LEGO MINDSTORMS

INTELLIGENT
B R I C KS
 LEGO MINDSTORMS
• It is a software platform produced by Lego for the
development of programmable robots based on Lego
building blocks.
• Each version of the system includes
an intelligent brick computer that controls the system,
a set of modular sensors and motors,
and Lego parts from the Technic line to create the mechanical
systems.
PRE-MINDSTORM

Before Mindstorms, Lego had previously done

some experimentation with robotic sets. One
of the main foundations of these sets was the
Lego Technic system and its 4.5 V and later 9 V
system for electrical peripherals that had been
evolving through the 1980s.
COMPUTER INTERFACES
• One example is a programmable Lego, LEGO Interface-A adapter
• These sets from the mid-late 1980's provided a dedicated hardware
interface to control the Lego Technic 4.5 V system using a
computer, and for the first time it introduced electric Lego sensors.
This interface was controlled from an IBM-PC or Apple-II by the use of
a special version of Logo, a simple programming language designed for
use in children's education.
TECHNIC CONTROL CENTER
The control center (1990) was the first programmable
standalone Lego product, in the sense of being able to store
sequence-based programs and run them. It featured three
output ports and manual control, and it was only capable of
storing linear sequences of manual input plus timing
information. It could store up to two programs at once.
 CYBERMASTER
The brick shares many, especially software, features with the RCX but differs in
appearance and technical specifications: one output (plus two built-in) and four sensors.
• It uses RF (27 MHz R/C band) instead of IR for communication.
• It has two built-in motors with integrated tachometers and speedometers.
• It is limited to passive sensors (a simple A/D with internal pull-up resistors).
• The sensors shipped with it are color-coded and have internal resistors in their open
state (allowing the brick to sense which sensor is attached to which port).
• It has a fixed firmware (so it cannot be upgraded or replaced).
• It has limited RAM for programs (395 bytes) and only one program slot.
CODEPILOT
This unit was the first
programmable brick (or Pbrick). It
features a single motor, a single
touch sensor and a light sensor. It
is programmed by setting it to
'learn' and using the light sensor
to feed barcoded commands. The
command set is very limited. Since
barcode is just a series of
variances in light, this form of
command entry was dubbed VLL
(Visual Light Link) and has been
used in several later Lego models.
ROBOTICS INVENTION SYSTEM (1 ST GEN)

The main core of the first generation of Mindstorms sets

were the Robotics Invention System sets. These were based
around the RCX (Robotic Command eXplorers) brick, and
the 9 V LEGO Technic peripherals available at the time. It
also includes two touch-sensors and an optical sensor, using
the technology from the earlier 9 V sensors from the pre-
Mindstorms sets.
RCX
• The RCX is based on the 8-bit Renesas H8/300 microcontroller,
including 32 KB of ROM for low-level IO functions, along with
32 KB of RAM to store high-level firmware and user programs. The
RCX is programmed by uploading a program using a
dedicated infrared interface. After the user uploads a program, the
RCX can run it on its own without needing access to a computer.
Programs may take use of three sensor input ports and three 9 V
output ports, in addition to the IR interface, enabling several RCX
bricks to communicate. A built-in LCD can display the battery level,
the status of the input/output ports, which program is selected or
running, and other information
• Version 1.0 RCX bricks
feature a power adapter jack
rather than solely batteries.
In version 2.0 the power
adapter jack was removed.
Power-adapter equipped
RCX bricks were popular
for stationary robotics
projects (such as robot
arms) or for
controlling Lego model
trains. In the latter context,
the RCX might be
programmed with Digital
Command Control (DCC)
software to operate
multiple wired trains.
RCX SENSORS
 NXT (2 ND GEN)
The brick has a 100×60 pixel monochrome LCD and
four buttons that can be used to navigate a user
interface using hierarchical menus. It has a 32-bit
ARM7TDMI-core Atmel AT91SAM7S256
microcontroller with 256 KB of FLASH memory and 64
KB of RAM, plus an 8-bit Atmel AVR ATmega48
microcontroller, and Bluetooth support. It can take
input from up to four sensors and control up to three
motors, via a modified version of RJ12 cables. 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 in the consumer version of the kit and by a Li-
Ion rechargeable battery and charger in the educational
version.
The Intelligent Brick
remains unchanged with
NXT 2.0. A black
version of the brick was
made to celebrate the
10th anniversary of the
Mindstorms System with
no change to the
internals.
 EV3
• Lego Mindstorms EV3 is the third generation robotics kit in Lego's Mindstorms
line. It is the successor to the second generation Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0
kit. The "EV" designation refers to the "evolution" of the Mindstorms product
line. "3" refers to the fact that it is the third generation of computer modules -
first was the RCX and the second is the NXT.
• The main processor of the EV3 is ARM9 CPU running Linux. A USB connector
and Micro SD slot (up to 32GB) are new to the EV3. It uses a program called
Lego Mindstorms EV3 Home Edition, which is powered by LabVIEW, to write
code using blocks instead of lines. However it can also be programmed on the
actual robot and saved.
1998 : release of the RCX brick - RCX for Robotic Command eXplorer
2006 : release of the NXT brick - NXT for NeXT generation

2013 : release of the EV3 system - EV3 for Evolution 3

RCX VS NXT
 RCX NXT
• RCX has 3 motor and 3 sensor • NXT has 3 motor and 4 sensor ports.
ports.
• RCX would need an additional • The NXT has encoders integrated in its
rotation sensor on a sensor port to motors so that they can be used as
do that. servos.
• RCX uses regular 9V connectors • NXT uses RJ12 connectors with the
(2x2 with metal in studs). latch offset to one side.
• RCX uses infrared to communicate • NXT uses a direct USB cable or
and download programs via an IR Bluetooth.
tower
• NXT is LEGO Technic oriented - it's
• RCX is LEGO system oriented - studless and is attached with Technic
uses studs (is has four half-pin holes pins.
only).
• NXT's 256 KB of flash memory can hold
• RCX's 32 KB of RAM can store up a usually unnoticeable maximum of 64
to 5 programs. files of varying types.
NXT VS EV3
SOFTWARE
• NXT software comes on a disk; EV3 is a download.
• EV3 software block parameters can be controlled on the
block itself, this gives user ability to see all block
parameters at the same time.
• The NXT Brick can be programmed with the EV3
software.
Sensors
• NXT sensors include the
Ultrasonic, Color, and
Touch, which are
compatible with EV3
software. (first figure)
• EV3 has similar sensors
as the NXT, with the
addition of a new
component, the gyro
sensor that allows for
easy measurement of the
robot's rotation and
orientation. (second Note: EV3 sensors
figure) CANNOT be used
with the NXT brick
 HARDWARE
• Rechargeable batteries are
not compatible between NXT
and EV3, however the charger
is compatible with both.
• NXT comes with three
medium motors identified in
Figure 4.
• EV3 comes with two large
motors and one medium
identified in Figure 5.
• Ball pivot for spinning.
• Figure 4 and Figure 5 Note: EV3 motors
CAN be used with
illustrates connections of
the NXT
dedicated ports on the bricks
for each sensor and motor
provided in each base kit.
BATTERY
Both the NXT and EV3 can be
powered with 6 standard AA
batteries. Alternatively, they
can be powered with a LEGO
rechargeable battery. The
LEGO EV3 battery and LEGO
NXT battery have a different
shape
BRICK
• The EV3 brick, is faster and has a stronger processor
compared to the NXT brick. However, the EV3 brick
takes longer to start up than the NXT; this may be
something to consider for those who use these for
competitions.
• EV3 can control the EV3 brick using both iOS and
Android devices, as opposed to Android only for the
NXT.
• EV3 has a micro SD card slot good for loading files
and saving data.
• EV3 can also create basic programs directly on the
brick.