Flexpicker

I don't normally post other people's robots, but this is just awesome.



Designed and programmed in RobotC by Chris Shepherd.

FLL State Competition

We just had our FLL State competition, and unfortunately we didn't get an award, although our robot scores were significantly higher than at Regionals. We scored a 165, a 205, and a 160. Interestingly, in the 205 point round we got 25 points on accident because the robot accidently nudged the house and completed the "Turn off lights" mission.

Congratulations to the Co-Champion Award winners, The Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies and the Hobbots.
A coin toss determined that the Hobbots would proceed to World Fest and the Duckies would be diverted to the US Nationals.

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!