LEGO NXT

[J1A3L5]

Hi all,

I saw it mentioned in the 2006 set discussion...but what do you all thing of the new Mindstorms NXT?

I've been watching a big of the LUGNET discussion (IRON MECHA and NXT have mostly taken over..!) and all the hardcore mindstorms people seem excited. I've never owned, or even had much contact with the full-fledged RCX system...only the little Microscouts.

I'm fairly interested in this new generation. I just wonder if it'd be something that I'd like, and use to animate MOC's...or if it'd just sit around and collect dust. It's far too expensive to risk really, in my opinion, unless I had some way to try it out.

Does anyone here have the RCX kit? If so, what did they think? Was it easily customizable, or did it require insane knowledge to be able to be made worth while?

-Jail.

[TheQ]

Yeah, NXT has done what it had to do, create big buzz around the globe. It even got in the Wired magazine (link can be founded at C-S.com Forums).

I have never been so "Yay" person when it comes to Mindstorms. I have tried the demo of some sorts and it seemed pretty simple. Some call it hard, tho.

But after reading the Wired article, I was suprised the capabilities of it. It seemed that one person had actually got the link to the firmware inside the "control brick". There was even own Operation system and programming kit for it. All free!

But still, the look of the new NXT isn't what I call playful. While the old Mind was pretty more like "Hey, I look wierd but I can do stuff", the new NXT looks like "I am ultra-robot, will you challenge me".

I don't think I will get it. The price tag is pretty large and I have never so into the "PC Bricks"..
-Q

[xsane]

I was lucky and bought the Mindstorms few years ago from a guy who apperently got it for Christmas and did not know wat to do with (nor it's real value).

I think it's great. I didn't use original programming tool since it has far less commands than the RCX unit actually supports. I use free program named NQC.

Later I also bought remote control which is great addition to the system. Especially if programing is not your thing.

I have made cranes, elevators, cars, robots. I also made a 360 + 90 degrees moving lego turret with two barrels.



I tried make an algorith to search brightest spot in (the system has a light sensor) it's range and shoot towards it. This was meant to be a burglary prevention device.

I never got it work very well. The turret went crazy searching the light and shooted seemingly random directions or over ranged and broke itself. But it was fun thing to explore.