ... Note: USB may also mean upper sideband in radio. ...

The NXT is the brain of a Mindstorms robot. This computer-controlled LEGO brick lets the robot autonomously perform different operations. The NXT has three output ports(A, B, C), four input ports(1, 2, 3, 4), and a USB port that lets you download user-programs to the NXT brick. Users also have an option to download wirelessly through Bluetooth. A 100x64 LCD matrix display also resides on the NXT along with 4 buttons and an 8 kHz Piezo speaker. Bluetooth logo Bluetooth is an industrial specification for wireless personal area networks (PANs). ...

Technical Specifications:

• 32-bit ARM7 microcontroller
• 256 Kbytes FLASH, 64 Kbytes RAM
• 8-bit AVR microcontroller
• 4 Kbytes FLASH, 512 Byte RAM
• Bluetooth wireless communication (Bluetooth Class II V2.0 compliant)
• USB full speed port (12 Mbit/s)
• 4 input ports, 6-wire cable digital platform (One port includes a IEC 61158 Type 4/EN 50 17 compliant expansion port for future use)
• 3 output ports, 6-wire cable digital platform
• 100 x 64 pixel LCD graphical display
• Loudspeaker - 8 kHz sound quality. Sound channel with 8-bit resolution and 2-16 KHz sample rate.
• Power source: 6 AA batteries or rechargeable Li-Ion battery

Li-Ion Camera Battery Lithium ion batteries (or Li-ion) have become very common and dropped in price recently. ...

Programming Languages

• Actor-Lab

Language(s): Custom flowchart-like language

• Ada Interface to MindStorms

Language(s): Ada

• brickOS

Language(s): C/C++[5]

• GCC

Language(s): C/C++, Objective C, Fortran, Java, Ada among others

• GNU Toolchain for h8300

Language(s): C/C++, ASM

• Lego.NET

Language(s): Anything that can compile to .NET, works best with C#[6]

Comment: Doesn't come with a compiler, converts bytecode to machine code

• leJOS

Language(s): Java

• librcx

Language(s): C/C++

Comment: A library for GCC

• Logitech SDK

Language(s): Visual Basic, Visual C++

Comment: Can be combined with an RCX control library such as spirit.ocx from the MindStorms SDK to make use of the Lego Cam

• NQC

Language(s): NQC, a C-like language

Comment: This is the most widely used unofficial language

• Official MindStorms SDK

Language(s): Visual Basic, Visual C++, MindScript, LASM

Comment: You don't need VB to use the VB features as MS Office comes with a cut down version of VB for making macros

• OnScreen

Language(s): A custom language which can be programmed directly on the RCX

• pbForth

Language(s): Forth

• PRO-BOT

Language(s): A kind of Visual Basic/spirit.ocx-based language

Comment: Designed for robots which are in contact with the workstation at all times

• QuiteC

Language(s): C

Comment: A library for use with GCC and comes with GCC for Windows.

• RCX Code

Language(s): RCX Code, a custom flowchart-based language

• ROBOLAB

Language(s): A flowchart language based on LabVIEW

Comment: This is the programming environment offered to schools who use MindStorms, supports the Lego Cam

• ROBOTC

Language(s): A multi-platform C programming language designed for the programmer in need of powerful debugging tools for the NXT, RCX, VEX, and soon-to-be FIRST Controller (for FRC).

Comment: ROBOTC gives you the ability to use a text-based language based off of the C programming language. It includes built-in debugger tools, as well as (but not limited to) code templates, Math/Trig operations (sin,cos,tan,asin,acos... etc), user-friendly auto-complete function built into the interface, built-in sample programs, and free preview of the online guide at ROBOTC dot net.

• SqLego

Language(s): Squeak[7]

• TclRCX

Language(s): Tcl

• Terrapin Logo

Language(s): LOGO

• TinyVM

Language(s): Java

• The Transterpreter

Language(s): occam

• Vision Command

Language(s): RCX Code

Comment: The official programming language for use with the Lego Cam

• XS

Language(s): Lisp

• LegoLog

Language(s): Prolog

URBI

Comment: Uses an NQC program to interpret commands send from the pc running the Prolog code

• PBrickDev

Language(s): PBrickDev, a flowchart based language.

Comment: Has more fuctionality than the RIS language, such as datalogs and subroutines/multithreading.

References

• Bagnall, Brian. Maximum LEGO® NXT: Building Robots with Java Brains Variant Press. 2007. ISBN 0-9738649-1-5
• Bagnall, Brian. Core LEGO® Mindstorms Prentice-Hall PTR. 2002. ISBN 0-13-009364-5
• Baum, Dave. Definitive Guide to LEGO® MINDSTORMS, 2nd ed. Apress. 2002. ISBN 1-59059-063-5.
• Erwin, Benjamin. Creative Projects with LEGO® Mindstorms (book and CD-ROM). Addison-Wesley. 2001. ISBN 0-201-70895-7.
• Ferrari et al. Building Robots With LEGO® Mindstorms: The Ultimate Tool for Mindstorms Maniacs. Syngress. 2001. ISBN 1-928994-67-9.

See also

Robotics Portal

• FIRST Lego League
• RoboCup Junior
• Legoscript
• Vex
• Big Trak
• iRobot Create
• LabVIEW
• Robofest
• Actor Lab

Image File history File links Animation2. ... The FIRST Lego League (also known by its acronym FLL) is a competition for elementary and middle school students (ages 9-14, 9-16 in Europe), arranged by the FIRST organization. ... RoboCup Junior is closely related to the RoboCup autonomous robotic soccer competition. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... // What is Vex FIRST Vex Challenge The FIRST Vex Challenge is a mid-level robotics competition announced by FIRST on March 22, 2005. ... BigTrak BIG TRAK / bigtrak was the programmable electric vehicle created by Milton Bradley in 1979. ... The iRobot Create is a hobbyist robot based on the Roomba platform and introduced in 2007. ... LabVIEW (short for Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench) is a platform and development environment for a visual programming language from National Instruments. ... Robofest Logo Robofest is a competition for 5-12 graders where a team of up to 5 members builds and programs 2 robots to complete multiple missions in 2 minutes autonomously. ... Linking with Actor Lab ActorLab is a program that visualizes the Lego Mindstorms RCX internal logic through visual flowcharts. ...

External links

• Official Lego Mindstorms (NXT)
• Official Robotics Invention System
• Lego Mindstorms at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)
• Mindstorms at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)