View by:

Lego Mindstorms: Robot Building Made Easy

Monday, June 8th, 2009 – running time 23:03
Everyone knows LEGO's are fun and incredibly creative toys for kids to play with, but did you know you could also build robots? Ones that can you program and build to do almost any task. Find out how on today's Systm!

Building a robot requires many skills: metal working, soldering, drilling, and of course programming. It also means investing in the right tools and materials. It also requires a ton of trial and error as you piece your way through a build.

Sound like too much work? Or maybe too expensive? Want the fun of getting into robotics -and a solid introduction to robot programming without committing to most the above?

LEGO just might have the answer.

LEGO's Mindstorm NXT is a robotics kit that mixes the traditional LEGO bricks, Technics pieces, with sensors, motors and NXT programmable brick. Using the included pieces and a PC users can create any number of robotic creations. Dave, our resident robotics mavin, works full time for LEGO Education, and shares his insight to help you create your first robot using the Mindstorms NXT kit.

Highlights
high tech ( 15:51, 15:51 ) hard drive ( 8:23, 8:23 ) squarespace ( 0:44, 9:48, 9:53, 10:06, 10:24, 0:44, 9:48, 9:53, 10:06, 10:24 ) joomla ( 14:36, 14:36 ) high tech ( 15:51, 15:51 ) hard drive ( 8:23, 8:23 ) squarespace ( 0:44, 9:48, 9:53, 10:06, 10:24, 0:44, 9:48, 9:53, 10:06, 10:24 ) joomla ( 14:36, 14:36 )

Automatically Generated Transcript(may not be 100% accurate) ( more )

" Why don't cook. Larry I'm a little bit in second column went. For it -- in the Senate in -- up. The defense. --"

" But that is that the system is brought you by privatized radical indicate its newest action game. Squarespace. Godaddy.com. On the system up Matt Norton Simon -- those people when I -- I don't I don't I don't have giant piles of euros goes well I."

" Okay we both grew up and you -- it -- part of the Legos generation big giant banks of Legos equal joy. For every curly girl and boy and I hate to where we should actually point out that we're talking about -- storms and the robotics program from Leo when you have sort of a personal relationship with. I knew full disclaimer I'm I did not affect her ample time for Revision 3 as much as elective it you know -- My full time because. Because they give me access to check here. Michael Landau is in fact for -- education show I teach kids -- on California. How to use -- storms and everything for. Data logging temperatures you're just making robots walk and do cool things. It's pretty awesome so he's intimately familiar with Legos and it's true you if you call this phone you do."

" This is your -- and later education I'm not available to take a call right now peculiar name and phone number on your packet."

" It's it's just an entirely different version of view but after midnight you you have to be nice which is good but we're actually I mean. If you haven't been paying attention the last decade or -- Legos are not just piles of plastic breaks. They're not just piles of plastic bricks crafted and weird things like robot scenarios and story. Terrorists. You can make intelligent brakes now. Any intelligent -- actually is something a program with either your PC or your Mac. And start program and are historically many programs in fit. I'm and then run those programs so -- something he's. Just to make I'm thorough guy here. Perhaps such cute little. Then you can do it."

" maker let them. And it just a few minutes we'll actually build the soccer -- portion of this deceit and actual. -- Here's what this to him. Who actually gonna build an arm for this robot that will allow it to kick a soccer ball which actually is an -- don't realize that decision others."

" Does so that's the cool thing is is that it's actually going depict different colored soccer balls in this case. I'm a red versus people who soccer ball and it's only gonna take the Red -- also that it's into the actual robotics of the thing. Is tricking it into learning. So I thought we've got picked the biggest in the room to worship how easy it is to build his Legos and I would be well."

" Right they're in your mouth yeah this was an unscripted you just you just put him in here."

" So hold your -- goes in your --"

" The first thing we've gotta do is you gotta go through what's called the challenge pre and so the challenge brief says. If you've got a little video here I'm -- video shows what the robot is supposed to do. So here you can see the robot is supposed to roll up to the blue ball. At all and doesn't like the -- also makes a sound. Now we're gonna change rumored to put up to read -- rolls up to the red ball. As actually using range finding know when to stop so those aren't like laser beams that are causing death human touch com not only small children. Named Patrick. So another he's gonna challenge pre knowing you to building guy. Com and it you know Lagos are very easy to -- but you know somebody's about -- time consuming so we don't want to do the whole thing. Or indifferent to the motor module responded kicking -- So Patrick question caller our little instructions and we're gonna -- me."

" Follow those instructions you know take the great peace with the -- take what they call these. -- those of the black connectors the black connectors insert one black connectors and one of five whole. -- And are -- here next step and hand it over here it'll it'll say humans he's so horrified that I might actually start doing free form creation he's actually. -- I have to port. For -- going -- evaluating touching you lose him to really explain fighter and that's a problem one that's just six."

" one of our sponsors prototypes radical entertainment newest action game releases June ninth you play the prototype Alex Mercer you wake up but no memory of the past. Just mysterious powers and a link to account in Idaho. A viral epidemic is turned Manhattan into a war zone and more so than this and commute there. It's -- you navigate the streets with the need disguising abilities over the top locomotion and agility and user fast and in shape shifting skills and advance sensory powers to track your enemies and defend yourself. W the mysteries of your -- and the true nature of your power in your place in a conspiracy. Forty years in the making check it out of prototype gave dot com and please support system by supporting."

" Our sponsors that. Professional."

" So that's that's the big thing and even now. It is though -- Serbo so unlike standard -- parts. Which -- those tiny little black models introduced several times on the show. The light circles are a little bit longer and much pork yours of the deal with the kinds. Tort issues that we're going to be dealing. Also you still have of course polling techniques -- system so it's nice and easy to hear everything down. So out of your potential motive to hear about finished had a short users. Now -- got these cool little theory issues here. So mean personal Patrick Tor forties and think it's an."

" It's not but I like picking -- Patrick it's just it's so easy comes naturally."

" So you've built the physical robot based on the directions -- cable that all together and I notice the cable AUSB cable. That's right into your. Mac or in this case PC this must be how we get to programs -- it."

" Exactly it does have -- enough you can program wirelessly but. I'm a big fan of programming and I use he -- like hard cables it's a good option it's. It's great -- that looks vaguely familiar yes so if if anybody has used but something like Nationalists -- misled you it's actually lap view port. So for all those physicists. There views -- this is just significantly stripped down version of -- If you use things like -- object oriented mutual thing is exactly object oriented. So for those who use things like I Univision visual basic stuff like that it -- commitment whatever it's the same kind of thing. And it's all object oriented so if here you know an adult it's really easy. But if your little kid it's it's definitely easy because you're not -- music -- and stuff like that stamps -- little -- things and don't look like -- it is. Exactly intentional so it follows the later techniques kind of system click on so we want to grab like you can see Oliver icons here and they're they're grouped it in categories. Movements -- I put back in the first thing we're only a little in common and what you can see down here is port eight B and C and since we're using -- B and C. For hard drive motors and port eight. For our little. When he -- the ball in order to be we've selected since he automatically but we can see -- history to see and be -- selected and here I could -- me. And that would be you know good for is well. But right now we're gonna do. Is we're just gonna program motors DNC to dry it and here we can see it's going to drive unlimited and this is actually telling us. Com. How much power executive summary of 30%. And unlimited drives."

" and number have a sensor attached to this. Stealing 30% quote now 30% in fact revolutions 30% maximum power got."

" And that's you in the same kind of spirit of the population actually use another -- well. Came and they weren't. So now we're drag any B on a sensor tags here. Every change that if we look here the nice thing about programming language it's got little arrows and it tells you what to change so this is really the learning environment. And what we're gonna do is we're gonna change that to 22 centimeters."

" That -- what are the sponsors of today's episode square space here to tell you more would have risen -- as it turns Tyler. -- the viewers I'm Tyler our intern at Revision 3 I'm here to talk about Squarespace which is hands down my favorite publishing platform on the Internet. What I liked most about Squarespace is that it's fast and easy to use it's so easy you can build a site in three simple steps. One -- of modules pages features you want on your site. To pick one of the beautiful templates provided by Squarespace all made by professional designers. And three sit back and relax your website off set up to just play around add more content and enjoy. Congratulations you just save a ton of money by not hiring a web design your Internet -- just went up ten points. So what are you waiting for you can try for free right now it's Squarespace dot com and be sure to use the code system that SY ST -- when you sign up to get 10% off the life. Your membership."

" So it."

" That's your senators and so what's her so our sensor is twenty centimeters away from our final kicking sand we're gonna stop the robot. And basically so what I'm gonna do now is I'm going to. Click on the stopped direction here and you can actually see as you roll over them you know you get the forward backward. So we're stopping -- robot. And now we're gonna drag and a switch. It depends over to see here it's an hour going to set."

" It's he's written test and if it sees -- it does being."

" How old -- you are smart for -- So now I'm doing is I'm selecting it on our -- where we're giving it to you. And now this is the switch so this is -- decide what to do or what not to do. And just like before Rory had PNC for the drive motors now we only want to select me. For just. And so -- be is gonna go backwards. We're gonna go. The duration. Sixty degrees. And so here you can see that unlimited means just keep running. Or we can do it in degrees or number -- patients or for a number of seconds depending on what you're. Object might be depending on you know whatever kind of program and again aren't trimmed down powered 30%. They can see that you not only have dragon -- functionality. But really getting it tight he can do that you can do all this pretty much just using. -- Marx's."

" And certain now what I'm doing is actually I'm saying I'm telling the motor is that she's -- you know. Backwards sixty degrees from the wind up case you know when you pull -- throwing it forward. To buy it if we see -- what we're gonna do."

" If you're gonna pick silent and so now you can actually -- in. A sound file and we can actually. Play a sound or we can record -- that you all sorts of things and what we want if we want here because he that's that's."

" Enron and not all are very now. Any connection as you cycle through."

" You can hear the -- sound files. But case and I'm just finishing up the program what I'm doing is basically up here. If we if we see a certain light value of what we're gonna do is we're gonna hit that ball. And down here if we can see the wrong -- value. What we're gonna do is we're not kick the ball -- play -- sound we're gonna back up a wage from a ball."

" Then illustrate downloading that."

" Susan you -- indicated that actually yes you could actually see its its its progress and that compiling you're downloading complete. And and a big thing is where it really hot studio lights and has to be harder to do you know via."

" Like her to software files army can actually see -- that we can do lots of different software. Nothing programs on it in its history and what -- I'm sorry but an untitled which is one we've just run and we're gonna run it."

" to thank one of the sponsors of today's episode godaddy dot cops get reliable secure web hosting without the long term contract godaddy hosting plans are bigger and better than ever with 99% up time free 24 sevenths support and no annual commitment. Starting at less than five bucks a month web hosting from godaddy.com includes free access to the godaddy hosting connection it is deeply to quickly install over fifty free apps like word press Joomla Drupal as commerce -- lot more. Want to scored discount and and co exist five that's that's what advice -- you check out you'll save an additional ten dollars off any order of forty dollars or more. Or restrictions apply please see the site for details also featured check out revision3.com. Slash godaddy you'll find all the system godaddy -- and codes. He could pick the one that works best for you. He was a favorite your system get -- at godaddy that comedy is what those discounts that you'll support us by supporting them."

" So if you look at."

" This is actually connected life to the sensor right now so as I move this closer to the sensor. It actually is gonna change and gives her reading and so now we can see that you know this this is six centimeters away. 78 centimeters nine centimeters. Particular way attention every fifteen centimeters that's on -- summer and so what looks to be two eyes on the sonar. Is in fact not two eyes on -- on every one is the send module and -- up what sends out. The visit sonar and and the other one is what reads it as as the sound wave is coming back again you're not just limited eighty sensors in the cool thing is is now is company called high tech. "

" Which is coming out all these other sensors so what one of course I would like is the compass sensor which is actually digital compass which we'll give you need digital reading. And select compass sensor will tell you which way is north south east west and any -- degree there and so basically you can have your robot always going in north or always going fifteen degrees north or 45 degrees north and whatever. I want to anyone you know put on along with that is something like that gyro sensor. And so the gyro sensor will actually tell you -- rate you know so if the robot as falling it will tell you how fast is falling. I'm and it's a cool thing if you can use for things like data logging speaking of data logging there's a temperature sensor. What is the temperature sensor that he might just have to hit. Also it looks like a probe you know it is this is a very highly accurate. I'm digital thermometer. Which isn't just used for taking your own temperature -- sent temperatures one thing you can use it for is data logging. On and so one like the robots can go around the room and they can find the cold spots and the hot spots in the room so if you're really concerned with say you know how energy efficient here -- as you can actually. Have a minor structural but. Find the cold spots where hotspots in a winner. Things like that teachers and -- for."

" Why don't cook. Larry I'm a little bit in second column went. For it -- in the Senate in -- up. The defense. --"

" But that is that the system is brought you by privatized radical indicate its newest action game. Squarespace. Godaddy.com. On the system up Matt Norton Simon -- those people when I -- I don't I don't I don't have giant piles of euros goes well I."

" Okay we both grew up and you -- it -- part of the Legos generation big giant banks of Legos equal joy. For every curly girl and boy and I hate to where we should actually point out that we're talking about -- storms and the robotics program from Leo when you have sort of a personal relationship with. I knew full disclaimer I'm I did not affect her ample time for Revision 3 as much as elective it you know -- My full time because. Because they give me access to check here. Michael Landau is in fact for -- education show I teach kids -- on California. How to use -- storms and everything for. Data logging temperatures you're just making robots walk and do cool things. It's pretty awesome so he's intimately familiar with Legos and it's true you if you call this phone you do."

" This is your -- and later education I'm not available to take a call right now peculiar name and phone number on your packet."

" It's it's just an entirely different version of view but after midnight you you have to be nice which is good but we're actually I mean. If you haven't been paying attention the last decade or -- Legos are not just piles of plastic breaks. They're not just piles of plastic bricks crafted and weird things like robot scenarios and story. Terrorists. You can make intelligent brakes now. Any intelligent -- actually is something a program with either your PC or your Mac. And start program and are historically many programs in fit. I'm and then run those programs so -- something he's. Just to make I'm thorough guy here. Perhaps such cute little. Then you can do it."

" maker let them. And it just a few minutes we'll actually build the soccer -- portion of this deceit and actual. -- Here's what this to him. Who actually gonna build an arm for this robot that will allow it to kick a soccer ball which actually is an -- don't realize that decision others."

" Does so that's the cool thing is is that it's actually going depict different colored soccer balls in this case. I'm a red versus people who soccer ball and it's only gonna take the Red -- also that it's into the actual robotics of the thing. Is tricking it into learning. So I thought we've got picked the biggest in the room to worship how easy it is to build his Legos and I would be well."

" Right they're in your mouth yeah this was an unscripted you just you just put him in here."

" So hold your -- goes in your --"

" The first thing we've gotta do is you gotta go through what's called the challenge pre and so the challenge brief says. If you've got a little video here I'm -- video shows what the robot is supposed to do. So here you can see the robot is supposed to roll up to the blue ball. At all and doesn't like the -- also makes a sound. Now we're gonna change rumored to put up to read -- rolls up to the red ball. As actually using range finding know when to stop so those aren't like laser beams that are causing death human touch com not only small children. Named Patrick. So another he's gonna challenge pre knowing you to building guy. Com and it you know Lagos are very easy to -- but you know somebody's about -- time consuming so we don't want to do the whole thing. Or indifferent to the motor module responded kicking -- So Patrick question caller our little instructions and we're gonna -- me."

" Follow those instructions you know take the great peace with the -- take what they call these. -- those of the black connectors the black connectors insert one black connectors and one of five whole. -- And are -- here next step and hand it over here it'll it'll say humans he's so horrified that I might actually start doing free form creation he's actually. -- I have to port. For -- going -- evaluating touching you lose him to really explain fighter and that's a problem one that's just six."

" one of our sponsors prototypes radical entertainment newest action game releases June ninth you play the prototype Alex Mercer you wake up but no memory of the past. Just mysterious powers and a link to account in Idaho. A viral epidemic is turned Manhattan into a war zone and more so than this and commute there. It's -- you navigate the streets with the need disguising abilities over the top locomotion and agility and user fast and in shape shifting skills and advance sensory powers to track your enemies and defend yourself. W the mysteries of your -- and the true nature of your power in your place in a conspiracy. Forty years in the making check it out of prototype gave dot com and please support system by supporting."

" Our sponsors that. Professional."

" So that's that's the big thing and even now. It is though -- Serbo so unlike standard -- parts. Which -- those tiny little black models introduced several times on the show. The light circles are a little bit longer and much pork yours of the deal with the kinds. Tort issues that we're going to be dealing. Also you still have of course polling techniques -- system so it's nice and easy to hear everything down. So out of your potential motive to hear about finished had a short users. Now -- got these cool little theory issues here. So mean personal Patrick Tor forties and think it's an."

" It's not but I like picking -- Patrick it's just it's so easy comes naturally."

" So you've built the physical robot based on the directions -- cable that all together and I notice the cable AUSB cable. That's right into your. Mac or in this case PC this must be how we get to programs -- it."

" Exactly it does have -- enough you can program wirelessly but. I'm a big fan of programming and I use he -- like hard cables it's a good option it's. It's great -- that looks vaguely familiar yes so if if anybody has used but something like Nationalists -- misled you it's actually lap view port. So for all those physicists. There views -- this is just significantly stripped down version of -- If you use things like -- object oriented mutual thing is exactly object oriented. So for those who use things like I Univision visual basic stuff like that it -- commitment whatever it's the same kind of thing. And it's all object oriented so if here you know an adult it's really easy. But if your little kid it's it's definitely easy because you're not -- music -- and stuff like that stamps -- little -- things and don't look like -- it is. Exactly intentional so it follows the later techniques kind of system click on so we want to grab like you can see Oliver icons here and they're they're grouped it in categories. Movements -- I put back in the first thing we're only a little in common and what you can see down here is port eight B and C and since we're using -- B and C. For hard drive motors and port eight. For our little. When he -- the ball in order to be we've selected since he automatically but we can see -- history to see and be -- selected and here I could -- me. And that would be you know good for is well. But right now we're gonna do. Is we're just gonna program motors DNC to dry it and here we can see it's going to drive unlimited and this is actually telling us. Com. How much power executive summary of 30%. And unlimited drives."

" and number have a sensor attached to this. Stealing 30% quote now 30% in fact revolutions 30% maximum power got."

" And that's you in the same kind of spirit of the population actually use another -- well. Came and they weren't. So now we're drag any B on a sensor tags here. Every change that if we look here the nice thing about programming language it's got little arrows and it tells you what to change so this is really the learning environment. And what we're gonna do is we're gonna change that to 22 centimeters."

" That -- what are the sponsors of today's episode square space here to tell you more would have risen -- as it turns Tyler. -- the viewers I'm Tyler our intern at Revision 3 I'm here to talk about Squarespace which is hands down my favorite publishing platform on the Internet. What I liked most about Squarespace is that it's fast and easy to use it's so easy you can build a site in three simple steps. One -- of modules pages features you want on your site. To pick one of the beautiful templates provided by Squarespace all made by professional designers. And three sit back and relax your website off set up to just play around add more content and enjoy. Congratulations you just save a ton of money by not hiring a web design your Internet -- just went up ten points. So what are you waiting for you can try for free right now it's Squarespace dot com and be sure to use the code system that SY ST -- when you sign up to get 10% off the life. Your membership."

" So it."

" That's your senators and so what's her so our sensor is twenty centimeters away from our final kicking sand we're gonna stop the robot. And basically so what I'm gonna do now is I'm going to. Click on the stopped direction here and you can actually see as you roll over them you know you get the forward backward. So we're stopping -- robot. And now we're gonna drag and a switch. It depends over to see here it's an hour going to set."

" It's he's written test and if it sees -- it does being."

" How old -- you are smart for -- So now I'm doing is I'm selecting it on our -- where we're giving it to you. And now this is the switch so this is -- decide what to do or what not to do. And just like before Rory had PNC for the drive motors now we only want to select me. For just. And so -- be is gonna go backwards. We're gonna go. The duration. Sixty degrees. And so here you can see that unlimited means just keep running. Or we can do it in degrees or number -- patients or for a number of seconds depending on what you're. Object might be depending on you know whatever kind of program and again aren't trimmed down powered 30%. They can see that you not only have dragon -- functionality. But really getting it tight he can do that you can do all this pretty much just using. -- Marx's."

" And certain now what I'm doing is actually I'm saying I'm telling the motor is that she's -- you know. Backwards sixty degrees from the wind up case you know when you pull -- throwing it forward. To buy it if we see -- what we're gonna do."

" If you're gonna pick silent and so now you can actually -- in. A sound file and we can actually. Play a sound or we can record -- that you all sorts of things and what we want if we want here because he that's that's."

" Enron and not all are very now. Any connection as you cycle through."

" You can hear the -- sound files. But case and I'm just finishing up the program what I'm doing is basically up here. If we if we see a certain light value of what we're gonna do is we're gonna hit that ball. And down here if we can see the wrong -- value. What we're gonna do is we're not kick the ball -- play -- sound we're gonna back up a wage from a ball."

" Then illustrate downloading that."

" Susan you -- indicated that actually yes you could actually see its its its progress and that compiling you're downloading complete. And and a big thing is where it really hot studio lights and has to be harder to do you know via."

" Like her to software files army can actually see -- that we can do lots of different software. Nothing programs on it in its history and what -- I'm sorry but an untitled which is one we've just run and we're gonna run it."

" to thank one of the sponsors of today's episode godaddy dot cops get reliable secure web hosting without the long term contract godaddy hosting plans are bigger and better than ever with 99% up time free 24 sevenths support and no annual commitment. Starting at less than five bucks a month web hosting from godaddy.com includes free access to the godaddy hosting connection it is deeply to quickly install over fifty free apps like word press Joomla Drupal as commerce -- lot more. Want to scored discount and and co exist five that's that's what advice -- you check out you'll save an additional ten dollars off any order of forty dollars or more. Or restrictions apply please see the site for details also featured check out revision3.com. Slash godaddy you'll find all the system godaddy -- and codes. He could pick the one that works best for you. He was a favorite your system get -- at godaddy that comedy is what those discounts that you'll support us by supporting them."

" So if you look at."

" This is actually connected life to the sensor right now so as I move this closer to the sensor. It actually is gonna change and gives her reading and so now we can see that you know this this is six centimeters away. 78 centimeters nine centimeters. Particular way attention every fifteen centimeters that's on -- summer and so what looks to be two eyes on the sonar. Is in fact not two eyes on -- on every one is the send module and -- up what sends out. The visit sonar and and the other one is what reads it as as the sound wave is coming back again you're not just limited eighty sensors in the cool thing is is now is company called high tech. "

" Which is coming out all these other sensors so what one of course I would like is the compass sensor which is actually digital compass which we'll give you need digital reading. And select compass sensor will tell you which way is north south east west and any -- degree there and so basically you can have your robot always going in north or always going fifteen degrees north or 45 degrees north and whatever. I want to anyone you know put on along with that is something like that gyro sensor. And so the gyro sensor will actually tell you -- rate you know so if the robot as falling it will tell you how fast is falling. I'm and it's a cool thing if you can use for things like data logging speaking of data logging there's a temperature sensor. What is the temperature sensor that he might just have to hit. Also it looks like a probe you know it is this is a very highly accurate. I'm digital thermometer. Which isn't just used for taking your own temperature -- sent temperatures one thing you can use it for is data logging. On and so one like the robots can go around the room and they can find the cold spots and the hot spots in the room so if you're really concerned with say you know how energy efficient here -- as you can actually. Have a minor structural but. Find the cold spots where hotspots in a winner. Things like that teachers and -- for."