Lego Mindstorms NXT

Lego Mindstorms NXT is a control computer to the product line Lego Mindstorms. He has connections for multiple sensors and actuators, as well as USB and Bluetooth interfaces. The computer can be programmed using special programming on the PC. The NXT was launched in early 2006 at the Fair Consumer Electronics Show in October 2006 and is available in Germany.

  • 7.1 Alternative Programming
  • 7.2 Remote programming
  • 7.3 Development Environments
  • 7.4 Simulation environments
  • 7.5 successor system Mindstorms EV3

Special Features

The main features are an ARM processor as well as newly developed noise and ultrasonic sensors. In addition, a so -equipped robots can be controlled remotely with a mobile phone or a computer via Bluetooth. Furthermore, it is possible to use a vehicle equipped with a camera cell phone as a camera sensor. The required software can be downloaded from the LEGO Mindstorms site. Documentation, software updates, software developer kit (SDK ) and the source code of the firmware ( as of December 2006), there can also be found.

Versions

The Mindstorms NXT Set ( 8527, standard version) is available since October 2006 in Germany. Meanwhile, the 2.0 version of the NXT system is available with the 8547 set. In these versions of the software included in the set. There is also the Education Base Set ( 9797 ), which is optimized particularly for the school day version in a robust plastic box. The software must be here, in contrast to the other versions, to be purchased separately.

On January 7, 2013 LEGO introduced at CES before the successor system Mindstorms EV3, which motor and sensor compatibility has with the NXT. In addition, compared with the NXT ultrasonic replaced by an infrared distance sensor and added a gyro sensor. The new model came in September 2013 on the market.

Basic equipment

The Lego Mindstorms NXT set includes:

  • A programmable NXT brick with 32- bit microprocessor, real sound speakers, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, four sensors and three motor connections,
  • Three servo motors with built-in rotation sensors, accurate to 1 °
  • A ( NXT 1.0) or 2 ( NXT 2.0) push-buttons ( image )
  • Ultrasonic sensor ( image ) It can measure the distance between itself and an object. The measuring range is between 6 cm and 255 cm.
  • Light sensor ( image ) ( NXT 1.0 ) or color sensor ( NXT 2.0)
  • Sound sensor ( image ) (only NXT 1.0)
  • Seven 6- wire cable ( including 1x 20cm, 35cm 4x and 2x 50cm)
  • 619 Lego technology elements
  • Search for Manuals
  • Test-/Kalibrierungsunterlage
  • NXT -G, a graphical integrated development environment for the operating systems Windows and Mac OS X
  • USB cable.

The included programming environment NXT -G v1.0 was developed in collaboration with National Instruments and is based on the graphical programming language LabVIEW. Since December 5, 2006 a special Toolkit, is available, with which the programming also can be made directly in LabVIEW from version 7.1. In the meantime published NXT -G v2.1 is a direct programming in LabVIEW is no longer possible.

Hardware specifications of the NXT brick

  • Coprocessor: Atmel 8- bit AVR ATmega48; 4 KB of Flash memory, 512 bytes of RAM, 8 MHz
  • Bluetooth: CSR BlueCore 4 v2.0 EDR; supports the Serial Port Profile (SPP ), 26 MHz
  • USB 2.0 port, 12 Mbit / s
  • 3 motor outputs with feedback channel
  • Combined 4 sensor inputs, analog and digital (I ² C)
  • The fourth input can be used as high-speed port, according to IEC 61158 Type 4/EN 50170, be used
  • Dot matrix LC display; 100 × 64 pixels, Dimensions: 26 × 40.6 mm
  • Sound output with 8 -bit resolution and a sampling rate of 2 to 16 kHz
  • Open source firmware.

Connection cable

The current NXT Basic Pack ( Set 8547 ) and the extension kit ( set 9695 ) together seven NXT connection cable. ( Set 8547: 7x cable, Set 9695: no cable )

It is a six -wire cable with an RJ12 type connector. The only difference to a RJ12 connector is that the connection tab sits at the side and not centered.

There are also adapter cable ( Set 8528 ) to the old connection cables of the RCX. To follow all the analog sensors on the RCX ( predecessor of the NXT ) can be used, but will be noted in the standard programming environment " NXT -G " a (free) update needed so that the sensors can be addressed.

Assignment of the socket

Accessories

All sensors and the NXT brick itself are also available separately.

  • Set 8529 contains seven NXT connection cable; than 20 cm, 35 cm four times, twice 50 cm
  • Set 8528 contains three adapter for RCX motors and sensors
  • Set 9797 The educational ( 431 parts) of the Mindstorms NXT sets since 07 /2010 contains a 2100- mAh lithium -ion battery and three adapter cable for the connection of lamps and older motors and sensors, Lego art elements. The software must be purchased separately, but is also an extended version of School: . LEGO 2000080 It contains a Robot Educator (Learning programs with 3D animations), DATA Logging ( data acquisition ).

In addition, there are now a variety of sensors from other companies that are not directly supported by the NXT -G. LEGO offers now but an update for NXT -G on, with which one can incorporate blocks of these sensors.

Occupies a special position here HiTechnic the company, which officially cooperates with LEGO since 17 September 2007. HiTechnic has received permission to use the official body of LEGO sensors. In addition, LEGO sells these sensors now itself following sensors from HiTechnic were added to the program of LEGO:

  • Infrared seeker
  • Gyro sensor
  • Color sensor
  • Acceleration sensor
  • Compass sensor
  • Temperature sensor
  • EOPD sensor

Lego also sells the RFID sensor from Codatex

Programming

In addition to the information provided by Lego graphics-based programming environment NXT -G, which is supplied with built-in step -by-step programming instructions for all basic functionalities, there is a variety of alternative programming options.

Alternative programming languages

Alternative programming languages ​​allow you to write your own programs and compile the NXT -G programs run as directly on the NXT. Part of this is a custom firmware to use, in part, the original firmware still be used.

  • NBC (Next Byte Code ) is a language with assembler - like syntax
  • NXC ( Not Exactly C), a language with C- like syntax
  • leJOS, a Java operating system for NXT and RCX
  • NxtOSEK, a real-time operating system, which allows the only the native execution of the C and C code
  • PbLua, a Lua implementation
  • RobotC, sold by Robotics Academy language with a style similar to C syntax
  • LabVIEW, LabVIEW Toolkit for LEGO MIND STORM NXT
  • Enchanting, A system based on Scratch / BYOB toolkit used Lejos as firmware for NXT
  • Nxt, a developed for Microsoft Touch Develop library to program the NXT directly on the Windows Phone

Remote programming

For remote programming libraries for programming languages ​​are offered, which can remote control the NXT via Bluetooth or USB connection. The program itself runs here at the remote controlling computer. These include, among others:

  • MindSqualls, a program library for. NET to develop programs to remotely control the NXT via Bluetooth
  • AForge.NET, a program library contains similar MindSqualls
  • Mono Brick, a LEGO Mindstorms communication # which allows to develop programs which remotely control library in C the NXT via Bluetooth or USB connection
  • RWTH - Mindstorms NXT Toolbox library (as well as documentation and examples ) to control the NXT from MATLAB via Bluetooth or USB
  • MIT App Inventor (formerly "Google App Inventor " ), allows the development of programs for the Android operating system and also provides components that allow the NXT can be controlled remotely via Bluetooth

Development environments

  • BricxCC ( Bricx Command Center ), development environment for NXC and NBC
  • Microsoft Robotics Studio 1.5, Visual development environment and 3D test environment for various hardware platforms (including Lego NXT Toms Minds )
  • ROBOLAB from version 2.9
  • Tuxminds, visual development environment for diverse hardware platforms ( Lego, Asuro, ...)

Simulation environments

  • SimLejos, Three-dimensional simulation environment for the Java operating system leJOS
  • Virtual Worlds, simulation environment for the programming language for NXT RobotC

Successor system Mindstorms EV3

On January 7, 2013 Lego presented at Consumer Electronics Show a new Mindstorms system called EV3, the first official announcement comes from 04:01. EV3 is a further development (evolution ) of the LEGO Mindstorms NXT system

  • According to a blog post of 27 October 2013, the embedded version runs emDebian/ev3dev Debian 7 ( Wheezy ) on the EV3.

Competitions

The Lego Mindstorms system, various competitions are such as the World Robot Olympiad in dispute. A regularly taking place competition for students, which will be held in different parts of the world, is the First Lego League. More competitions are eg the RoboCup or RoboRace the University of Stuttgart.

Swell

ARM architecture Servomotor I²C Lego Mindstorms#RCX .NET Framework
505274
de