« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Lego Mindstorms  (Read 7315 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Michael_Lee

  • LV9 Veteran (Next: 1337)
  • *********
  • Posts: 1019
  • Rating: +124/-9
    • View Profile
Lego Mindstorms
« on: September 06, 2011, 01:56:04 pm »
My local robotics club thought it would be cool (well, I thought it would be cool, and pushed the idea) to buy several sets of Lego Mindstorms (or something similar) so that newcomers could gain some experience playing and building stuff with them.

I'm currently in the process of researching what kind of kit would be best, but because I'm really new to this, I wanted to get some suggestions on what we should look into purchasing, and if there are any better alternatives to Lego Mindstorms.  Ideally, it should be a fairly versatile and large kit so we aren't limited to building only a few things, and needs to be programmable.

Suggestions?  ;D
Logged
My website: Currently boring.

Projects:
Axe Interpreter
   > Core: Done
   > Memory: Need write code to add constants.
   > Graphics: Rewritten.  Needs to integrate sprites with constants.
   > IO: GetKey done.  Need to add mostly homescreen IO stuff.
Croquette:
   > Stomping bugs
   > Internet version: On hold until I can make my website less boring/broken.

Offline Spyro543

  • LV9 Veteran (Next: 1337)
  • *********
  • Posts: 1189
  • Rating: +74/-3
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2011, 01:59:56 pm »
I want Lego Mindstorms so much...
Logged

Offline Juju

  • Incredibly sexy mare
  • Coder Of Tomorrow
  • LV13 Extreme Addict (Next: 9001)
  • *************
  • Posts: 5730
  • Rating: +500/-19
  • Weird programmer
    • View Profile
    • juju2143's shed
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2011, 02:08:13 pm »
My school has 10 boxes of Mindstorms RCX, it's kinda fun, and it comes with a graphic programming language. It's rather nice for newbies, I recommend it, but if you want more features you can go with the NXT.
Logged

Remember the day the walrus started to fly...

I finally cleared my sig after 4 years you're happy now?
THEGAME
This signature is ridiculously large you've been warned.

The cute mare that used to be in my avatar is Yuki Kagayaki, you can follow her on Facebook and Tumblr.

Offline Builderboy

  • Physics Guru
  • CoT Emeritus
  • LV13 Extreme Addict (Next: 9001)
  • *
  • Posts: 5673
  • Rating: +613/-9
  • Would you kindly?
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2011, 05:31:19 pm »
NXT is the way to go, it is programmable in java, has 3 motors that can be controlled with high precision, 4 sensor inputs including touch, light, sound, and distance, and has a variety of awesome things to build ^^  We played around with NXT robots in my computer programming class, and we built things like dragsters, sumo bots, and so much more ^^
Logged

Offline leafy

  • CoT Emeritus
  • LV10 31337 u53r (Next: 2000)
  • *
  • Posts: 1554
  • Rating: +475/-97
  • Seizon senryakuuuu!
    • View Profile
    • keff.me
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2011, 06:10:53 pm »
I kinda liked the original lego mindstorms RCX over the NXT, since you could hack it to run NQC and make your own homebrew sensors.
Logged
In-progress: Graviter (...)

Offline Builderboy

  • Physics Guru
  • CoT Emeritus
  • LV13 Extreme Addict (Next: 9001)
  • *
  • Posts: 5673
  • Rating: +613/-9
  • Would you kindly?
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2011, 06:15:15 pm »
I ran NQC on my RCX ^^ Freakin Smart!
Logged

Offline fb39ca4

  • LV10 31337 u53r (Next: 2000)
  • **********
  • Posts: 1749
  • Rating: +60/-3
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2011, 06:45:31 pm »
If I remember, NQC compiles down to the same bytecode as the Lego software. There is also a version of it for the NXT, Not eXactly C if anyone is interested, it works in the same way.
The RCX can also be programmed in C(++), Pascal, and Java, so it is also quite flexible, it just has slower hardware.
Logged

Offline Michael_Lee

  • LV9 Veteran (Next: 1337)
  • *********
  • Posts: 1019
  • Rating: +124/-9
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2011, 06:50:23 pm »
Cool, thanks for the suggestions.

So... RCX is more flexible then NXT, but is slower?

Just to check, both of them DO support C++ (or a C-like language), right?  With OOP and everything?
Logged
My website: Currently boring.

Projects:
Axe Interpreter
   > Core: Done
   > Memory: Need write code to add constants.
   > Graphics: Rewritten.  Needs to integrate sprites with constants.
   > IO: GetKey done.  Need to add mostly homescreen IO stuff.
Croquette:
   > Stomping bugs
   > Internet version: On hold until I can make my website less boring/broken.

Offline fb39ca4

  • LV10 31337 u53r (Next: 2000)
  • **********
  • Posts: 1749
  • Rating: +60/-3
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2011, 06:57:52 pm »
Yeah, there are C and C++ compilers for both, I know the RCX has a 16mhz H8 cpu and I think the NXT has an ARM one.
Logged

Offline Michael_Lee

  • LV9 Veteran (Next: 1337)
  • *********
  • Posts: 1019
  • Rating: +124/-9
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2011, 07:11:15 pm »
Sweet!

Question:  would about 2 months be a reasonable timeframe to build a fairly complex robot?  We're considering introducing the kits sometime in October, and having a mini-competition (just within our club) in December.

Also...

*Michael crosses his fingers in hope

Is there a Python interpreter/compiler for either of them?
I have to admit, I'm a bit of a Python fanboy ;D
« Last Edit: September 07, 2011, 07:11:28 pm by Michael_Lee »
Logged
My website: Currently boring.

Projects:
Axe Interpreter
   > Core: Done
   > Memory: Need write code to add constants.
   > Graphics: Rewritten.  Needs to integrate sprites with constants.
   > IO: GetKey done.  Need to add mostly homescreen IO stuff.
Croquette:
   > Stomping bugs
   > Internet version: On hold until I can make my website less boring/broken.

Offline fb39ca4

  • LV10 31337 u53r (Next: 2000)
  • **********
  • Posts: 1749
  • Rating: +60/-3
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2011, 07:12:28 pm »
I think there's one that converts python to NXC on the NXT, you should take a look at that.
Logged

Offline Builderboy

  • Physics Guru
  • CoT Emeritus
  • LV13 Extreme Addict (Next: 9001)
  • *
  • Posts: 5673
  • Rating: +613/-9
  • Would you kindly?
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2011, 07:23:59 pm »
And 2 months should be plenty of time to build a very complex robot, especially with a team.  I've built complex robots before in less time by myself ^^
Logged

Offline fb39ca4

  • LV10 31337 u53r (Next: 2000)
  • **********
  • Posts: 1749
  • Rating: +60/-3
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2011, 07:33:55 pm »
You could also look at Vex, which is more advanced, but that happens to be more expensive and you can't just drag out your box of Legos if you need more spare parts.
Logged

Offline Hayleia

  • Programming Absol
  • Coder Of Tomorrow
  • LV12 Extreme Poster (Next: 5000)
  • ************
  • Posts: 3367
  • Rating: +393/-7
    • View Profile
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2011, 01:05:59 pm »
(necropost ?)
Sorry for being interested in that thread only now, but my parents may buy some for Christmas :D

So is it sure that the NXT supports C++ (so my sister can learn me >:D) ?

What is NQC ?

I didn't understand, does the NXT support it (NQC) or something similar ?
« Last Edit: December 14, 2011, 01:07:18 pm by Hayleia »
Logged
I own: 83+ ; 84+SE ; 76.fr ; CX CAS ; Prizm ; 84+CSE
Sorry if I answer with something that seems unrelated, English is not my primary language and I might not have understood well. Sorry if I make English mistakes too.

click here to know where you got your last +1s

Offline Juju

  • Incredibly sexy mare
  • Coder Of Tomorrow
  • LV13 Extreme Addict (Next: 9001)
  • *************
  • Posts: 5730
  • Rating: +500/-19
  • Weird programmer
    • View Profile
    • juju2143's shed
Re: Lego Mindstorms
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2011, 03:08:15 pm »
I think it supports C++ indeed, and NQC is Not Quite C, so it's something that looks like C, but made for the NXT I think.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2011, 03:08:21 pm by Juju »
Logged

Remember the day the walrus started to fly...

I finally cleared my sig after 4 years you're happy now?
THEGAME
This signature is ridiculously large you've been warned.

The cute mare that used to be in my avatar is Yuki Kagayaki, you can follow her on Facebook and Tumblr.
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »