NXT Simulation

A reader, Hugo Vivier, has told me about a very cool program that simulates the NXT on the computer. Here's what he says.

I would like to share something interesting with LEGO NXT Mindstorms and the MS Robotics Developer Studio, it is a package which contains a 3D simulation of the TRIBOT.

You can use this package to practice with 3D robotic simulation.

The MSRDS will allow you to design programs that you will be able to test both on your computer (in the simulated version) and on your real Tribot, via the package interface.

Almost all the sensors are implemented in the simulation.

Demo programs and tutorials are already done, you can also control your robot with a Xbox pad if you have one.

For the moment, only the TRIBOT is available, but if people discuss about new robots on the forum, maybe we will create new ones.

The Simply Sim website

Xmas Xpress

A lot of kids like to put a miniature electric train around their xmas trees. We have one and we would like it, BUT... The track always comes apart so it barely ever works. So I made a line follower instead. I know the train cars are kind of ridiculous, but I really don't like building LEGO trains.

FLL Regionals!

Whew. We just went to our FIRST LEGO League regional competition and it went pretty well! Overview:
Technical Judging: Great!
Teamwork: OK
Presentation: Pretty good!
Mat: Our top possible score in 2 and a 1/2 minutes is 175 but we got 75, 75, 90. (The, um, battery was low?)
Nevertheless, we got 5th place Champion's Award, and an invitation to State!!!

Hopefully we'll make the robot more reliable by then. We sort of had no missions that worked a week ago, so we really pulled it all together at the end.

Go, Star Trek The NXT Generation!

Stupid XP

We have a Windows XP machine and two Leopard Macs, But I use the XP one for NXT-G because the software seems to be designed for Windows. Unfortunately XP has managed to mess up and NXT-G doesn't work anymore. I guess I'll be using the Macs from now on!
Here's a screen shot of the erroneous operating system:



Click it. It's even better enlarged!

Thief Detection (and Elimination)

This is a LEGO/NXT creation I made that features a lego person "running" toward some money that he wants to steal. Luckily there is a state-of-the-art LASER-based security system that takes out the would-be thief with a missile.

It's a little distorted... YouTube's fault!