LEGO MINDSTORMS Mac Software Available Online

Some Mac users may have problems installing the LEGO MINDSTORMS software for their NXT 2.0 robot from the CD included in the package, so we have the software available for download.
This article is from the mindstorms website
MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 DOWNLOAD (642MB)


The link above will allow you to download a copy of the software for your set. You can either use your computer’s burning software to make a copy of the .ISO – the software should automatically recognize and prompt to burn it to a CD – or follow the steps below this link to proceed.

If you are on a Windows based machine:

1. Download Microsoft Virtual CD software here: http://goo.gl/rX4t

2. Run the VCdControlTool.exe program.

3. Select the downloaded .ISO image that you want to mount, and then click Open.

4. In Select Mount Options, click Ok.

5. The Autorun window should pop up and you can install normally by following the on screen instructions.

If the Autorun does not appear, open the virtual CD drive in My Computer and double click the “setup.exe”


If you are on an Apple Macintosh based machine:

1. Double click the downloaded file.

2. Right/Alternate click the .ISO file select ‘open with’

3. Browse to Disk Utility to mount disk image.

4. Run the Snow Leopard script file and the software will install automatically.


INSTALLING THE LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT SOFTWARE
Before you install LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software, please uninstall any previous version installed.

Administrator privileges are required when installing the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software.

Microsoft Windows

To install the Software run "Autorun.exe" on the CD-ROM and follow the on-screen instructions.

When installed you may need to restart your system. When the system has been restarted, double click the MINDSTORMS NXT Software icon on your desktop. This will start the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software.


Apple Macintosh

If you’re running on Leopard or Snow Leopard, please download the appropriate patch from:

http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/support/files/default.aspx#Patches

To install the Software double-click "Install" on the CD-ROM and follow the on-screen instructions.

When installed select Applications->LEGO Mindstorms NXT and click Mindstorms NXT. This will start the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software.


The first time you start the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software may take a couple of minutes. The start-up time will decrease the next time you launch the application.

LEGO MINDSTORMS featured in Megafactories

Megafactories, the TV channel of National Geographics in the United Kingdom, features a small footage on LEGO® MINDSTORMS that was filmed at LEGOWORLD 2010 in Zwolle:

Moonbots winners.

Hello,
The Moonbots Challenge has finished and here are the top three winners..
FIRST place: LegoAces
and their run:


SECOND place: Team Just Ducky
and their run:



THIRD place: Lunar Lords
and their run:

 

Interfacing Android with LEGO NXT

A guy called Richard has developed and interesting way to write things using an Andriod Phone. This is what he wrote:
Following the same theme as a lot of other recent posts, I have been doing a lot of Android development for my IB Computer Science class. Naturally, I continued to tie Android with the NXT. Initially, Bluetooth was not an option for our outdated G1 development phone*, so I developed this simple solution:

Just a simple solution! For when the situation arises that Bluetooth is not an option, or Arduino board interfacing is not available.

*Fortunately, the Bluetooth API's were back-ported for use on 1.6

Richard

FIRST Promotion video

This is a nice video summarizing the idea behind FIRST. The video features actor Morgan Freeman, FIRST founder Dean Kamen and President Obama.

NXT Swarmbot

There's a project by Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Academy (known as creators of the NXT programming language RobotC): swarm robots that are communicating via the NXTBee hardware by dexter Industries.

In the following video, the NXT robots collaborate to group around a leader robot:

More details can be found on the associated entry in the RobotC blog.

Lego Technic Solar Power walking robot

This post is one on a solar powered robot it uses the solar power to power the motor to make the robot walk.

NXT Tic Tac Toe player

Hi
This is a robot from the book "LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Thinking Robots" by Daniele Benedettelli. More details please visit: http://robotics.benedettelli.com/TRbook.htm
It works very well and as seen in the video is quite intelligent.

NXT Hand Puppet

Very cute and funny :)

GBC#5

This short GBC (or Great Ball Contraption) really caught my attention because of all the cool mechanical solutions and the NXT-Driven robot arm. It's really cool.

(earlier portions of this are here, and are absolutely amazing considering that there is no NXT or electronic intelligence involved. Another great mechanical implementation is here).

Mechnically (and, clearly, in terms of programming) this individual has done an amazing job. But even beyond that, they have a look that inspires.  Here is a user that manages to combine all those facets... and does it really well.

This robot was made by akiyuki.