The essential guide to building and programming LEGO EV3 interactive robots
Exploring LEGO Mindstorms: Tools and Techniques for Building and Programming Robots is the complete guide to getting the most out of your LEGO Mindstorms EV3. Written for hobbyists, young builders, and master builders alike, the book walks you through fundamentals of robot design, construction, and programming using the Mindstorms apparatus and LEGO TECHNIC parts. Tap into your creativity with brainstorming techniques, or follow the plans and blueprints provided on the companion website to complete projects ranging from beginner to advanced.
The book begins with the basics of the software and EV3 features then lets you get to work quickly by using projects of increasing complexity to illustrate the topics at hand. Plenty of examples are provided throughout every step of the process, and the companion website features a blog where you can gain the insight and advice of other users. Exploring LEGO Mindstorms contains building and programming challenges written by a recognized authority in LEGO robotics curriculum, and is designed to teach you the fundamentals rather than have you follow a "recipe."
- Get started with robot programming with the starter vehicle, Auto-Driver
- Explore the features of the EV3 brick, a programmable brick
- Design robot's actions using Action Blocks
- Incorporate environmental sensors using Infrared, Touch, and Color sensors
- Expand the use of data in your program by using data wires with Sensor Blocks
- Process data from the sensors using Data Operations Blocks
- Using Bluetooth and WiFi with EV3
- Build unique EV3 robots that each presents different functions: the Spy Rabbit, a robot that can react to its surroundings; a Sea Turtle robot, Mr. Turto; the Big Belly Bot, a robot that eats and poops; and a Robotic Puppy Guapo
- Discover ideas and practices that will help you to develop your own method of designing and programming EV3 robots
The book also provides extensive programming guidance, from the very basics of block programming through data wiring. You'll learn robotics skills to help with your own creations, and can likely ignite a lasting passion for innovation. Exploring LEGO Mindstorms is the key to unlocking your EV3 potential.
Table of Contents:
Foreword xxiii Introduction xxv
Chapter 1 Introducing LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 1
Understanding the EV3 Set: It Begins When You Open the Box 2
EV3 Electronic Parts 2
EV3 Software 5
TECHNIC Building Parts 7
The Building Instructions and the Test Board 10
Comparing EV3 and NXT 11
Summary 11
Chapter 2 Building the Auto-Driver: A Starter Vehicle 13
Getting Started with the Auto-Driver 13
What You Can Do with the Auto-Driver 13
Assembling the Auto-Driver 15
Understanding the EV3 Brick Interface 29
Using the Brick Buttons 29
Exploring Four Basic Screens 30
Operating the Auto-Driver 36
Summary 37
Chapter 3 Getting Started with Programming 39
What Is Programming? 39
Communicating with Robots 40
Understanding Programming Languages 40
Previewing the EV3 Software System 41
Launching the EV3 Software 41
What Do You See on the Screen? 42
Understanding the Programming Interface and Graphic Languages 47
Getting Used to the Interface 49
Downloading Programs to a Robot 51
Connecting the EV3 Brick to a Computer 52
Reading the EV3 Brick on the Software 54
Summary 57
Chapter 4 Exploring Action Blocks Part 1: Programming Motors 59
Understanding the Basics of Block Programming 59
Rule 1: Use the Start Block 59
Rule 2: Respect the Program Flow 61
Overview of the Programming Block’s Structure 62
Getting to Know the Input Values for the Motors 62
The Off, On, and On for Seconds Modes 63
The On for Degrees and On for Rotations Modes 64
Motor Power Input and the Direction of the Motor 67
Controlling Motors with the Large Motor Block and the Medium Motor Block 68
Working with the Large Motor Block 68
Creating Programs with the Large Motor Block 68
Controlling Two Motors with the Move Steering Block 73
Working with the Move Steering Block 73
Creating Programs with the Move Steering Block 76
Using the Move Tank Block to Control the Power Level of a Motor 82
Working with the Move Tank Block 82
Creating Programs with the Move Tank Block 83
Summary 84
Chapter 5 Exploring Action Blocks Part 2: Using Display, Sound and Brick Status Light Blocks 85
The Display Block 85
Displaying Text: The Text-Pixels and Grid Modes 87
Drawing Shapes: The Line, Circle, Rectangle, and Point Modes 94
Displaying Images: The Image Mode 97
Resetting the Display: The Reset Screen Mode 103
The Sound Block 103
Play File Mode 105
Play Tone Mode 107
Play Note Mode 108
Stop Mode 109
The Brick Status Light Block 110
The On Mode 110
The Off and Reset Modes 110
Summary 111
Chapter 6 Exploring Flow Blocks 113
The Start Block 114
Starting the Program 114
Demonstrating the Line of Code 114
The Wait Block 115
The Compare Mode in the Wait Block 116
The Change Mode in the Wait Block 117
The Time Mode 117
The Brick Buttons Mode 118
The Loop Block 121
The Unlimited, Count, and Time Modes 123
The Brick Button Mode 125
The Loop Interrupt Block 126
The Switch Block 127
The Compare Mode in the Switch Block 128
The Measure Mode in the Switch Block 130
Using a Value from a Data Wire 132
Summary 133
Chapter 7 Building the Spy Rabbit: A Robot That Can React to Its Surroundings 135
Understanding the Spy Rabbit 135
The Spy Rabbit’s Personality 136
Assembling the Spy Rabbit 136
Testing the Moving Parts of the Spy Rabbit 158
Summary 159
Chapter 8 Sensing the Environments: Using the Infrared, Touch, and Color Sensors 161
Understanding Sensors 161
Intro to the EV3 Sensors 162
Using the Infrared Sensor and Remote Infrared Beacon 163
Remote Infrared Beacon 163
Remote Mode 164
Beacon Mode 169
Proximity Mode 170
Reading Values from the Port View with the Infrared Sensor 172
Programming with the Infrared Sensor and Remote Infrared 175
Using the Touch Sensor 179
Adding the Touch Sensor to the Spy Rabbit 181
Reading Values from the Port View with the Touch Sensor 182
Programming with the Touch Sensor 183
Using the Color Sensor 187
Color Mode 187
Reflected Light Intensity Mode 189
Ambient Light Intensity Mode 191
Adding the Color Sensor to the Spy Rabbit 192
Reading Values from the Port View with the Color Sensor 195
Programming with the Color Sensor 195
Summary 197
Chapter 9 Using the Timer and the Rotation Sensor 199
Understanding the Timer 199
Working with the Timer in Programming Blocks 201
Programming with the Timer 204
Understanding the Motor Rotation Sensor 206
Using the Motor Rotation Sensor in Programming Blocks 207
Programming with the Motor Rotation Sensor 210
Summary 215
Chapter 10 Building Mr. Turto: A Sea Turtle Robot 217
Understanding Mr. Turto 217
The Structure of Mr. Turto’s Body 218
Assembling Mr. Turto 219
Testing Mr. Turto’s Movements 247
Summary 248
Chapter 11 Programming with Data Wires and Using My Blocks 249
What Is a Data Wire? 249
How Do Data Wires Work? 250
Getting Started with Data Wire Programming 250
Using Block Input and Output 253
Understanding Data Types and Data Wire Types 254
Sensor Blocks and Data Wires 257
Setting Up the Sensor Blocks 258
Exercise 1: Yay! I Found Something 259
Exercise 2: Can You Hear Me? 261
Exercise 3: Bright Light Makes Mr. Turto Awake 262
Introducing My Blocks 264
Using the My Block Builder 264
Exporting and Importing My Blocks 268
Summary 270
Chapter 12 Using Data Operations Blocks 271
The Variable Block 272
What Is a Variable? 272
Setting Up the Variable Block 273
The Constant Block 278
The Constant Block’s Many Modes 279
Constant Blocks in Action 279
The Array Operations Block 280
Append Mode 280
Read and Write at Index Modes 281
Length Mode 282
The Logic Operations Block 283
And Mode 283
Or Mode 284
XOR Mode 284
Not Mode 284
The Math and Round Blocks 286
The Math Block 286
The Round Block 288
The Compare, Range, and Random Blocks 289
The Compare Block 289
The Range Block 290
The Random Block 291
The Text Block 291
Summary 292
Chapter 13 Building the Big Belly Bot: A Robot That Eats and Poops 293
Understanding the Big Belly Bot 293
The Big Belly Bot’s Personality 294
The Mechanisms of the Big Belly Bot 295
Assembling the Big Belly Bot 297
Programming the Big Belly Bot 316
Action 1 – Standing Up Straight: Lean Backward to Improve Posture 316
Action 2 – Eating: Check If His Belly Is Full When the Food Comes In. When He Feels Full, Say “Uh-Oh” 317
Action 3 – Pooping: Bend Over, Open the Back End, Poop, and Shake the Body 318
Action 4 – Close the Back End 319
Summary 319
Chapter 14 Design Your Own Robot: How Did Guapo, the Robotic Puppy, Come to Be? 321
Build Guapo, the Robotic Puppy 321
Set a Goal: What Do You Want to Build? 350
Collecting Inspirations for the Goal 350
Defi ning Your Robot’s Actions: What Does It Do? 350
Decide on Moving Parts and Sensors 351
Planning by Sketching: The Way to Decide Which Parts Will Move 351
Adding Sensors: Where Sensors Will Be Most Useful 353
Build and Modify: From Core Sections to Decorative Sections 356
Time to Program 358
Summary 360
Appendix Using Bluetooth and WiFi with the EV3 Brick 361
Using Bluetooth with the EV3 Brick 361
Connecting the EV3 Brick to a Computer 362
Using WiFi to Download a Program to the EV3 Brick 364
Using Apple iOS Devices with the EV3 Brick 365
Index 367
