Congratulations! You’re on Mars Base Alpha, the first human outpost on the red planet. Don’t relax, though. It’s not all roses and unicorns up here. Mars isn’t called "The Bringer of War" for nothing! You’ve just been rained on by a meteor shower and it’s up to you—you!—to put your LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robotics skills to work to save the day, and the base! And that’s only the beginning of the challenges that lie ahead. LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: Mars Base Command is a book of challenge. It’s about challenging yourself to design and build robots to solve problems, tough problems. Taking a similar approach to best-selling LEGO author James Kelly’s other books, this book presents a series of four challenges in the setting of mankind’s first-ever manned base on the planet Mars. Each challenge begins with a backstory to set the scene. You’re given instructions for constructing a playing field, including devices that your eventual robot must manipulate. Your job is to build a robot that will execute the challenge and garner you the most points. The book requires the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Education Resource Set. Scoring sheets are included that allow for the book’s use in educational and group settings. Teachers can base lesson plans around the different concepts taught in each challenge. Groups and clubs can choose to run mini-competitions in which teams or individuals compete against each other in a race to save the base. LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: Mars Base Command is an excellent choice for an individual, a group, or a teacher wishing to learn about and have more fun with LEGO’s best-selling robotics platform. Please note: the print version of this title is black & white; the eBook is full color.

Beginning LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 shows you how to create new fun and fantastic creations with the new EV3 programmable brick along with other new EV3 pieces and features. You'll learn the language of the EV3 brick, and then go on to create a variety of programmable vehicles using MINDSTORMS and Technic parts. You'll then move into creating robot parts, including robotic arms. You'll even learn how to make different types of MINDSTORMS walkers. Finally, you'll learn how to incorporate light and sound into your amazing EV3 creations. Whether you're a MINDSTORMS enthusiast wanting to know more about EV3, a robotics competitor, or just a LEGO fan who wants to learn all about what EV3 can do, Beginning LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 will give you the knowledge you need. Note: the printed book is in black and white. The Kindle and ebook versions are in color (black and white on black and white Kindles). What you’ll learn How to program the new EV3 brick The different components new to the EV3 system How to program the EV3 with LabView How to build fantastic robotic creations How to incorporate Technic creations into MINDSTORMS Who this book is for MINDSTORMS and robotics enthusiasts who want to learn about EV3, and people who are completely new to MINDSTORMS and want a thorough and fun introduction. Table of Contents 1. Introduction to MINDSTORMS EV3 2. How to Program the EV3 Brick 3. Taking Control of a Vehicle with LEGO MINDSTORMS 4. Sound and Light 5. Data Logging and Advanced Programming 6. Special Construction Projects 7. The Robotic Arm 8. Creator and the Walking Robot

You already know you can create amazing things with LEGO, but did you know you can also make vehicles that roll and model plans that include landing gear and flaps that actually extend and retract? You can even make functional robots without getting into Mindstorms and programming. In Practical LEGO Technics, Mark Rollins shows you how to use LEGO and Power Functions components like motors and remote controls to create motorized cars, all terrain vehicles, vehicle steering, construction equipment such as cranes and forklifts, airplanes. All-in-all, you'll learn to create a wide variety of fun, unique LEGO creations. LEGO Technic is similar to Mindstorms in that you can create all sorts of cool vehicles and gadgets. But unlike Mindstorms, you don't have to learn programming. Power Functions allows you to add motors, remote control, and battery boxes to your LEGO projects, no programming required. And while you could just build a LEGO Technic gadget from a boxed set, with Practical LEGO Technics, you'll learn the hows and whys of Technic project design, and pick up ideas for your own custom projects. Please note: The print version of this title is in black & white; the ebook is full color. You can download color images from the book at http://www.apress.com/9781430246114 Covers basic design for motorized vehicles that run and steer. Shows how to build headlights and more using the Power Functions Light Kit. Provides suspension design for use in building all-terrain vehicles. Helps you build construction equipment, including a crane and forklift.

The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT 2.0 set offers hundreds of building elements, programming software, and powerful electronics that you can use to create amazing robots. But where do you begin? This eagerly awaited second edition of the bestselling Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Inventor's Guide is your key to designing, building, and programming robots with the NXT 2.0 set. You'll learn practical building techniques, like how to build sturdy structures and use gears, and gain a solid understanding of the set's NXT-G programming language. A series of projects new to this edition offers step-by-step instructions for building and programming six robots, each of which can be built with just one NXT 2.0 set, including: –Inventor-Bot, a fast, simple, modular vehicle with treads –Sentry-Bot, a robot guard that shoots balls at intruders –Table-Bot, a vehicle that uses its antennae to avoid falling off a tabletop –The Jeep, a four-wheeled vehicle that avoids obstacles and follows lines –The Lizard, a large walking robot that uses the color sensor to detect and respond to different colored balls –The Printer, a stationary robot that uses a pen or marker to draw letters, words, and shapes on paper Additional resources include the Piece Library, which contains basic information on the more than 80 types of LEGO pieces in the NXT 2.0 set, and the Quick Reference, which lists the 34 types of standard programming blocks. So go ahead. Grab your NXT 2.0 set, fire up your imagination, and see what you can invent with The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Inventor's Guide.

CREATE YOUR OWN SYNCHRONIZED ROBOT ARMY! PLAN, DESIGN, ASSEMBLE, AND PROGRAM ROBOT SQUADS THAT COMMUNICATE and cooperate with each other to accomplish together what they can’t do individually. Build Your Own Teams of Robots with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT and Bluetooth shows you how to construct a team capability matrix (TCM) and use the Bluetooth Robotic-Oriented Network (BRON) so your robot teams can share sensors, actuators, end effectors, motor power, and programs. Find out how the Bluetooth communications protocol works and how to program Bluetooth in NXT-G, NXC, LabVIEW, and Java. Learn how to send and receive Bluetooth messages, data, and commands among robots, between a robot and a computer, and between an Android smart phone and a robot. Through teamwork, your robots will be able to accomplish amazing feats! THE STEP-BY-STEP ROBOT TEAM PROJECTS IN THE BOOK INCLUDE: * Crime Scene Investigation Robot Team * Robot Convoy * Rubik's Cube Solver LEARN HOW TO: Coordinate multiple robots to work together as a team to perform tasks Combine two or more microcontrollers to make a single, multicontroller/multi-agent robot Take advantage of sensor and actuator capabilities in a team environment Establish goals and teamwork strategies for your robots Control your robot teams with NXT-G Bluetooth bricks and LabVIEW for NXT Bluetooth VI Activate your team using a smart phone Give your team of robots Java power with leJOS Use Java on the Linux and Darwin operating systems Watch video demonstrations of the projects and download code and examples in multiple languages (NXT-G, Java, LabVIEW, and NXC) from the book's companion website at www.robotteams.org. Downloads are also available at mhprofessional.com/robotteams.

Follow the adventures of Evan and his archaeologist uncle as they explore for treasure from an ancient kingdom. Help them succeed by building a series of five robots using LEGO's popular MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 robotics kit. Without your robots, Evan and his uncle are doomed to failure and in grave danger. Your robots are the key to their success in unlocking the secret of The King's Treasure! In this sequel to the immensely popular book, LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: The Mayan Adventure, you get both an engaging story and a personal tutorial on robotics programming. You'll learn about the motors and sensors in your NXT 2.0 kit. You'll learn to constructively brainstorm solutions to problems. And you'll follow clear, photo-illustrated instructions that help you build, test, and operate a series of five robots corresponding to the five challenges Evan and his uncle must overcome in their search for lost treasure. Provides an excellent series of parent/child projects Builds creative and problem-solving skills Lays a foundation for success and fun with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Please note: the print version of this title is black & white; the eBook is full color.

A set of projects explores NXT functionality and focuses on Versa, a mobile robot platform utilizing modular attachments.