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Basic Robot Building With LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0

Basic Robot Building With LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0

by John Baichtal
Publisher: Que
Release Date: January 2013
ISBN: 9780133111859
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Book Description

Basic Robot Building with LEGO® Mindstorms® NXT 2.0

ABSOLUTELY NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED!

Learn LEGO® Mindstorms® NXT 2.0 from the ground up, hands-on, in full color!


Ever wanted to build a robot? Now’s the time, LEGO® Mindstorms® NXT 2.0 is the technology, and this is the book. You can do this, even if you’ve never built or programmed anything!

Don’t worry about where to begin: start right here. John Baichtal explains everything you need to know, one ridiculously simple step at a time… and shows you every key step with stunningly clear full-color photos! You won’t just learn concepts–you’ll put them to work in three start-to-finish projects, including three remarkable bots you can build right this minute, with zero knowledge of programming or robotics. It’s going to be simple–and it’s going to be fun. All you need is in the
box–and in this book!

  • Unbox your LEGO® Mindstorms® NXT 2.0 set, and discover exactly what you’ve got

  • Build a Backscratching Bot immediately

  • Connect the NXT Intelligent Brick to your computer (Windows or Mac)

  • Navigate the Brick’s menus and upload programs

  • Start writing simple new programs–painlessly

  • Build the Clothesline Cruiser, a robot that travels via rope

  • Program your robot’s movements

  • Learn to create stronger, tougher models

  • Help your robot sense everything from distance and movement to sound and color

  • Build a miniature tank-treaded robot that knows how to rebound

  • Write smarter programs by creating your own programming blocks

  • Discover what to learn next, and which additional parts you might want to buy

    • JOHN BAICHTAL is a contributor to MAKE magazine and Wired’s GeekDad blog. He is the co-author of The Cult of Lego (No Starch) and author of Hack This: 24 Incredible Hackerspace Projects from the DIY Movement (Que). Most recently he wrote Make: Lego and Arduino Projects for MAKE, collaborating with Adam Wolf and Matthew Beckler. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife and three children.

    Table of Contents

    1. Title Page
    2. Copyright Page
    3. Contents at a Glance
    4. Table of Contents
    5. About the Author
    6. Dedication
    7. Acknowledgments
    8. We Want to Hear from You!
    9. Reader Services
    10. Introduction
      1. Conventions Used in This Book
    11. 1. Unboxing the LEGO Mindstorms NXT Set
      1. The Box
      2. The Contents
      3. Next Chapter
    12. 2. Project: Backscratcher Bot
      1. Adding Batteries to the NXT Brick
      2. Parts You Need
      3. Step-by-Step Assembly Instructions
      4. Programming the Backscratcher Bot
      5. Running the Backscratcher Bot
      6. Next Chapter
    13. 3. Anatomy of the NXT Brick
      1. The Brick
      2. Menus
      3. Powering Your NXT
      4. Resetting a Crash
      5. Updating NXT Firmware
      6. The Next Chapter
    14. 4. Introduction to Programming
      1. System Requirements
      2. Installing the Software
      3. NXT-G 101
      4. Programming the Backscratcher Bot
      5. The Next Chapter
    15. 5. Project: Clothesline Cruiser
      1. Parts You Need
      2. Step-by-Step Instructions
      3. Programming the Clothesline Cruiser
      4. Setting Up the Clothesline
      5. What to Do With Your Cruiser?
      6. The Next Chapter
    16. 6. Building Stronger Models
      1. Use Multiple Pegs
      2. Connect Each Part to as Many Others as Possible
      3. Reinforce Corners with Angle Beams
      4. Use Combination Parts and Cross Blocks
      5. Attach Cross Axles
      6. Combine Technic and System Bricks
      7. Use Chassis Bricks
      8. The Next Chapter
    17. 7. Know Your Sensors
      1. Mindstorms Sensors
      2. Calibrating Sensors
      3. Third-Party Sensors
      4. The Next Chapter
    18. 8. Advanced Programming
      1. Data Wires
      2. Connecting Wires
      3. Additional Blocks
      4. Creating Your Own Blocks
      5. The Next Chapter
    19. 9. Project: Rebounder
      1. Parts You Need
      2. Step-by-Step Instructions
      3. A Note About Tank Treads
      4. Programming the Rebounder
      5. The Next Chapter
    20. 10. Expanding on Mindstorms
      1. Read Blogs
      2. Design Virtual Models
      3. Attend Gatherings
      4. FIRST LEGO League
      5. Read BrickJournal
      6. Expand Your Collection
      7. Third-Party Brick Makers
      8. Print Your Own
    21. Glossary
    22. Index
    23. Ad Page