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LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Announced


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LEGO Mindstorms has been around for 15 years now. The Robotics Invention System was launched in 1998 and became a massive success, and was followed by several upgrade and expansion kits. In 2006, the second generation of LEGO Mindstorms was released; the NXT. And today, after several years of waiting, the third generation has been announced at CES.

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Aptly named EV3, the new LEGO robotics platform is a big upgrade from the NXT, with a focus on making hacks and expansions easy: The new EV3 Intelligent Brick features Linux firmware, a USB port, an SD expansion slot, and iOS and Android compatibility out of the box. Users are also able to program their robot directly from the EV3 brick itself, which has more memory and a larger processor than its NXT predecessor. The new system also includes a 3D building instructions app powered by Autodesk Inventor Publisher, allowing users to inspect each step of robot creation in full 3D - certainly helpful while creating complicated robots.



Check out the full press release here, and another video of the system in action (as well as more technical details) here!

The LEGO Mindstorms EV3 system includes 594 pieces in the initial set, and will be available this summer for $350. I, for one, welcome our new Mindstorms overlords.

Sources: Engadget
TechnicBricks
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The third (technically 4th) version of Mindstorms, and it still only has ports for three motors and four sensors, not to mention it uses proprietary connectors which eventually require components that aren't compatible with the stock firmware for further expansion. Don't get me wrong, it's a great platform and I even learned RobotC on it (plus the motors look more powerful than before), but most people I know who build robots outgrew the NXT system quite quickly. I don't recommend it for anyone other than a beginner in robotics or someone who's trying to learn RobotC or LabView. It's just too limited.

Although I did see someone use an NXT system, RobotC and a HiTechnic servo controller to implement an autopilot system on a .40-Sized RC Plane...

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I don't recommend it for anyone other than a beginner in robotics

Isn't that the whole point of Mindstorms - to introduce younger kids to robotics? From there, as they become more knowledgeable and experienced, they can move on to more advanced systems. A good example is FIRST, kids start with LEGO-based robotics, and eventually move on to TETRIX (weren't they also using VEX at one point?), and then move on to the FIRST Robotics Competition itself. Of course, older people use Mindstorms as well (and make some pretty amazing things with it), but it's mainly aimed at an audience of kids who haven't tried robotics before.

Oh, and it does actually support four motors, the set only includes three.

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Isn't that the whole point of Mindstorms - to introduce younger kids to robotics? From there, as they become more knowledgeable and experienced, they can move on to more advanced systems. A good example is FIRST, kids start with LEGO-based robotics, and eventually move on to TETRIX (weren't they also using VEX at one point?), and then move on to the FIRST Robotics Competition itself. Of course, older people use Mindstorms as well (and make some pretty amazing things with it), but it's mainly aimed at an audience of kids who haven't tried robotics before.

Oh, and it does actually support four motors, the set only includes three.

I guess the main issue I have with it is that the potential of the NXT was wasted overall, and that it's probably going to be the same thing with the EV3. The NXT was a 32-bit system that could probably outperform some old PCs, but even with the TETRIX construction system and a high-power language like RobotC or LabView it can't do much more than a Parallax BASIC Stamp chip due to physical hardware limitations. It could potentially be used in industrial equipment if it wasn't for the design limitations. It would be better if the system was able to grow with the user's experience, as $350 USD is a big investment for what is essentially a programmable controller, a few basic motors and some sensors.

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I mean one with a more powerful gun in a turret, the ability to accurately target an object that is informally designated, and is extremely aware of its environment to the point that it is difficult to sneak up on. It should be possible with wireless unit linking, assuming EV3 will support that.

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