Lego Mindstorms Intro Lab

Aim:

• Getting familiar with equipment of NXT set: NXTbrick, sensors and motors.
• Getting familiar with programming of LEGO Mindstorms.

Resources:

• Hardware: NXTbrick, 3 motors, 4 sensors, connecting wires, USB wire, some Lego elements.
• Software: LEGO environment.

Pay attention to your workspace. Proper space arrangement is important. Make sure that Lego elements do not fall on the floor, get entangled with the keyboard etc. Every team has a separate table.

Special attention should be paid regarding elements location in the case, each element should be placed in a proper compartment!
according to element arrangement in the case compartments.
Please, respect it for your and others convenience

Assign appropriate roles in your team. Role assignment is important, you should choose persons for handling:

• computer (programming) → Chief
• case (finding and delivering elements) → Mechanic
• elements (assembly, connecting elements) → Constructor

Read about laboratory equipment.

Find:

• Quickstart (QS) - paper version will be distributed during exercises, and User Guide (UG),
• elements:
  • Brick (control unit) - section D2,
  • sensors x4 - section D2,
  • motors x2 - section D1,
  • wires 2+4+1 - section A4.

Before the end of the exercise, everything should be packed exactly in the same way as in the beginning

• Put battery in to Brick.
• Connect motors and sensors (QS:2, UG:7) according to port numbers.
• Turn on Brick.

Test UI Brick:

• run test programs “Try Me” (UG:16),
• check sensors signals by “View” (UG:17),
• look at UI full description (UG:20–21).

• Run LEGO application.
• Connect Brick to the computer by USB.
• Make new project.
• Establish the connection between PC and Brick.

• Construct a simple program, consisting of 2 elements in sensor/motor sequence.
• Send program to Brick and test.
• Repeat above using different sensors.

• Build a simple mobile robot, i.e. the one described in the QuickStart, use at least two motors.
• Attach a single desired sensor (i.e. sonar) on the front or on the side of the Brick.

• Use basic control instruction (i.e. conditionals) to make simple programs.
• Extend the robot and the program to your liking - use your imagination.

After finishing the exercise but before leaving the lab, you should:

• turn off the Brick and disconnect USB,
• terminate the Lego application,
• put the Brick, motors and sensors back to the case, unless at the beginning of the exercise the robot was already built - in this case you shouldn't disassemble it,
• close the case and clean up your work place.

Prepare a short report describing what you have accomplished during the this exercise:

• what was the purpose of the robot,
• what sensors did you use and why,
• include a photo of your robot,
• include a screenshot of your program,
• describe problems and difficulties you had.

★ Lab instructions translated/enhanced by Igor Wojnicki, PhD (2010).