The LEGO Technic kit included:

• mechanical elements,
• pneumatic elements,
• electrical motors.

The kit did not include a microcontroller.

http://technic.lego.com/

RIS versions:

• 1998r.: RIS 1.0,
• 1999r.: RIS 1.5,
• 2001r.: RIS 2.0.

The most important change: RCX 'brick', which contains programmable microcontroller Renesas H8/300. Furthermore introduced:

• possibility of communication between RCXs,
• sensors (e.g. of color and touch),
• additional electronical equipment, e.g. speakers,
• about 700 elements.

http://www.electronickits.com/robot/le3804.htm

In mid 2006 Mindstorms NXT replaced Robotic Invention Systems.

The kit include:

• more sensors,
• about 500 elements (such as: wheels, bars, adapters, hubs, etc.),
• motors with sensor of position and tachometer,
• touch sensor, sound sensor, color sensor, ultrasonic sensor.

Mindstorms NXT supports a lot of programming languages.

http://mindstorms.lego.com/

• communication RF,
• Passive sensors limitations,
• no possibility of software development.

http://web.telia.com/~u16122508/cybermaster.htm

• only basic elements,
• programing through switching to learn-mode and using light sensor to get over coded cammands.

• poor possibilities of programming,
• RCX communication.

• limited Scout version,
• communication with: Scout, Spybotics, RCX by VLL.

http://www.elecbrick.com/vll/

• toy-version of Cybermaster,
• communication with other Spybotics and with RCX.

Lego_Spybotics
http://gear.ign.com/articles/358/358642p1.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Mindstorms