Introduction to Robotics using LEGO Mindstorms NXT

Sreekanth M
Lecturer
Dept. of Electronics & Communication, Jyothi Engg. College. Cheruthuruthy.
sreekanthmadhav@yahoo.com
Lego Mindstorms is a programmable robotics kit released by Lego in late July 2006.The
main component in the kit is a brick-shaped computer called the NXT brick. It can take
input from up to four sensors and control up to three motors. The brick has a 100x64
pixel monochrome LCD display and four buttons that can be used to navigate a user
interface using hierarchical menus. It also has a speaker and can play sound files at
sampling rates up to 8 kHz. Power is supplied by 6 AA (1.5 V each) batteries. The NXT
brick can be programmed with USB or Bluetooth. There are numerous programming
languages available for programming NXT. Here I will be dealing with very simple NXT
programming software called NXT-G.
The term robotics in present situation is really far away from LEGO Mindstorm
NXT robotic kit, but this kit really helps people to have a flying start on this topic. People
normally hesitate to deal with robotics because of its interdisciplinary nature, but this kit
really helps people to start loving Electrical, Computer and Mechanical engineering.
LEGO Mindstorm Kit comes with NXT brick (A microprocessor based system), several
kind of sensors, Precision servo motors and more than fifty type of mechanical parts to
build different robots. The kit is distributed with open Hardware and Software license,
this enables advanced users to modify NXT for custom usage and develop their own
operating system.

Hardware Specifications for the NXT Brick.

Here is a summary list of hardware specifications for
the NXT brick:
Main processor:
Atmel 32-bit ARM
processor, AT91SAM7S256
- 256 KB FLASH
- 64 KB RAM
- 48 MHz
Co-processor:
Atmel 8-bit AVR
processor, ATmega48
- 4 KB FLASH
- 512 Byte RAM
- 8 MHz
Bluetooth wireless communication: CSR
BlueCoreTM 4 v2.0 +EDR System

 USB 2.0 communication Full speed port (12

Mbit/s)
4 input ports 6-wire interface supporting both
digital and analog interface
3 output ports 6-wire interface supporting
input from encoders.
Display:100 x 64 pixel LCD black & white
graphical display.
Loudspeaker Sound output channel with 8-bit
resolution- Supporting a sample rate of 2-16
KHz.
4 button user-interface Rubber buttons.
Power source 6 AA batteries
- Alkaline batteries are recommended

Fig2. Mindstorms NXT Intelligent Brick and other components

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.
The retail version of the kit includes software for writing programs that run 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.
NXT-G is the programming software that comes bundled with the NXT.. This
software is adequate for basic programming, such as driving motors, incorporating sensor
inputs, doing calculations, and learning simplified programming structures and flow
control.
The NXT can also be programmed using LABVIEW, MATLAB, and Java,
RobotC, NXC and many more softwares.
Sensors
Three identical servo motors that have built-in reduction gear assemblies with
internal optical rotary encoders that sense their rotations within one degree of
accuracy.
The touch sensor detects whether it is currently pressed, has been bumped, or
released. In the NXT-G programming software, a value of 0 is given out when it
isn't pressed, and a value of 1 is given out if it is pressed down.
The color sensor detects the light level in one direction, and also includes an LED
for illuminating an object. The light sensor can sense colors. In the NXT-G
programming software the sensor senses light on a scale of 100, 100 being very
bright and 0 being dark.
The ultrasonic sensor can measure the distance from the sensor to something that
it is facing, and detect movement. It can show the distance in both centimeters and
inches. The maximum distance it can measure is 233cm with a precision of 3
centimeters. The ultrasonic sensor works by sending out ultrasonic sound waves
that bounce off an object ahead of it and then back. It senses the time it took for
that to happen.
Connectors
Sensors are connected to the NXT brick using a 6-position modular connector that
features both analog and digital interfaces. The analog interface is backward-compatible
(using an adapter) with the older Robotics Invention System. The digital interface is
capable of both I2C and RS-485 communication

Conclusion
Perhaps one of the greatest impacts that can be accomplished with a robotics
program is the involvement of the individual and the creation of positive teamwork.
There are few times in a modern classroom where a student can be asked to create a
technological marvel, be given minimal guidance, told to do it their way, and still have a
great success.
At numerous camps, expos, and workshops students have come in with no prior
experience at building robots or programming and within as little as 2 hours have built
and programmed a robot for the first time.
The question what does it do? is answered with what do you want it to do?
and that changes the world from one of watching to one of doing.
Everyone is capable of great things. Some guidance, the right parts, and
imagination and it comes out, usually there isnt any way to stop it. I believe LEGO
Mindstorm NXT will be one among the available good choices for a flying start in the
fascinating area of Robotics.