Valentine's Day Project

Valentine's Day NXT

I know it's already been over a week since Valentine's day, but with my busy life it takes that long to get projects uploaded to the NXTLog. Well, I finally got my next project uploaded. This project is sort of an interruption to what I was working on- an NXT related to something I learned in physics. I good interruption, nonetheless...

I built this NXT project in only a couple hours- the least amount of time so far. It was unique and different, and also very relaxing... Anyway, I'm not going to write too much about it here being that I already have a description of it on the NXTLog. Enjoy, and don't forget to watch the video. :)

New version of MINDdroid available – for Advanced Users!

The following was found in the news section of the Mindstorms website...

The MINDdroid app is a remote-control application that allows you to create a wireless connection directly with your NXT, and once a connection is established, you can tilt and turn your phone to make the robot move forward, turn to the sides, and more. Now there is an updated version that gives you new features and activities.

Read more about it here. I don't own an Android phone, so I can't try it out. I'll ask around to see if any of my friends have one I can borrow though. I'd love to hear about it if any of my readers try it out.

Rechargeable Battery

Rechargeable Battery

There are very few downsides to buying an NXT. In fact, I can only think of three...

1. They cost a lot of money
2. They are extremely addicting and sometimes keep you from doing more important things- like homework
3. They use a lot of batteries

There is hardly anything you can do about the first two. I think it is worth the money, and I am patient enough to wait until after I'm done with my homework to use my NXT. However, there is another option for the third problem- the rechargeable battery.


Is the rechargeable battery worth the price?
This obviously depends on how often you use your NXT. If you use it often enough, the amount of money you usually spend on AA's will eventually pay for it. I have two NXTs, and only one rechargeable battery. I use the rechargeable battery with every project, and I only use regular AA's whenever the rechargeable battery is charging, or I'm making a project which uses two NXT bricks. If you're trying to decide whether or not to buy the NXT rechargeable battery, I suggest you refer to the algebra formula I devised below...

How long to pay off rechargeable battery (in weeks) = price of NXT rechargeable battery ÷ [(6 x price per AA battery x hours you use your NXT each week) ÷ life of AA batteries in hours]

Other things to consider...
Another thing to remember if you're thinking about buying the rechargeable battery is the difference in size and weight. Personally, I think that the small amount of extra space the rechargeable battery takes up is worth how much less it weighs. The rechargeable battery weights approximately 1.8 ounces (51 grams) less than 6 regular batteries, which is significant for creations that need to be low weight. 

(disclaimer: the formula above should be accurate, although I'm not completely sure because I wrote it in a very short amount of time. Also, this formula does not take into account the energy you use for charging the rechargeable battery, and also the fact that the battery may eventually stop working over time. Do not let this post dictate completely whether or not you buy a rechargeable battery. Rather, only use it as a suggestion).

LEGO WORLD 2011 and a New Survey

Two new things have been posted in the news page of the Mindstorms website...

Join us in Copenhagen for LEGO WORLD 2011
From Thursday February the 17th to Sunday February the 20th the LEGO MINDSTORMS team will be present at LEGO WORLD in Copenhagen. Read more...


Take the LEGO Mindstorms 2011 Survey
Take a quick survey to help the LEGO MINDSTORMS team understand more about how you use gadgets and online devices as part of your everyday. Read more...

Are You Ready?

For those of you who are beginners (other readers, skip to next paragraph) and haven't heard, the Mindstorms website occasionally holds a contest on the NXTLog. The contests are great experiences- you learn how to enter contests, give descriptions of your creations, and, if you win, you get your username posted on the NXTLog! I post here on my blog whenever there is a contest, however (as of February 10, 2011), there aren't any contests being held. We all look forward to the next contest though...

Waiting impatiently, we anticipate the next contest. The last contest ended in August... theories have been thrown around about what the Mindstorms team is doing. Perhaps they're working on something that is more important than contests... are they updating their website? Making new Android apps? No matter what, though, it's about time for the next contest to be released. Users are leaving comments asking- even begging- the Mindstorms team to release the next contest. Someone even wrote a poem about it. We're all ready. But are we really? Here is a checklist of things to do to get ready for the next contest...

1. Make sure you have a LEGO account (if not, ask an adult to help you go here(link). Click "sign up" in the top right corner of the screen). It is not possible to enter these contests without a LEGO account, and they're free!
2. Keep building (need inspiration? Try reading this post(link))
3. Read books about the NXT
4. Chat about things you have built, or ask questions (try the discussion pages)!
5. Organize your NXT set
6. If it is possible, get ahead on your homework
7. Try to encourage your friends who own an NXT to enter the contests

Also, if there is something you would like to learn about the NXT, feel free to make a suggestion and perhaps I'll make a post about it. As you already know, this is a very busy time in my life. As a result, these post are very short. I should, however, be less busy in a couple of weeks and have more time to write long and very informative posts. ;)

Inspiration Station

One of the hardest battles NXT builders fight is their lack on inspiration. If you're lucky, you're creative enough to think of something to build whenever you want, but most of us need help! For that reason, I made this post. Below is a list of ways you can get inspiration...

1. Ask family and friends!
2. See what other builders have posted on the NXTLog(link) (Make sure to give users credit if you use their idea).
3. Go to the NXTLog (link posted above) and scroll down. Closer to the bottom of the page is a tag cloud. Read through it.
4. Read books about Mindstorms.
5. Enter NXTLog contests, or check out older ones(link).
6. When you have an idea of something to build, but you don't have the time (or you're currently building something else), write it down!
7. Get inspired by nature. Animals are often fun to build.
8. Build a ride at a theme park
9. Build your dream car
10. Build a ball contraption

There are a few ideas. I will post more as I think of them. :)

My Next Robot

Hi everyone! If you have been following closely my creations that I upload to the NXTLog, you'll have noticed that I'm very slow with uploading my projects. It may be because I'm lazy, or because of my busy life, filled with school homework which I take very seriously, and also being on a robotics team which meets every day for 6-8 hours during this time of year (building with materials other than Mindstorms). Anyway, I started thinking about my next project. I just started it a few days ago, and so far it has turned out to be pretty awesome looking. The hardest part will be the programming, as I am already almost done with the building. I'm not going to give away wha I'm building, but I will give you a few hints:

1. It was inspired by something I learned this year in Physics
2. The project has been delayed due to a few non-LEGO parts I don't have (I'm not sure when the next time we'll go to a store that has exactly what I need. It will be at least a week though)
3. The program uses "math" blocks

Everything about this robot has to be perfect in order for it to work, and I know for sure the programming will take forever. And on top of that, it will take even longer to complete because of my extremely busy life. So, in other words, don't expect me to be finished anytime soon. ;) When I do finish, though, I will be left with an epic robot that I look forward to sharing with my blog readers.

Is there anyone here that would like to share what they are currently building? Or perhaps you need help with something? Feel free to leave a comment by clicking the "comments" button that appears below each post. Thank you, and have a great day.