| Many people have seen clips or shows that are | | | | The central brick that is the brain of each Lego |
| devoted specifically to robotics competitions. | | | | Mindstorms NXT robot is programmable using Net |
| Sometimes the robots must perform tasks such as | | | | Byte Code (NBC) and Not eXactly C (NXC) |
| picking up and object and moving it a required distance. | | | | languages. You can connect to the brick through a |
| Other times the robots are required to simply battle to | | | | USB port connection to a home computer or by |
| the death! Whatever the purpose, for anyone who's | | | | Bluetooth wireless technology. There are very few |
| never built their own robot and programmed such | | | | robotic kits available to the retail consumer that can |
| robots to do tasks ranging from the mundane to the | | | | provide this level of advanced robot development and |
| dueling to the death, your time has come and you too | | | | intelligence programming. Lego Mindstorms NXT offers |
| can finally build a robot. You don't even need to have a | | | | four basic robots named Alpha Rex, Spike, RoboArm, |
| degree in engineering from MIT. All you really have to | | | | and Tribot. Each has their distinct abilities and |
| do is know how to play with Legos and follow | | | | appearance in correlation to their names. Alpha Rex is |
| instructions when you buy Lego Mindstorms NXT. | | | | a humanoid robot, which looks takes on the shape of |
| Many of us remember playing with Lego building | | | | a bipedal robotic skeleton. Alpha Rex is the only robot |
| blocks as child. Many recall the dozens of different | | | | of the set that has two legs which move the robot in |
| sets ranging from medieval Legos to cowboy Legos | | | | the same way that humans move by moving one leg |
| to astronaut and alien Legos. You may even have | | | | "in front" of the other. This is actually a sophisticated |
| memories of the early robotic Lego sets. In those | | | | maneuver and the fact that a toy can do this is quite |
| days, they were quite basic and amounted to what | | | | impressive. |
| would end up being a remote controlled car. However, | | | | Spike, is a robot taking on the form of a scorpion. |
| those days are long gone and the robotic Lego sets | | | | Crawling around on six legs with a tail that has a touch |
| have moved forward. The latest robotic Lego set is | | | | sensor attached to the end of it, Spike is able to |
| the Lego Mindstorms NXT. With a central brick as the | | | | paralyze its prey. Up front, Spike also has two pincers |
| brain of each robot, these are far more advanced | | | | with which he can grab objects and carry them away. |
| than any other out of the box, build it yourself robot | | | | RoboArm and Tribot are essentially opposite robots |
| set. | | | | that share one thing in common - they both have |
| Much more than simply providing a central motor | | | | sophisticated grabbing claws. RoboArm is a stationary |
| surrounded by other Lego pieces, the Lego | | | | robot, while Tribot moves around with the use of |
| Mindstorms NXT robots have sensors enabling them | | | | wheels instead of legs like Alpha Rex or Spike. Tribot |
| to perceive touch, sight, and sound. They can | | | | actually moves quite fast, especially in comparison to |
| differentiate color, distance, and even motion. Since | | | | any of the other robots who do not have wheels. The |
| programming as an activity has grown not only in | | | | Lego Mindstorms NXT robots are not only impressive |
| everyday use but in popularity, more and more children | | | | pieces of hardware out of the box, but they also |
| and adults of every age have really become | | | | provide a level of programmability that is honestly not |
| interested in the development and creation of their | | | | matched by any other retail robotic kit. |
| own Lego Mindstorms NXT robots. | | | | |