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In lugnet.announce, Lee Magpili wrote:
> check out www.mindstorms.com/press
>
> lego just put out a press release all about the NeXT version of mindstorms, they
> put a whole spec out on it..
>
> heres a bit from the article explaining the specs
>
> LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT highlights include:
>
> • All-new NXT intelligent brick
> • 3 interactive servo motors feature inbuilt rotation sensors to align speed for
> precise control
> • New ultrasonic sensor makes robots “see” by responding to movement
> • New sound sensor enables robots to react to sound commands, including sound
> pattern and tone recognition
> • Improved light sensor detects different colors and light intensity
> • Improved touch sensor reacts to touch or release and allows robots to feel
> • 519 hand-selected, stylized elements from the LEGO TECHNIC® building system
> ensure robot creations will be sturdy and durable while also looking authentic
> • Opportunities for physical programming of robots and interaction with robots
> during programming
> • 18 building challenges with clear, step-by-step instructions help acclimate
> users to the new system to create robots ranging from humanoids and machinery to
> animals and vehicles
> • Digital wire interface allows for third-party developments
> • Information, inspiration, news, community programs and more at
> www.mindstorms.com
Darn it, you beat me to posting this! :-P
Anyway, I can't WAIT until this is released. I help my local elementary school
every year with the FIRST LEGO League competition, so hopefully they will use
this kit. I will more than likley save up money and purchase this. :-)
Best thing I have read all day. This is so COOL! :-D
- Daniel
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>
> Best thing I have read all day. This is so COOL! :-D
>
> - Daniel
Is this going to be totally incompatible with the old Mindstorms?? That would be
devastating to people with investments in the existing system.
Gyl
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-----Original Message-----
From: news-gateway@lugnet.com [mailto:news-gateway@lugnet.com] On Behalf Of
Gyl Midroni
Sent: Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:13 PM
To: lego-robotics@crynwr.com
Subject: Re: mindstorms NXT
>
> Best thing I have read all day. This is so COOL! :-D
>
> - Daniel
Is this going to be totally incompatible with the old Mindstorms?? That
would be
devastating to people with investments in the existing system.
Gyl
Yes I want to know if it is going to be compatible or incompatible with the
current system. Can someone please find out.
Jim
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Subject:
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RE: mindstorms NXT
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Fri, 6 Jan 2006 05:03:38 GMT
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Original-From:
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Mr S <szinn_the1@yahoo.com^SayNoToSpam^>
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I'm not sure about other AFOLs, but I'm not purist and
have been considering (quite energetically) adding an
Atmel ARM7 board to my robot, interfacing to the RCX
via I2C/IR (from Mindsensors.com) and using BT or USB
just changes the interface issue a little bit rather
than completely. I'm sure that someone will hack a
BT/IR interface for the RCX soon enough.
--- jim <jim@labyrinth.net.au> wrote:
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: news-gateway@lugnet.com
> [mailto:news-gateway@lugnet.com] On Behalf Of
> Gyl Midroni
> Sent: Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:13 PM
> To: lego-robotics@crynwr.com
> Subject: Re: mindstorms NXT
>
> >
> > Best thing I have read all day. This is so COOL! • :-D
> >
> > - Daniel
>
> Is this going to be totally incompatible with the
> old Mindstorms?? That
> would be
> devastating to people with investments in the
> existing system.
>
> Gyl
>
> Yes I want to know if it is going to be compatible
> or incompatible with the
> current system. Can someone please find out.
>
> Jim
>
>
__________________________________________
Yahoo! DSL – Something to write home about.
Just $16.99/mo. or less.
dsl.yahoo.com
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Subject:
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Re: mindstorms NXT
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Fri, 6 Jan 2006 05:25:50 GMT
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Original-From:
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Chris 'Xenon' Hanson <xenon@/spamcake/3dnature.com>
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jim wrote:
> Is this going to be totally incompatible with the old Mindstorms?? That
> would be
> devastating to people with investments in the existing system.
> Yes I want to know if it is going to be compatible or incompatible with the
> current system. Can someone please find out.
Nothing about the new system appears to be electrically compatible. I suspect that
someone will make an electronic bridge device. Obviously, being LEGO, it is all
mechanically compatible.
> Jim
--
Chris 'Xenon' Hanson | Xenon @ 3D Nature | http://www.3DNature.com/
"I set the wheels in motion, turn up all the machines, activate the programs,
and run behind the scenes. I set the clouds in motion, turn up light and sound,
activate the window, and watch the world go 'round." -Prime Mover, Rush.
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Subject:
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RE: mindstorms NXT
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 5 Jan 2006 18:44:18 GMT
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Original-From:
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Jonathan Spitz <jspiar@yahoo.com=IHateSpam=.ar>
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Wow, that really looks very cool and as someone already said, kudos to the
few that followed that NDA to the line, that's a BIG secret to keep for a
mindstorms fan. Now we know who to blame for the things we don't like ;D .
Anyway, I don't want to start taking those things appart before they are
already out but since I've seen that there are still only 3 outputs, there
are some questions I have to ask...
> . Digital wire interface allows for third-party developments
Does having 6-wire digital cables means a whole new realm of possible custom
sensors and output applications? And, how is bluetooth compared to IR on
speed and reliability? Finally, can you use your Bluetooth headphones as a
baby monitor for your new NXT?
> . Opportunities for physical programming of robots and interaction with
robots during programming
That idea probably came from the Gameboy Advanced driven robots.
I wonder when will they be available in Israel...
Jonathan
___________________________________________________________
1GB gratis, Antivirus y Antispam
Correo Yahoo!, el mejor correo web del mundo
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Subject:
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Re: mindstorms NXT
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 5 Jan 2006 20:52:03 GMT
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Original-From:
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Chris 'Xenon' Hanson <xenon@SPAMCAKE3dnature.com>
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Jonathan Spitz wrote:
> > . Digital wire interface allows for third-party developments
> Does having 6-wire digital cables means a whole new realm of possible custom
> sensors and output applications?
Speculation: I think we're looking at some sort of i2c-like type interface here, where
you'll find continuous power on one of the pairs and the other two pairs being used as
some sort of high-speed digital bidirectional full-duplex or point-to-point half-duplex
bus with an arbitration scheme. This would theoretically allow for any number of sensors
and motors to be used at once (power limitations permitting). Ports 1,2,3 and A,B,C might
all be identical, really. Some sort of passive or active hub device (like a USB hub) would
be needed to connect more devices, but electronically you wouldn't be limited to 6. It's
just 6 ports on the main brick.
Wilder speculation: For all we know, it _is_ USB in there, just on a custom connector
with extra pins for some purpose. I kinda doubt it, as USB is a heavier more complicated
protocol than this calls for.
This picture:
http://cache.lego.com/upload/contentTemplating/LEGOAboutUs-PressReleases/images/2057/picAA00C400-D0CE-4118-8762-82A18499E875.jpg
Shows ports 1-3 connected to sensors, but the rangefinder sensor is connected to a
fourth (unlabeled) port next to them. The motors are connected to ports marked A-C on the
other end of the brick. The USB port is apparently the fourth port on that end.
Of course, I don't know if that's actually a photo, it looks more like a 3D rendering
of a prototype, so it may not reflect the final final configuration anyway.
> And, how is bluetooth compared to IR on
> speed and reliability?
Bluetooth should SMOKE Infrared for speed and reliability.
> Finally, can you use your Bluetooth headphones as a
> baby monitor for your new NXT?
It seems like a definite possibility. Depends on how much expandability the NXT offers
in its BT (bluetooth) communications profiles. I am _very_ excited about the BT options.
Wireless mice, keyboards, NXT-to-host communications, GPSes (somehow), almost any digital
device can potentially be cobbled onto bluetooth or the 6-wire digital bus. NXT is much
more in the class of a real robot than RCX was. RCX was impressive for it's time, but NXT
is the robot for today.
--
Chris 'Xenon' Hanson | Xenon @ 3D Nature | http://www.3DNature.com/
"I set the wheels in motion, turn up all the machines, activate the programs,
and run behind the scenes. I set the clouds in motion, turn up light and sound,
activate the window, and watch the world go 'round." -Prime Mover, Rush.
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In lugnet.robotics, Chris 'Xenon' Hanson <xenon@3dnature.com> wrote:
> Ports 1,2,3 and A,B,C might all be identical, really.
I will speculate with you here. If I was a betting man, I would bet that they
just made 3 of them "motor" ports because of power limitations.
I highly doubt they used USB. Of course, you could always plop a usb hub into
that port and make your own usb extensions...
> NXT is much more in the class of a real robot than RCX was.
> RCX was impressive for it's time, but NXT is the robot for today.
Most importantly its a better toy. Could this be the Bluetooth "killer app"?
hehe.
Matthew Ruschmann
http://superpositioned.com
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In lugnet.robotics, Daniel Jackson wrote:
> Anyway, I can't WAIT until this is released. I help my local elementary school
> every year with the FIRST LEGO League competition, so hopefully they will use
> this kit. I will more than likley save up money and purchase this. :-)
>
> Best thing I have read all day. This is so COOL! :-D
>
> - Daniel
from the botmag page...
"A special version for school and institutional use is also releasing later this
year."
http://botmag.com/articles/lego_mindstorms_robot_news_2.shtml
Bigger (and better) than the consumer version ?
Ray
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In lugnet.robotics, Ray Sanders wrote:
> In lugnet.robotics, Daniel Jackson wrote:
> > Anyway, I can't WAIT until this is released. I help my local elementary school
> > every year with the FIRST LEGO League competition, so hopefully they will use
> > this kit. I will more than likley save up money and purchase this. :-)
> >
> > Best thing I have read all day. This is so COOL! :-D
> >
> > - Daniel
>
> from the botmag page...
>
> "A special version for school and institutional use is also releasing later this
> year."
> http://botmag.com/articles/lego_mindstorms_robot_news_2.shtml
>
> Bigger (and better) than the consumer version ?
>
> Ray
That probably just means it will have
1. a more powerful programming environment, just like the ROBOLAB software in
the Mindstorms for Schools sets is better than the RCX Code software that ships
with Mindstorms 2.0 sets.
2. specific sets for different subjects, which is what Mindstorms for Schools is
all about.
3. a higher price -- seriously, have you ever read through a Pitsco catalog?
Some of those kits are outrageously overpriced.
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Subject:
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Re: mindstorms NXT
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:30:36 GMT
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Original-From:
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Ignacio Martinez Vazquez <ignamv@AVOIDSPAMgmail.com>
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Viewed:
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> 3. a higher price -- seriously, have you ever read through a Pitsco catalog?
> Some of those kits are outrageously overpriced.
I bought my mindstorms from pitsco to save $50... (cost $150)
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In lugnet.robotics, Ignacio Martinez Vazquez wrote:
>
> > 3. a higher price -- seriously, have you ever read through a Pitsco catalog?
> > Some of those kits are outrageously overpriced.
>
> I bought my mindstorms from pitsco to save $50... (cost $150)
I'm talking about stuff like this:
http://www.legoeducation.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=814
$1250 for the start-up pack, which is for eight paired students.
The Team Challenge with USB set is $200, and you get four of them. That's still
just $800, so there's another $450 worth of stuff. 4 extra motors, 4 extra
rotation sensors, and a temperature sensor add up to about $175, so that leaves
$275, which must be for the software.
That's the point I was making . . . the ROBOLAB software in those sets make them
cost more for schools. However, it has a site license, so maybe it's not so bad
after all.
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