4 LEGO Mindstorms NXT Titles
Book Review

By Dale Farris, Reviews Coordinator Golden Triangle PC Club November 2008 Overview Lego Mindstorms NXT is a programmable robotics kit released by Lego in late July 2006. The Mindstorms NXT product line replaces the first-generation Lego Mindstorms kit, which was originally called the Robotics Invention System. The base kit ships in two versions: The Retail Version and the Education Base Set. These kits can be used to compete in FIRST Lego League competitions, and the kits come with a programming software called NXT-G, but you can get a variety of others such as: NXC, NBC, RobotC, and BricxCC. The kits contain various LEGO parts and accessories, and as with all standard LEGO kits, the parts in the Mindstorm NXT kits can be assembled into various objects. Each kit comes with the standard LEGO detailed instructions that provide intricate graphical guides for kids and their parents to follow when assembling the desired object. The idea behind the Mindstorm NXT kits is to stimulate the user creativity and to involve children and their parents in simple programming of their assembled robotic object. The Mindstorm NXT product line is really designed for older children, but even adults will immensely enjoy playing with the kits and making the various objects. NXT Components The main part of the kit is the NXT brick. The brick is about the size of an iPod (though a bit thicker) with a loudspeaker, a monochrome LCD, and navigation keys on the front. This is the controller for the robot. The brick has three ports on top for connecting to the servo motors and four ports on the bottom for connecting to four different sensors: Touch, Light, Sound, and Ultrasonic. The NXT brick is the computer-controlled brain of the Mindstorms robot. The Touch Sensor enables the robot to feel and react to its environment. The  Sound Sensor enables the robot to react to sound. The Light Sensor can detect light and color. The Ultrasonic Sensor allows the robot to measure distance and react to movement. The Servo Motors ensures the robot moves with precision. The set includes Ethernet-like wires for connecting all of these to the NXT brick, as well as software and a basic USB cable for downloading programs from your computer. Then there are all the Lego parts, hundreds of them, and most are very small. It would be a good idea to get a plastic organizer for the different parts. This would not only make construction and storage easier, but also part loss less likely. NXT Brick The brick can take input from up to four sensors and control up to three motors, via RJ12 cables, very similar to but incompatible with RJ11 phone cords. The brick has a simple 100 x 64 pixel monochrome LCD display and four buttons that can be used to navigate a user interface using hierarchical menus. The brick also has a speaker and can play sound files at sampling rates up to 8 kHz. Power to the brick is supplied by 6 AA (1.5 V each) batteries in the consumer version of the kit and by a Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger in the educational version. Technical Specifications of the NXT Brick 32-bit AT91SAM7S256 main microprocessor 256KB flash memory, 64KB RAM 8-bit ATmega48 microcontroller @ 4 MHz 4KB flash memory, 512 Bytes RAM 100 × 64 pixel LCD matrix display Can be programmed using Windows or Mac OS NBC/NXC supports Linux as well Users create a program with new software, powered by LabVIEW from National Instruments A single USB 2 port Bluetooth (Class II) wireless connectivity, to transfer programs to the NXT wirelessly or offer ways to control robots remotely (through mobile phones and possibly by PDA's) 4 input ports, 6-wire cable digital platform (One port includes a IEC 61158 Fieldbus Type 4/EN 50 170 (P-NET) compliant expansion port for future use) 3 output ports, 6-wire cable digital platform Digital Wire Interface, allowing for third-party development of external devices Other software can also be used Programming Very simple programs can be written using the menu on the NXT. More complicated programs and sound files can be downloaded using a USB port or wirelessly using Bluetooth. Files can also be copied between two NXT bricks wirelessly, and some mobile phones can be used as a remote control. Up to four NXT bricks can communicate simultaneously via Bluetooth when user created programs are run. The retail version of the kit includes software for writing programs that runs on PC and Macintosh personal computers. The software is based on National Instruments LabVIEW and provides a visual programming language for writing simple programs and downloading them to the NXT Brick. The instructions for NXT are simple, illustrated, and they gently take the new user on an introductory path through the system. The quick start guide promises a 30-minute robot building and programming introduction that starts with a simple diagnostic routine, which shows you how to test the function of all sensors, then proceeds to step-by-step picture instructions for building a basic first robot. It's about as complex as building a piece of Ikea furniture. Then, you install the included software. Be sure to check the system requirements on the NXT box. The software is well-designed and very intuitive and comes with built-in video instructions on how to create your first simple program and download it to your NXT. Programming is the real gem in this system. It has a drag-and-drop interface using pre-programmed objects that you pull from a palette and snap to other objects. Each object is configurable. For example, the Sound object brings up a sub-window that allows you to choose between a tone and a list of sound files, set the volume, set duration, and so on. Little Lego bricks between the objects reinforce the idea that building a NXT program is like building a Lego model. Programming this way is much easier than, say, creating a web page from scratch. Lego even offers a software development kit for getting deeper into the programming. Bluetooth Ready The NXT also has built-in Bluetooth wireless technology. If your computer has Bluetooth, you can test and download programs to the NXT without connecting the USB cable--a really handy feature if you're programming a complicated dance routine and you don't want your robot getting tripped up in cables. If your phone or PDA has Bluetooth, you might be able to use your device to control the robot. Best of all, Bluetooth allows you to create a network of up to three NXT devices. Think of the possibilities: three NXTs plus three sets of blocks and sensors equals bigger, more complex robots. At this web site, you can begin to explore the fascinating, complex world of LEGO Mindstorms NXT products. This world includes many diverse Mindstorms NXT kits, as well as the ever expanding world of add-on kits, parts, and especially supplemental guide books. NOTE: - The retail price for the LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit is $249.99, although you may find it a bit less at other online retailers. This price point should clearly indicate that Mindstorms NXT has re-defined the definition of the word "toy," and this product is definitely targeted to older children, at least 10 years old or older, and their parents. Mindstorms NXT Helpful Books With the extensive complexity of Mindstorms NXT, and the ability of this unique product line to appeal to both mature children and adults, this naturally has resulted in an intriguing market for guide books that help Mindstorms NXT customers take their kits to an entirely new level beyond the basic, fundamental instructions and directions that come with the kits. Four (4) of these supplemental Mindstorms NXT books from No Starch Press are succinctly reviewed here. 4 Titles From No Starch Press Include the Following (1) - The Unofficial LEGO Mindstorms NXT Inventor's Guide (2) - The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Zoo! (3) - The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Idea Book (4) - LEGO Mindstorms NXT One-Kit Wonders These 4 titles will be summarized here. (1) - The Unofficial LEGO Mindstorms NXT Inventor's Guide The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set includes a variety of powerful electronic parts (motors, sensors, and the programmable NXT microcomputer) and lots of building elements. With these parts you can create thousands of unique, intelligent robots. The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Inventor's Guide helps you to harness the capabilities of the NXT set and effectively plan, build, and program your own NXT robots. The first part of the book contains a brief introduction to the NXT set. You'll then examine the pieces in the NXT set and the roles they play in construction. Next, you'll learn practical building techniques, like how to build sturdy structures and work with gears. Then it's time to learn how to program with the official NXT-G programming language (and learn a bit about several unofficial programming languages). You'll also learn what author David J. Perdue calls the MINDSTORMS method: a strategy for creating your own robots. Finally, you'll follow step-by-step instructions for building, programming, and testing six sample robots (all of which can be built using only the parts found in one NXT set). These six robots include: Zippy-Bot, a two-wheeled vehicle with a ball caster Bumper-Bot, a version of Zippy-Bot that explores your room and avoids objects Claw-Bot, a version of Zippy-Bot that searches for objects and pushes them away with its claw Tag-Bot, a four-wheeled steering vehicle that dashes around while you try to "tag" it with a flashlight Guard-Bot, a six-legged walking robot that launches a ball at intruders Golf-Bot, a stationary robot that finds a target and then hits a ball into the target You'll also find an NXT-G Quick Reference, which provides information on the 30 types of standard programming blocks, and the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Piece Library, which features detailed information and images of the more than 80 types of LEGO pieces in the NXT set. So go ahead. Grab your NXT set, fire up your creative mind, and see what you can invent with The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Inventor's Guide. Be sure to visit the book's companion site - http://nxtguide.davidjperdue.com The Unofficial LEGO Mindstorms NXT Inventor's Guide Table of Contents The 16 chapters include: Part I - Introduction to LEGO Mindstorms NXT 1. LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: People, Places, and Potential 2. Getting Started with the NXT Set Part II - Building 3. Understanding the Electronic Pieces 4. Understanding the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Pieces 5. Building Sturdy Structures 6. Building with Gears Part III - Programming 7. Introduction to NXT-G 8. Advanced NXT-G Programming 9. Unofficial Programming Languages for the NXT Part IV - Projects 10. The MINDSTORMS Method 11. Zippy-Bot 12. Bumper-Bot 13. Claw-Bot 14.Tag-Bot 15. Guard-Bot 16. Golf-Bot The book also has 3 appendices. Appendix A: LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Piece Library Appendix B: NXT-G Quick Reference Appendix C: Internet Resources Date October 2007 ISBN ISBN-10: 1-59327-154-9 ISBN-13: 978-1-59327-154-1 Book Contents 320 pages; tons of figures, tables, and especially detailed, step-by-step graphical instructions; index Author David J. Perdue About the Author David J. Perdue is the author of Competitive MINDSTORMS (Apress, 2004) and has written for BrickJournal. He has been inventing with MINDSTORMS since 2001 and has received three Special Mention awards for his creations on the official online MINDSTORMS invention gallery. He lives with his family in Round Rock, Texas, and maintains his website at www.davidjperdue.com. List Price $29.95 (2) - The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Zoo! Whether you're just beginning with your LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set or are already an expert, you'll have hours of fun with these animal-like models that walk, crawl, hop, and roll! The first part of the book introduces you to the NXT kit and reviews the parts you'll need in order to begin building. Next, you'll learn how to program with the NXT-G programming language, including how to make miniprograms called My Blocks that you can use to build larger programs. Finally, you'll learn how to build each robot and program it to act like its real animal cousins. Learn to build and program the following robots: Ribbit, a jumping frog Bunny, a hopping rabbit Sandy, a walking camel Spiderbot, an eight-legged spider that avoids objects and walks forward and backward Snout, a walking alligator that opens and closes its jaws LEGOsaurus, a four-legged, plodding dinosaur Pygmy, a walking elephant that raises and lowers its head Polecat, a skunk on wheels that lifts its tail and shoots "darts" Strutter, a peacock on wheels that turns and flutters its tail feathers Troubleshooting tips help you avoid problems like misarranged gears and incorrect programming, while a list of Internet resources is included to help guide you in further exploration with the NXT. Teachers and home educators will appreciate an appendix with helpful suggestions for using the models in the classroom. The models in this book have been tested repeatedly and built successfully by novice builders, so all you have to do is follow the directions and watch them go. Now, let the building begin! The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Zoo! Table of Contents The 10 chapters include: Chapter 1 The Right Stuff: Do You Have What It Takes to Build "Living" Robots? Chapter 2 The Zookeeper's Guide: What You Need to Know to Create Animals in the NXT Zoo Chapter 3 Hip-Hoppers: An NXT Frog and Rabbit Chapter 4 Sandy: An NXT Camel Chapter 5 Spiderbot: An NXT Spider Chapter 6 Snout: An NXT 'gator Chapter 7 LEGOsaurus: An NXT Dinosaur Chapter 8 Pygmy: An NXT Elephant Chapter 9 Polecat: An NXT Skunk Chapter 10 Strutter: An NXT Peacock The book also has 3 appendices. Appendix A Enrichment Ideas for Teachers Appendix B Troubleshooting Appendix C Web Resources for the NXT Date February 2008 ISBN ISBN-10 1-59327-170-0 ISBN-13 978-1-59327-170-1 Book Contents 336 pages; tons of figures, tables, and especially detailed, step-by-step graphical instructions; index Author Fay Rhodes About the Author Fay Rhodes is co-author of The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book (No Starch), a 2008 member of LEGO's MINDSTORMS Community Partners (MCP), and the only female contributor to the NXT Step Blog. Visit the book's companion website. List Price $24.95 (3) - The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Idea Book If you're serious about having fun with LEGO robotics, you've come to the right place. The team behind The NXT STEP blog—the authoritative online source for MINDSTORMS NXT information and advice—has packaged its considerable skills and experience in this book. Inside, you'll find some of the team's best ideas for creating cool and sophisticated models, including instructions for eight robots you can build yourself. Follow along with the MINDSTORMS NXT experts as they explain the fundamentals of programming and design, accompanied by CAD-style drawings and an abundance of screenshots that make it easy for you to master the MINDSTORMS NXT system. You'll get an overview of the NXT parts (beams, sensors, axles, gears, and so on) and clear instructions for combining them to build and program working robots. The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book delves into the complexities of the NXT programming language (NXT-G) and offers tips for designing and programming robots, using Bluetooth, creating an NXT remote control, troubleshooting, and much more. Here are just a few of the robots you'll learn to build in The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book: RaSPy, a robot that plays Rock, Scissors, Paper 3D PhotoBot, a robot that will help you take photographs that can be converted into 3D images Slot Machine, complete with flashing lights and a lever ScanBot, a robot that scans black-and-white pictures and displays the images on the NXT's LCD Beach Buggy Chair, a roving, rambling robot CraneBot, a crane-like grabbing robot LEGO fans of all ages will find this book to be an ideal jumping-off point for doing more with MINDSTORMS NXT. The only ingredient you need to add is your imagination! The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Idea Book Table of Contents The 16 chapters include: Part I: Beyond the Basics 1. The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT System 2. The Grammar of NXT-G 3. NXT-G Problems and Solutions 4. Debugging—When the Unexpected Occurs 5. Making Sense of Sensors 6. Design 7. Bluetooth on the NXT 8. NXT to NXT Remote Control Part II: The Robots 9. RaSPy: A Rock, Scissors, Paper-Playing Robot 10. Beach Buggy Chair: A Ramblin' Robot 11. 3D PhotoBot: A 3D Photo Assistant Robot 12. CraneBot: A Grabber Robot 13. Slot Machine: A One-Armed Robot 14. BenderBot: An Anti-Theory Music Robot 15. ScanBot: An Image-Scanning Robot 16. Marty: A Performance Art Robot The book also has 2 appendices. Appendix A: Differences Between Sets Appendix B: Trouble-Free CAD Installation Guide Date September 2007 ISBN ISBN-10 1-59327-150-6 ISBN-13 978-1-59327-150-3 Book Contents 368 pages; tons of figures, tables, and especially detailed, step-by-step graphical instructions; index Authors (in Alphabetical Order) Martijn Boogaarts, Jonathan A. Daudelin, Brian L. Davis, Jim Kelly, David Levy, Lou Morris, Fay Rhodes, Rick Rhodes, Matthias Paul Scholz, Christopher R. Smith, and Rob Torok About the Authors The 11 contributors to this book are dedicated LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robotics fans, and all write for the popular NXT blog, The NXT Step. Many of the contributors have been involved with LEGO as members of the MINDSTORMS Developer Program, testing the NXT robotics kit for bugs and providing feedback and documentation. The NXT Step blog is recognized as one of the best sources for news and information about the kit, as well as tips and tricks for building and programming better robots. List Price $29.95 (4) - LEGO Mindstorms NXT One-Kit Wonders The creative minds behind The NXT STEP blog are back with a brand-new collection of innovative robots. Whether you're just getting started with LEGO robotics or have been building and programming robots for years, LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT One-Kit Wonders is packed with new and exciting techniques, advice, and robots that guarantee awesome results. And best of all, you'll only need one NXT Retail kit to build all ten of them! LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT One-Kit Wonders will make it simple for you to construct even the most complex of these ten robots, all while you learn the ins and outs of the NXT kit. You'll learn to build and program: PunchBot, a robot that you program using old-fashioned punchcards M, a robot that sorts your M&M candies by color NXT Dragster, a super-fast racecar that will take you all the way to the drag strip BobBot, a versatile skid-steer loader, equipped with a ball grabber or demolition claw RoboLock, a security system for your robots The Hand, a robotic replacement hand to protect you from those dangerous cleanup jobs, like picking up your brother's gym socks SPC, a robotic vehicle that can park itself between two objects using front-wheel drive The Bike, a two-wheeled robot that can balance and steer Armed with the knowledge you gain from this book, you'll be inventing your own amazing creations in no time. LEGO Mindstorms NXT One-Kit Wonders Table of Contents The 10 chapters include: Chapter 1: CandyPicker: a candy-picking robot with built-in generator and remote control Chapter 2: PunchBot: old-school programming using your NXT Chapter 3: m: the m&m sorter Chapter 4: NXT Dragster: The NXT STEP Dragster Challenge Chapter 5: BobBot: an NXT version of the bobcat Chapter 6: RoboLock: a security system for your robots Chapter 7: the hand: a robot for those dirty jobs Chapter 8: SPC: self-parking car Chapter 9: GrabBot: a robot that finds, grabs, lifts, and moves Chapter 10: the bike: an NXT bicycle that can steer and move autonomously Date November 2008 ISBN ISBN-10 1-59327-188-6 ISBN-13 978-1-59327-188-6 Book Contents 408 pages; tons of figures, tables, and especially detailed, step-by-step graphical instructions; index Authors James Floyd Kelly, Matthias Paul Scholz, Christopher R. Smith, Martjin Boogaarts, Jonathan Daudelin, Eric D. Burdo, Laurens Valk, Bluetoothkiwi, and Fay Rhodes, Editor About the Authors All nine contributors to this book are dedicated LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robotics fans who write for the popular blog, The NXT STEP (http://thenxtstep.com). The NXT STEP blog is recognized as one of the best sources for news and information about the NXT kit and offers a multitude of tips and tricks for building and programming better robots. Many of the contributors have been involved with LEGO as members of the MINDSTORMS Community Partners program, where they advise LEGO regarding NXT marketing, events, and future developments. List Price $29.95 Target Readers These super titles focus on the highly unique world of building toy robots with the LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit. While you will get in each NXT kit you purchase a good introduction to the kit and a lot of detailed instructions and step-by-step pictures that will guide you through how to build a lot of NXT robots, once you have completed the projects included with the NXT kit you may be enticed to continue your NXT robotics construction. To the rescue comes these 4 titles that will help you further advance your NXT robotics construction skills. Each NXT completed kit can be played with for as long as you like, and when you are ready for another project, then as with any of the always impressive LEGO kits, you just dissemble your NXT robot and start over with another project. The LEGO folks realize that with their suggest NXT retail price of about $250, most customers will expect to build a lot of robots with their original kit. However, once they have completed their NXT robot, some players might wish to keep the assembled robot for a longer period of time. Thankfully, the LEGO folks also make available at their main Mindstorms web site a NXT shopping arena where you can purchase pieces from the NXT kits, including separate NXT bricks. This means you can keep one NXT robot assembled, as you begin to assemble another one based on the separately purchased pieces that the next project will require. This is the basic idea behind these 4 titles, as the authors of the titles all focus on assembling their particular NXT projects with the basic NXT kit. These authors also assume that readers realize that they may have to dissemble their projects, in order to go on to the next one. Or, if you prefer, and you have the financial resources, you can complete a NXT robot, purchase yet another separate entire NXT kit, for another $250, and begin again with the next project. However, since most folks will not be able to do this, you can just plan on dissembling each project covered in these books in order to use the same parts for another project. The Mindstorm NXT line of robot kits is a fascinating introduction to the world of robotics, and the LEGO Mindstorms NXT geniuses behind this creative world are to be commended for their crafty ability to take the extremely complex, many times very difficult realities of real-world robotics and streamline this world down to this fascinating realm of robotic toys that appeal to young children as well as their parents. The price point of the NXT line, $250, indicates that while a "toy," the Mindstorms NXT product is not your usual children's toy. The authors of these fine books obviously realize how special is the Mindstorms NXT product, and have provided super supplemental books that will help all NXT afficianados to expand their own repertoire of robotics programming. About No Starch Press San Francisco based No Starch Press, Inc., publisher of such best-selling titles as "Steal This Computer Book 3," "The Book of JavaScript," and "The Linux Cookbook," is an independent publishing company committed to producing readable, information-packed computer books that make a difference. No Starch focuses on Open Source, Web development, computer security, programming tools, and alternative operating systems. No Starch authors are highly regarded experts who have the rare ability to write about complex topics clearly and concisely. As a result, No Starch books share a no-nonsense manner that both educates and entertains. The Linux Journal Press series offers readers books on cutting-edge Open Source topics that make a difference, in an effort to advance the acceptance and usability of Linux. Recent titles include "The Book of Zope," "Programming Linux Games," and "The Linux Cookbook." Linux Journal Press titles are developed in partnership with Linux Journal. The No Starch international distribution network brings their books to all major English-language and critical non-English language markets. Their U.S. distributor, Publishers Group West (PGW), is the largest U.S. distributor for independent book publishers. PGW sells to all major wholesalers (Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Bookazine, Koen, etc.), national chains and independents, online booksellers, and academic and technical bookstores. No Starch also aggressively pursues sales in non-traditional channels, including corporate and premium sales, bulk sales, and book clubs. The No Starch international distributors (including JGA in Canada, Computer Bookshops in the UK, Woodslane in Australia/New Zealand) reach all major English and non-English markets with large technical populations. They also maintain extensive contacts with international publishers who translate their books and bring them to their markets in their local language. William Pollock, founder and publisher of No Starch Press, Inc. (and co-founder of APress) has over fifteen years of book publishing experience. No Starch Press benefits from his experience in professional reference, scientific, college, and trade publishing. Mr. Pollock has worked his way up through the publishing ranks from editorial assistant, to sales representative, to acquisitions editor, to publisher. He knows the book publishing business from the ground up. Contact Travis Peterson Sales & Marketing Assistant No Starch Press 555 De Haro St., Suite 250 San Francisco, California 94107 800-420-7240 415-863-9900, Ext. 300 FAX 415-863-9950 travis@nostarch.com www.nostarch.com