Build and Code Creative Robots with LEGO BOOST

Build and Code Creative Robots with LEGO BOOST

by Ashwin Shah
Released November 2021
Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
ISBN: 9781801075572

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

Have fun with LEGO BOOST and Scratch programming while building smart robots that can interact with the world around you

Key Features

  • Get up to speed with building your first LEGO BOOST robotic model
  • Build interesting robotics prototypes that can perform tasks just like real-life machines
  • Discover exciting projects to bring classic LEGO bricks to life using motors and sensors

Book Description

LEGO BOOST is a feature-rich creative toolbox that helps kids to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills in a fun way. The LEGO BOOST kit consists of motors, sensors, and more than 840 LEGO pieces to bring various multifunctional robots to life. This book will take you on an interesting and enjoyable journey where you will have fun building robots while developing your problem-solving and logical thinking skills.

This book is an end-to-end guide that will take you from a beginner to expert level of robot building with LEGO BOOST and Scratch. Starting with the unboxing and a brief introduction to LEGO BOOST, you'll quickly get your first robotic model up and running. You'll understand how to use the electronic and non-electronic components and have fun building a range of intriguing robotics projects with increasing complexity and advanced functionality. Throughout the book, you'll work on a variety of amazing projects, such as building your own R2D2, a fictional character from Star Wars, that will pique your curiosity to learn robotics and help you explore the full potential of the LEGO BOOST kit. Once you've had fun working with the projects, you'll be introduced to an interesting challenge for you to solve by yourself!

By the end of this book, you'll have gained the skills to build creative robotics projects with the LEGO BOOST creative toolbox, and have built on your logical thinking and problem-solving skills.

What you will learn

  • Unbox the LEGO BOOST kit and understand how to get started
  • Build simple robots with gears and sensors
  • Discover the right parts to assemble your robots
  • Program your BOOST robot using the Scratch 3.0 programming language
  • Understand complex mechanisms for advanced robots
  • Develop engaging and intelligent robots using electronic and non-electronic components
  • Create more than 10 complete robotics projects from scratch
  • Develop logical thinking and unleash your creativity

Who this book is for

This book will help 7 to 12-year-old children who want to learn robotics with LEGO BOOST develop their creativity, logical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Teachers, trainers, and parents who wish to teach robotics with LEGO BOOST and Scratch will also find this book useful.

Table of contents

  1. Build and Code Creative Robots with LEGO BOOST
  2. Foreword
  3. Contributors
  4. About the author
  5. About the reviewer
  6. Preface
    1. Who this book is for
    2. What this book covers
    3. To get the most out of this book
    4. Download the color images
    5. Conventions used
    6. Get in touch
    7. Reviews
    8. Share Your Thoughts
  7. Chapter 1: Introduction to the LEGO BOOST Kit
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Wonders with LEGO BOOST
    3. The difference between machines and robots
    4. Introduction to the electronic and non-electronic parts of the BOOST kit
    5. The importance and efficient usage of various pegs
    6. Time for a challenge
      1. Activity #1
    7. Summary
    8. Further reading
  8. Chapter 2: Building Your First BOOST Robot – Tabletop Fan
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the tabletop fan
    3. Programming the tabletop fan
    4. Running your tabletop fan at different speeds
    5. Time for a challenge
    6. Summary
    7. Further reading
  9. Chapter 3: Moving Forward/Backward Without Wheels
    1. Different types of movement
    2. Technical requirements
    3. Building a robot without wheels
    4. Let's code the robot without wheels
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
      3. Activity #3
    5. Time for a challenge
    6. Summary
    7. Further reading
  10. Chapter 4: LEGO BOOST Rover
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the BOOST rover
    3. Making the rover move
      1. Activity 1
      2. Activity 2
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  11. Chapter 5: Getting into Gear – My First Geared Robot
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Using different types of gears based on your requirements
    3. Understanding some important terminologies
    4. Building the geared robot
    5. Let's code the robot in gear up and gear down mechanism
      1. Activity 1
      2. Activity 2
    6. Time for a challenge
    7. Summary
    8. Further reading
  12. Chapter 6: Building a Forklift
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the forklift robot
    3. Let's code the robot to lift different loads
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
      3. Activity #3
      4. Activity #4
      5. Activity #5
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  13. Chapter 7: Building a Helicopter
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building a helicopter
    3. Let's code the robot to perform various tasks
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
      3. Activity #3
      4. Activity #4
      5. Activity #5
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  14. Chapter 8: Building R2-D2
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the R2-D2 robot
    3. Let's code the robot to move on a specific path
      1. Activity
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  15. Chapter 9: Building an Automatic Entrance Door
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building an automatic entrance door
    3. Let's code the door to open under certain conditions
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  16. Chapter 10: Building a Candy Dispenser Robot
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building a candy dispenser
    3. Let's code the robot to dispense candies based on different colors of LEGO brick detected
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
      3. Activity #3
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  17. Chapter 11: Building a Color-Sorter Conveyor Belt
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building a color-sorter conveyor belt robot
    3. Let's code the robot to sort different colored LEGO bricks
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
      3. Activity #3
      4. Activity #4
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  18. Chapter 12: Building a BOOST Racing Car
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the racing car
    3. Let's code the robot to run on different racetracks
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
      3. Activity # 3
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  19. Chapter 13: Final Challenge
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the robot
    3. Let's code
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
      3. Activity #3
      4. Activity #4
      5. Activity #5
    4. Summary
    5. Further reading
  20. Bonus Chapters
  21. Chapter 14: The Grabbing Robot
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the grabbing robot
    3. Let's code the robot to grab, displace, and drop a bottle
      1. Activity #1
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  22. Chapter 15: Obstacle Avoidance Robot
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the obstacle avoidance robot
    3. Let's code the robot to avoid obstacles
      1. Activity #1
      2. Activity #2
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  23. Chapter 16: The BOOST Humanoid
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building a line-following robot
    3. Let's code the robot to follow the line
      1. Activity #1
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
  24. Chapter 17: The Moon Rover
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Building the moon rover
    3. Let's code the robot to perform different tasks
      1. Activity #1
    4. Time for a challenge
    5. Summary
    6. Further reading
    7. Why subscribe?
  25. Other Books You May Enjoy
    1. Packt is searching for authors like you
    2. Share Your Thoughts

Product information

  • Title: Build and Code Creative Robots with LEGO BOOST
  • Author(s): Ashwin Shah
  • Release date: November 2021
  • Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
  • ISBN: 9781801075572