LEgoBOTS TNA

Monday, October 10, 2011

New NXT screen

This time its a touch screen that appears to be placed over the NXT screen

It looks like the sensor will return the position of where a stylus is pressed (I'm assuming that this means it is resistive rather than capacitive) and might have some space where you can print out your own button decals to place underneath it.

More info over at botbench - http://botbench.com/blog/2011/10/05/coming-soon-mindsensors-touch-panel-sensor/

According to the Mindsensors 'Coming Soon' page it will be shipping by the end of the month. (Although they don't state which month :D )

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Lego Cuusoo

In case you do not know it yet (admittedly, I didn't until recently): some time ago, LEGO® has set up an exciting web project, called LEGO® CUUSOO.

If you got an idea for a new model, share it there. In case it gets at least 10.000 supporters, LEGO® will review it and maybe produce it as an official product (with you receiving royalties).

LEGO® CUUSOO is still in beta state, but check it out!

NXTLog new building Challenge

It has been a while since the last one, but there is finally another building challenge at NXTlog! This one sounds fun, dig up your NXT and get building!

"It’s been four years since NXTLOG has hosted a spooky Halloween challenge, and it’s time to get boo-ilding! Will you design a robot to dispense candy in a helpful way, or one that “tricks” you when you go to grab a “treat?” How about a robot that shows what your costume would be, or one that can carve a jack-o-lantern, or even a fright bot representing a classic Halloween icon, character, monster, or beast! There's no limit on amount of Spooktacular ideas there are or the amount of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT sensors, motors, NXT programmable bricks, HiTechnic sensors, or Bluetooth communication you can use on your NXT Halloween Bot. All entries must be tagged "spooktacular." Entries must be submitted by Halloween! October 31, 2011. What will boo, um we mean "you" make?"
JUDGING CRITERIA
"Awards will be given in 3 areas. Award winners will be featured on LEGO

MINDSTORMS News. 1) SPOOKTACULAR AWARD: This will be the Halloween robot that is so spectacular, so creative, and innovative that it spooks the judges silly! 2) THE TRICKSTER: This award will go to the trickiest robot on Halloween night. 3) THE TREAT: This award will go to the most iconic Halloween robot. How much does your robot really say, “Halloween?”"
Read more here

Monday, October 3, 2011

Omnibot

I have found a pretty cool robot built with Omniwheels.

The Ultrasonic Revealed

Xander over at Bot Bench has decided to take to another sensor with his sharp knife, in this case the Ultrasonic Sensor.

See all the gory details here: http://botbench.com/blog/2011/09/21/exposed-lego-ultrasonic-sensor/

NXT Warehouse

TheNiels17 has made a fantastic automated warehouse system.

There are 9 bays, each identified by a 3x3 matrix. Each is identified by a 2 colour combination, so Blue:Green is row 1:column 2, Yellow:Green is row 3, column 2 etc

By assembling a little 'swipe' card with the various colours,you can tell the robot what space you are referring to. You can also tell the robot if it needs to place the 'palette' (white code) or pick the palette (black) code.

So a Green:White:Yellow swipe means - Place the palette at location 2:3
and a Yellow:Black:Blue swipe means - Pick the palette from location 3:1

Of course he's implemented error checking so you can place a palette in an occupied space and you pick a palette if there is nothing there in the first place. Just totop it all off, there is a random function to place a palette in a random, unoccupied spot.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Automating testing of an iPad App

Not exactly NXT, but it's younger sibling the RCX (who remembers those?)

These guys needed to test their iPad app by taking 10,000 photos. Either it's an *incredibly* boring job, or you build a robot to do it for you :)

Interfacing Android with LEGO NXT: Compass

Here is another example for using Android with your NXT

Here is another proof of concept to show Bluetooth communication between Android phone and NXT. It used the accelerometer and magnetic field sensors on the Android phone to calculate its compass heading, and used Bluetooth to send that information to the NXT. While this is not as stable as Brian Davis' Jenn Too, mostly due to magnetic interference from the NXT messing with the compass, it definitely shows the potential Android phones have acting as on-board sensors for autonomous robots.