MindStorms EV3

There is huge news coming out of the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with LEGO unveiling the next generation of their LEGO Robotics lineup.  This new product, designated EV3, has been released to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the launch of the first MINDSTORMS product.

There are 5 fantastic looking models with instructions straight out of the box (mohawk looks really cool),but just as with the NXT and the RCX before it, you are only limited by your imagination.  Building instructions that come with the kit are in 3D format, so you can virtually zoom and rotate them to figure out exactly where each piece goes! :)

It looks like on-brick programming has been considerably expanded, which means you can do plenty of programming without the need of a computer.

This new version boasts updated hardware, sensors and software

EV3 Intelligent Brick

• Stronger and faster ARM9 robotic processor
• Embedded 16MB FLASH memory
• 64 MB RAM plus SD expansion slot
• LINUX operating system, released under open source 
• USB 2.0 interface allows for WiFi connectivity 
• 4 input ports / 4 output ports allow up to four intelligent bricks to be connected together
• Matrix display with loudspeaker 
• Building-compatible button interface with status indication
• Enhanced on-brick programming
• Bluetooth ® v2.1  
• iOS and Android compatible

Hardware

• 3 Interactive Servo Motors: 2 large and 1 medium 
• 1 Touch Sensor
• New IR Seeker Sensor measures distance, movements and detects objects 
• New IR Beacon remotely controls robot from up to 6 feet away 
• Improved Color Sensor detects 6 colors plus the absence of color
• Backwards-compatible with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT
• Assortment of 594 LEGO TECHNIC® elements for easy, more stable building with improved functionality and movement capabilities

Programming Software

• Downloadable software is PC and Mac compatible 
• Icon-based drag and drop environment for “building” programs with new interactive content that helps de-bug programming
• Ability to zoom out on bigger programs facilitates creation of parallel executions, arrays and other advanced concepts

Currently listed as available in the latter half of 2013 with a suggested retail price of US$349.

More info here - www.LEGO.com/mindstorms
 There is a educational version in the pipeline, with more info being posted here as it's released. www.LEGOeducation.us/MINDSTORMS

Stay tuned!  We'll be updating as we get more info.  Fingers crossed we'll get some real life shots from the demos being done in Las Vegas.

What are your initial thoughts?  Let us know in the comments.

Automatic Bridge-Layer

This is a pretty cool video on a NXT automatic-bridge layer.
It places the birdge down, drives over it the picks it up again.
In their description it says how they went about to make it.

Lego Anniversary Video

This is a Video that show the history of Lego for their 80th Anniversary
 
Enjoy!

Grab and Lift

This person has created a grab and lift mechanism with one motor.

Turing Machine

In honor of Alan Turing's 100th Birthday, two scientists at the Dutch CWI have build a turing machine with NXT.

Grey November

Captain Greybeard was challenged to make a Lego Mindstorms Submarine.First he made a normal hull out of technic beams and placed the NXT sealed in a plastic bag.
With the bag he could watch the display and control the buttons needed... and the cables for the motors and sensorsare sealed at the seam of the bag to sael it tight
it is also possible to charge the NXT after sealing
Here is the result of his work..
Captain says.."I built two submarine, Grey November Mark I and Grey November Mark II ...
The first sub is equipped with a compas sensor and a color sensor (for signaling it's state to the outside) and the second one with a compas sensor and an IRseeker.
When my subs returned from Portugal I want to try that the second sub will follow the first automatically. For that purpose I will attach an IR ball to the first submarines!"

Microcuber

David Gilday, the creator of the Cubestormer has created a new cube solver, the Microcuber.
It is arguably the world's first robot that can solve the Microbic, a miniscule version of the Rubik's Cube.

Moonbots 2012

A while ago, the X Prize foundation and the Lego Group announce the  MoonBots 2012: A Google Lunar X PRIZE LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Challenge:


  

Lotto NXT

A new bonus model was released!

Now you can play bingo without anyone cheating, only Lottobot knows the number.

  

You can find building instructions and NXT-G programming here

Mindy Mindstorms

Mindy Mindstorms is a NXTfied Lego creation.
More info can be found here

Mo