Programming Lego Mindstorms NXT

Teach your robot new tricks! With this projects-based approach you can program your Mindstorms NXT robot to solve a maze, build a house, run an obstacle course, and many other activities. Along the way you will learn the basics of programming structures and techniques using NXT-G and Microsoft VPL.

For hobbyists, and students working on robot projects, Bishop provides the background and tools to program your robot for tasks that go beyond the simple routines provided with the robot kit. The programs range in complexity from simple contact avoidance and path following, to programs generating some degree of artificial intelligence

• a how-to guide for programming your robot, using NXT-G and Microsoft VPL
• ten robot-specific projects show how to extend your robot's capabilities beyond the manufacturer's provided software. Examples of projects include:
  Maze solver,
  Robot House Builder,
  Search (obstacle avoidance),
  Song and Dance Act
• flowcharts and data flow diagrams are used to illustrate how to develop programs
• introduces basic programming structures

Autorentext

Author of over 70 books, mostly electronic and many in the field of science education. Contributor to numerous electronic magazines such as Everyday Practical Electronics, Elektor Electronics, Electronics Australia and Electronics Today International. Former Science Education Advisor in developing countries as staff member of the British Council and as a part of the UN Educational and Scientific Organisation.

Inhalt

1 Robots come alive
2 Talking to your robot
3 How to ?
How to use sensors
How to control motors
How to process data
How to navigate the robot
How to make it intelligent
4 Visual Programming Language
5 Programming projects
10 programs in total.
For the QuickStart vehicle and/or the Tribot:
Maze solver, learning best path.
Use a marker pen to copy a drawing or sketch a picture.
Use a marker pen to write its name.
Play Nim against human opponent and learn to win.

For the Tribot:

Find and pick up a light-colored object; drop it in a dark corner, as a Squirrel might do.
A sort of ?roulette? game for those who like to gamble. Robot takes a randomly chosen path on a board marked with a numbered grid. Stops at random.

For the RoboArm:

Sort a pile of toy building bricks by color (using light sensor or color sensor).
Build a ?house? from toy bricks; then (optionally) knock it down!
Throw a ball into a cup, and learn to improve accuracy.
Play Scissors, Paper, Stone against human opponent and learn to win more often.
Play the Breakaway strategic board game against a human opponent.

For Spike:

Search for light-colored object, avoiding obstacles in its path (example of subsumption architecture.

For Alpha Rex:

Song and Dance Act: repeats if applauded, sulks if not.
Navigate using compass sensor.