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

Monopoly Assistant

Anika Vuurzoon has made a Monopoly assistant.
It can store the money and be a die as well.
More info on her site which also has the programming and building here.
The program can be also found here

Bottle Opener

Bottle Opener

 

Festo Collection

Here is a collection of robots made by the German Company Festo.
Not NXT, but it may inspire some of you to make something similar.

 

Voice Control Wheelchair

I have found a voice controlled wheelchair, which uses the sound sensor for the first NXT set and some RobotC programming. It is able to tell the difference between a "dit" and a "dah" kind of like the morse code.
Then is sends a signal with a NXTBee sensor to the wheelchair top make it move around.
Here is a video explaining the wheelchair.
 

Robot Virtual Word

Robot virtual words, is an simulated environment in which you can program your NXT.
One of the great things about RVW, is that you can write programs in RobotC, test them out on a virtual robot in the simulator first before testing on a real robot.  A very handy tool to have especially if you're using it in a classroom where you only have a limited number of robots to go around.

The new update includes handy features such as;

• Measuring tables - virtual table tops where you can calculate how far a robot travels based on wheel circumference
• Light Sensor testing tables - As your robot drives across these virtual tables, the sensor will give actual readings depending on the colour 
• New Navigation challenges - Billiards and Mini-Golf

 
You can get a 60 day trial download from here if you want to check it out - http://www.robotc.net/download/rvw/

Single licence is $49 for a year, with costs coming down if you getting enough licences for a classrom.

Bonus Models

Here are the (so far) 11 bonus models to build for the NXT 2.0
http://robotsquare.com/2012/03/03/tutorial-official-bonus-models/#11
It's a good way to get ideas, and start off if you just bought the set.
#1M.O.R.P.H
I'll have to say this is one of the more complicated builds and programs.
#2Llama
This one is easier than others, and also very entertaining for younger children.
#3Manty
Also quite simple, but very fun and children may also like this one
#4StoneHenge
More complicated build and program.
#5Segway with rider
Easier build, programs pretty simple too.
#6NXTitzki
Children like this one, a little harder than Manty and Llama, but easy programming.
#7ArchFish
Another kid-friendly build, simple and fun
#8TriPod
More serious build, but interesting and pretty simple
#9MindCuber
Great build for those who want thier rubix cubes solved. Complicated build and program
#10Pinball
Simple and fun build.
#11Color programmable car
Easy build, more complicated programming.
Videos:
Here are some videos done on the NXT
Not all of these videos where done by the maker of the Models

1# M.O.R.P.H

2# Llama

3# Manty

4# Stonehenge

5# Segway with Rider

6# NXTitzki

8# Tripod

9# MindCuber

10# Pinball

 

MindCuber solves VoidCube

"MindCuber can be seen here solving the Void Cube. It is essentially
a Rubik's Cube with holes through the center of each face, which makes
it slightly more complex to solve. The description on the video itself
says a little more

Cambridge NXT Robots

Scientists at Cambridge University used LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robots to automate the creation of artificial bone-like structures. Understandably, they report that NXT robots proved to be much easier to set up and vastly more economical than more high-tech solutions. Other Science Research entities have reported the same bonus this toolkit has provided over the years and its not over by a long-shot. Cambridge's NXT research aid is featured in this video for the 2012 Google Science Fair.
 

NXT Beer Machine

This machine servers 2 kinds of Dutch Beers, cools them down to perfect drinking temperature and open it.

It should also work with soft drinks too

New Compass Sensor from Dexter Industries

Dexter Industries have come out with another sensor for the NXT, this time a compass.

A compass is an excellent way of figuring out which way your robot is pointing.  Especially handy for things like navigating around or playing a game of robot soccer!

This particular one can measure along 3 axis (so I guess that means heading as well as tilt?)

As with all compass sensors, you need to be very careful around other magnetic fields (power cables, motors etc) but according to the manual, you can do some calibration to reduce any offset from true north.

At $29, it's one of the cheaper sensors available for the NXT :)

More details including code samples for NXT-G, RobotC and Labview can be found here.

http://dexterindustries.com/dCompass.html