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NXT Biped Inpsiration from Yoshihito Isogawa
 There are only a few days left to enter the MINDSTORMS NXT Biped Building Challenge! We had a chance to talk to Yoshihito Isogawa about how he built his NXT Walker, an amazing biped on NXTLOG.
What inspired you to create a NXT Walker?
I tried to build a robot walking like a human being because I felt that I needed to raise my LEGO building technique.
How did you get started on your creation? Did you research other robots or bipeds on how they walked?
At first, I knew that most bipeds that are not made with LEGO have a lot of motors in each joint. However, MINDSTORMS NXT cannot control many motors. Therefore, I try to build bipeds with as few motors as possible. I even realized that it's possible to build a biped with only one motor!
The first biped I made I used a LEGO Micro Scout motor (from the LEGO MINDSTORMS Droid Developer Kit), however, this biped shaked when its foot reached the ground because it had no knees. Therefore knees were added using universal joints.
The second Micro Scout biped I made was the protype for my NXT Walker:
NXT Walker
I also posted a building guide for my NXT Walker on my website:
NXT Walker Building Guide
What were the biggest challenges you faced?
There were two challenges I faced. One was weight balance. I had to adjust the position of the NXT according to which batteries I used (ex. NXT rechargeable batteries or alkaline cell or NiMH rechargeable batteries). Otherwise, the robot falls down. Of course it is hard for the robot to fall down if the back foot becomes bigger, but then the design of biped doesn't look cool.
Another challenge was the setting of the ankles and legs. When even one tooth of a gear slips, the biped cannot walk very well.
What was the best feeling you had creating the NXT Walker?
I feel happy when anyone who watches the NXT Walker is surprised.
What advice would you give to builders who wish to create a NXT biped?
The most difficult thing for bipeds is the shifting of the center-of-gravity. I would encourage builders to think about how they will create their biped in various ways. It is very difficult to build bipeds, so it’s a good idea to get started with four-legged robots or six-legged robots.
Are you building any bipeds now?
I am building a single motor biped which can turn! The prototype is completed, but I am going to make its design more beautiful and then will publish it soon.
What else have you worked on?
I have published some LEGO books in Japan. One of them is the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Orange Book:
MINDSTORMS.com/Books
I also published a new LEGO technique book last year. This is a PDF file that can be downloaded from my website:
LEGO Technic Tora no Maki
Also see my website of LEGO Creations:
www.isogawastudio.co.jp/legostudio/
Don't forget to visit the NXT Walker on NXTLOG:
NXT Walker
Posted by: yoccha
And enter the MINDSTORMS NXT Biped Building Challenge
Thank you Yoshihito!
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Robotic Easter egg event is deliciously fun!
 On March 22nd, hundreds of kids came to see SMART's (Seattle MINDSTORMSand Robotic Techies) annual Robotic Easter Egg Hunt, held this year at the LEGO Store in Bellevue Square near Seattle, Washington USA. Besides being fun, one thing robots often do is make things easier for people. Not that searching for eggs on Easter morning is super difficult, and certainly it's fun to do, but at this event it was a different sort of fun as the LEGO MINDSTORMS robots searched for chocolate Easter eggs and practically delivered them right into the hands of the eager kids.
This year seven different robots built by SMART members handed out thousands of chocolate Easter eggs! Each robot had a different idea about how to collect the eggs and get them over the edge. Some pushed eggs to the edge and then lifted them over. Some scooped them up and dropped them over the edge. Some delivered a dozen eggs or more at once. Some only delivered one or two at a time. All of them were appreciated by the kids, as well as adults!
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Robotic Easter Egg Hunt in Seatlle, Washington, USA
 SMART (the Seattle Mindstorms and Robotic Techies) are getting their robots warmed up to look for Easter eggs. Come Easter weekend, a large field will be scattered with chocolate eggs. Robots will scurry across the field looking for the yummies, and deliver them to hands of eager kids waiting at the edges. SMART will also be showing one of their Crate Contraptions -- cooperating robots that tirelessly move crates and LEGO soccer balls around in a fascinating robotic ballet.
If you live in the Seattle area, come by Bellevue Square on Saturday, March 22nd between 10am and 4pm to see our robots in action. And enjoy a few chocolate eggs while you're there!
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Sample chapter from The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Zoo book now available!
 Visitors to MINDSTORMS.com can now download a sample chapter from Fay Rhodes' book, The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Zoo, A Kid-Friendly Guide to Building Animals with the NXT Robotics System! The sample chapter includes building and programming instructions for a robotic LEGO dinosaur (a LEGOsaurus). We had a chance to interview Fay about her book, and you can download the sample chapter from the MINDSTORMS.com/books page.
What is your experience with LEGO MINDSTORMS?
My husband, Rick, purchased an NXT to use with his son when they first came out in the summer of 2006. I had never touched a robotics kit until he asked for my assistance on a project a few months later. In helping him, I discovered that I had a knack for it and saw a lot of interesting possibilities for teaching enhancement and creative expression.
What inspired you to write this book?
It started with simple curiosity. I was intrigued by what the NXT could do and really curious about how to make things happen. (Still am!) I'm not a scientist by training, so I had to begin with the basics of simple machines. I was particularly interested in how I could make a robot walk.
Then I noticed that visitors to NXTLOG were asking for models of animals---and that the models being posted didn't really look like the animals they were supposed to be. Sometimes they didn't act like those animals either. That inspired me to see if I could design robots that both looked and acted like specific animals.
When I started designing them, I had no intention of writing a book; I just shared them with a few other people and they seemed really enthused about my designs (enhanced by the funny videos my husband created for each model). Even then, when I began to think about a book, I thought in terms of co-authoring, rather than doing a whole book.
In fact, I think it was when my husband told me I couldn't create enough models on my own for a book that I decided to do it---just to prove to him that I could.
How long did it take you to write the book?
I'm not sure, but I think I designed the robots and created the building images in MLCAD and LPub over a period of about six months.
What is your favorite model in the book?
I'm most proud of designing a robot that hops, because so many of the experts told me no one had figured out how to do that. A friend who is an engineer told me that the design was so simple, he'd never have though of it.
The robot I enjoy watching the most is the peacock. It always brings a smile to my face and others seem to enjoy it even more than I do. The skunk would be a close second, except that I have to chase after that darn dart everywhere. Once, I lost it under my gas stove and it took me a l-o-n-g time to find and recover it.
Why are you sharing this chapter?
The first reason is that people may not realize they that these models require extra parts. I want them to understand that before they purchase the book. I also hope they will enjoy building the LEGOsaurus so much that they will want to build the other models.
Also, it's important to me that people get what they expect---models that work. So much we buy doesn't work as advertised. We worked really hard to make the instructions clear. In fact, I owe a lot to those who tested my instructions (my husband Rick and his son Connor), and to Megan and Riley at No Starch, who worked hard to clarify building images that just weren't clear enough. I'm hoping that this sample chapter will erase any doubts.
What advice do you have to MINDSTORMS NXT builders?
Observe and persevere. Even though you may not be a "rocket scientist", you can learn a lot by observing the different mechanisms in the models on NXTLOG and by observing things that move in the rest of the world. Don't hesitate to pose your questions to the NXTperts on this website or to the readers of the NXTstep Forum.
I owe my success in creating a hopping robot to a simple device (made with a few straws) that I saw on a Scientific American television program. It made me realize that sometimes moving forward requires that you prevent backward motion.
Anything else you would like to add?
Yes, I would like to encourage parents and grandparents to use the NXT kit as an opportunity to teach---or to learn along with---their children and grandchildren. You don't have to be a scientist to have fun with the NXT, and young children can become discouraged if left on their own with the kit.
Also, don't be afraid to think more broadly about the NXT. I consider my animals to be pieces of art that interact with their environment. The NXT offers so many creative possibilities for artists and other creative folk!
Finally, never say you are too old for learning how to build with the NXT. Instead of doing page after page of crosswords and Sudoku, get yourself an NXT kit and exercise those brain cells. And I'll tell you a secret, your grandchildren will think you are coolest grandparent ever when you pull out your kit and invite them to build with you. If your grandchildren have a technical bent, you'll find them teaching you things---which is a wonderful way for both of you to learn and to build on your relationship!
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MINDSTORMS NXT Camera Bot Building Challenge Winners
 100's of NXTLOGgers entered the Camera Bot Building Challenge. We saw entries ranging from NXT photo booths to automatic panoramic robotic cameras. Visit and comment on all the robots in this competition by entering the tag "nxt200802"
Here are the winners (cue cameras):
CHAMPION'S AWARD
OPTICKS (or MODEL O3)
Created by:
NeXTSTORM
OPTICKS is capable of rotating an embedded camera on both a vertical and horizontal axis, making it possible to take detailed panoramic 360 photos, including a sky-view. OPTICKS can be triggered automatically (motion, sound, light) or manually (touch). This robot is equipped with three motors (A, B, C), four sensors (Light , Sound, Touch, and Ultrasonic), a single NXT brick and one digital photo camera. For an innovative concept, design, construction, and programming we award the OPTICKS the Champion's Award. (This is NeXTSTORM's 3rd project on NXTLOG.)
ROBOT DESIGN AWARD
PanoBot
Created by:
GuzanPT
PanoBot is a panoramic camera as it can take pictures in 360º in the horizontal plane and about 60º in the vertical plane. The bot has a manual mode and an automatic mode. In manual mode you control the rotation, tilt, and the trigger. In automatic mode (depending on the variables) you can take a panorama picture with your desired horizontal and vertical degrees. GuzanPT beased the design off a robot arm bot found on the internet. Many adjustments were made to construct the automatic trigger. Congrats GuzanPT on your excellence in Robot Design. (This is GuzanPT's 3rd NXTLOG project.)
ROBOT PERFORMANCE AWARD
Photo Laboratory
Created by: Giorgis
This multifunction camera bot can take photos with a digital camera, but it can also be used to snap photos of intruders. What is most ingenious obout this robot is its program. You can select "clap control" (the robot takes photo when you clap your hands) or "timer control" (the robot waits 15 or 20 seconds before it takes the photo). But the best is the alarm mode! It has two selections: light alarm (the robot takes a photo when somebody turns on the light in your room) or the ultrasonic alarm (the robot takes a photo when somebody comes 2 meters close to it). For ingenious programming, The Photo Laboratory is presented with the Robot Performance Award. (This is Giorgis's 12th NXTLOG project.)
CREATIVE USE OF NXTLOG AWARD
PhotoBoothBot
Created by:
TB0Y
TB0Y designed a PhotoBoothBot. A cardboard box is used for the booth, and the robot uses the Ultrasonic Sensor to detect when someone enters or leaves the booth. When someone enters, it says "Hello," and after waiting a few seconds it says, "Push button to start." After the touch sensor is pushed, it waits a couple seconds for the person to pose and then says "3-2-1-smile." The button pusher arm comes down and pushes the button on the camera and the picture is taken. A total of 3 pictures are taken then it says "Please exit," and after the person exits, it says "Thank you. Have a nice day." Congrats TB0Y on the Creative Use of NXTLOG award! (TB0Y has 2 projects on NXTLOG.)
HONORABLE MENTION(S)
Here are some more Camera Bots worth exploring...
Nadar 1.0 *Judges Entry*
Created by: brdavis42 (MCP Brian Davis)
DSC-F717 Cambot V1
Created by: Krystman
Nature Camera
Created by: Inglebert45
360/180 VR Panorama Camera
Created by: 2ndclemens
TrafficBot
Created by: Netwreck
PanoraBot
Created by: Exile-NXT
Camerabot Search & Destroy
Created by: NIKOLAS3220
Proffesional Photobot 1
Created by: Rakite
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Fan created website, nxtprograms.com, provides out of the box fun
 There are many websites about LEGO MINDSTORMS create by fans. One recent site, nxtprograms.com caught our attention becase its creator, Dave Parker, has developed a colletion of models and buidling instructions for MINDSTORMS NXT that you can make right out of the box! He also includes programs and a tutorial on how to photograph your robot. The MINDSTORMS team interviewed Dave to learn more about him.
What you do?
I am a Software Engineer. Actually, nowadays I am a part time Software Engineer, part time Volunteer Teacher, and part time Dad.
Where you are from?
I grew up near San Jose, California (USA). Now I live in Meadow Vista, California, a little town in the Sierra Foothills halfway between Sacramento and Tahoe.
What is your experience with LEGO MINDSTORMS?
My mother actually got me one of the first LEGO MINDSTORMS (RCX) kits as a gift when they first came out in 1998, which was a fun and unusual gift, since I was well into my full time engineering career at that point. That provided a lot of fun tinkering in my spare time. Now, for the last 4 years I have taught a before-school LEGO Robotics Club at the local middle school using the RCX kit, and coached an FLL (F.I.R.S.T. LEGO League) team after school. The FLL team switched to using the NXT kit two seasons ago, and that is where I first got experience with the NXT. After patiently watching my FLL team build and program the NXT kit for two years, I finally gave in and bought one for myself last summer.
Why you set up your website?
I work with a lot of kids ages 9-13 in the Robotics Club and Robotics Team at our school, and they love it, and a good number of them go on to either get a MINDSTORMS kit of their own as a gift, or to try to convince their parents to get them one. I then get a lot of questions from both kids and parents asking about ideas for things to do with the kit. Parents who haven’t bought one yet are interested in examples of what you can do with the kit, most kids who get one need some help getting started with the building or programming, and all kids are interested in more ideas for what you can do with it.
What's hard about building and programming?
The hardest part about building or programming is getting started, and almost everyone needs some help with that. Starting with just a bin of parts or a blank programming page is a very hard thing to do. But I have noticed that if you give somebody a design to start with, they are amazingly good at modifying it to do different and interesting things. So the idea of my web site was to offer several fun projects that first of all give you lots of fun things to do with your cool NXT gift, then to offer ideas and challenges for modifications.
Learning programming is also a big challenge for younger kids, since it is so abstract. I have found that most kids (and adults really) learn programming better by example than by trying to teach the individual programming concepts lesson-style. There are several good resources for learning NXT-G programming concepts out there, so I decided to take a different approach and just offer complete programs that people can look at and learn from. Even though several of the programs on my site are very complex by kids’ standards, they can actually understand and learn from at least parts of them by looking at the completed program and reading the comments.
How long it takes you to make one of your models?
Of course it varies a lot, and some of the simple ones are really quick, but one of the more complex models on my site might take me about 10 hours of mechanical design and 1 hour of programming. I will fiddle with a ”proof of concept” for an hour or so to convince myself that the idea is possible. Then I build a first version to see if I can make it all work with the standard NXT parts, then refine the design to try to make a second version that is a little simpler or a little stronger, for example. I’m a programmer by training, so the programming is then the easy part for me.
What is the favorite model you have made so far?
The Machine Gun is probably the most popular model with my users so far, and that one is fun because it works a little better than you expect it to in some ways. It doesn’t shoot very far or very accurately, but the rapid fire is surprisingly quick, so that gives you a fun surprise when you use it. My personal favorite so far is probably the Claw Car with Game Controller, because that one starts to push the limits of what kind of simple motion control you can do with just the standard NXT kit.
You use photos for your building instructions, do you ever use LDD? Why or why not?
After experimenting a bit with both, I decided to use photos for two main reasons. First, although you can create detailed building instructions with LDD (LEGO Digital Designer), I decided that it would be faster for me with the camera. Once you get the camera setup ready, you can get through the steps pretty quickly by simply taking pictures as you take the finished model apart. The pictures in reverse order then become your building instructions. I also think it is a little more efficient for the users of the instructions. I can get more done in each of my steps than automatically generated instructions could do without getting too hard to follow, or taking too long to create.
But honestly the main reason I use a camera instead of LDD is that it is more fun for me. Being a Software Engineer, I work in front of the computer a lot during the day, so I welcome a reason to get away from the computer and spend my time with the real LEGOs!
We noticed that you use the MINDSTORMS NXT set without any extra parts. Do you have a reason for this?
So far I have limited myself to the parts in the standard retail NXT kit and the NXT-G programming system for two reasons. First, I want the projects to be as widely accessible as possible, and you can’t make any assumptions about what other parts people have (or could find even if they might have them). But also, I think limiting myself on parts actually helps me produce finished projects. If I had as many LEGOs as my kids do, I would never finish anything. There would always be a way to make it better, or more interesting, or something else to try, and the choices of what to start working on next would also be staggering. I would have a lot of fun starting and working on projects, but rarely get to the point of feeling ”finished” with one. Right now, I design projects based on what I think is even possible to do at all, and when I am halfway through a project and considering something to add or a way to solve something, I can look at my remaining parts, and I can decide pretty quickly whether to even consider that idea.
Where do you get your inspiration for building robots?
It helps to try to think like a kid, and so I get ideas by watching and listening to the kids in my robotics classes, and my own kids are a big source of ideas -- not just with LEGOs and other building activitites, but other things that interest them such as sports, games, music, art, etc. I also look at other toys for inspiration.
I have a list of ideas that I add to every time I think of something, and I am working my way through that list and adding to it along the way. Trying to be diverse in the projects, rather than going deep into any particular area helps a lot too. Then you can just look around at the world and see mechanical ideas everywhere. Some are very simple, but simple is good for my purposes. Take a look at your kitchen, for example, there’s something I haven’t looked at yet. Toaster? Blender? Dishwasher? I haven’t given any of these any thought yet, but that’s an example of how an idea starts.
What are your plans for your nxt great robot?
I never really know which idea I will try to tackle next. I have several complex ideas that I will try at some point, but I also try to mix in simple and unusual things that are not like traditional robots. You’ll just have to keep checking back to the web site and see what happens!
See Dave Parker's Website:
nxtprograms.com
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MINDSTORMS NXT Biped Building Challenge
 These robots are made for walkin'
Alpha Rex can't be the only biped you'll ever make, so we're asking you to create the NXT two legged walker. Bipeds are said to be the most difficult robot to make, but we know NXTLOGgers are up for the challenge!
HELPFUL HINT:
When constructing a biped remember to consider how you will control the robot's balance as it will need to shift its weight from one leg to the other. Also, carefully studying how humans (or other bipeds) walk can be helpful to your robot design.
Biped robot entries must be submitted by Monday March 31st. You can read more about this challenge on NXTLOG:
MINDSTORMS NXT Biped Building Challenge
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NXTLOG 5000 Winners - Is it YOUR robot?
 We searched through 100's of innovative MINDSTORMS NXT projects to showcase for this tremendous milestone on NXTLOG. And the winner of NXTLOG 5000 is...
First Place
Mars Explorer Mk1 with Lander(PF Inc)
Created by: mezzauk
This is mezzauk's first NXT project, and it's awesome! It is an explorer robot with a PF (Power Function) enabled lander. The explorer begins by ordering the lander to lower both sides then the front so it can exit. A medium PF motor serves as a small radar/communication tower at the back - it rotates while the left, right, and front are deployed. The Mars Explorer Mk1 with Lander(PF Inc) is built with sets 8527, 8273, 9648, 8285, PF motor set and other small parts. We applaud mezzauk's first and winning contribution to NXTLOG. Thanks for your amazing and innovative work!
Second Place
Brick Sorter Crane
Created by: pejensen
Another first project on NXTLOG, this project included everything; great documentation, pictures, a program file, and an LDD file! This 2x2 LEGO bricks sorter can sort bricks in white, gray and black. The Sound Sensor activates the program to sort the LEGO bricks in the holder. All 3 motors are used and only the Ultrasonic sensor is not used. Congratulations pejensen!
Third Place
Stair Climber 2000
Created by: mikeike68
mikeike68's 6th project on NXTLOG, is a stair climber robot that can keep itself up without shifting weight or using a lot of gears. It is a simple design that uses flaps to lift itself up and rear wheels to push. mikeike68 shares a great documentation and LDD file. Thanks for sharing this amazing invention and helping NXTLOG reach new heights!
Honorable Mention
piano bot
Created by: vincentliu
NXSafari
Created by: ®NXT
Ping-Pong Ball Throwing Maniac
Created by: Antonio947
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MINDSTORMS NXT Robots Used to Teach Space Exploration Concepts
 The International Space University (ISU) in Strasbourg, France uses MINDSTORMS NXT Robots to assist with learning about space exploration concepts. Through a generous donation of MINDSTORMS NXT kits from The LEGO Company, students at ISU developed a robotic rover to pick up a number of small stones on a surface with obstacles. Students were awarded points based on the number of stones collected as well as on the number of successful avoidance manoeuvres. The MINDSTORMS NXT rovers fulfilled their tasks successfully.
The ISU postgraduate program covers all aspects of space activities. Besides the obvious scientific and technical areas of space exploration, topics such as space commerce, space law, business and management and policy, and even space and art and philosophy are also studied to ensure that the broadest possible spectrum is covered.
Robotics is one of the key elements in space exploration. The risk to send humans to planetary objects is generally preceded by robotic missions, where rovers explore the surface and perform the necessary measurements. It is therefore of paramount importance to all ISU students to have some insight in robot technologies.
Finding the right basic kit for this activity is a challenge, as teams are composed of students with extensive robotics experience but also with students who have had little contact with technology in their undergraduate studies. LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT provides ISU with the right compromise. The elements are easy to combine in a way that even non-specialists will be able to follow, and can, on the other hand, be made sufficiently sophisticated to also satisfy technically experienced students.
So you can use LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT to prepare yourself for a field in space exploration!
Learn more about ISU at their website:
http://www.isunet.edu
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New Book! Classroom Activities for the Busy Teacher: NXT
 A 10 week lesson plan for teaching robotics using the LEGO MINDSTORMS® system by MINDSTORMS Community Partner (MCP), Damien Kee.
This book outlines a 10-week set of lesson plans for teacher wishing to implement robotics in their classroom. A set of robotics challenges are presented, centered around the LEGO NXT MINDSTORMS system. The workbook includes 10 robotic based challenges as well as 3 additional modules with assessment activities covering Robots in Society, Flowcharting and Multimedia Presentations. Each module includes, a real world scenario, teachers notes outlining the most common issues and how to solve them, example programs in the NXT-G development environment and student worksheets.
Sample pages can be viewed at: www.domabotics.com/resources.php
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LEGO MINDSTORMS Events
JUN 18-21 - Brickworld in Chicago, IL
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LEGO MINDSTORMS Press Releases
For the latest Press Releases and Image Library, Click Here
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