LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Software (iOS & Android)

With the availability of the new MINDSTORMS EV3 system in September, LEGO provided three apps for both iOS and Android users.
We look at the three different apps here:

FixTheFactory: This is a game that was released that revolved around the MINDSTORMS EV3 theme of robots. The models depicted are those found available to build in the retail set and essentially, you have to program the robot in each level to reach a certain point to advance to the next level.

3D Builder: This will likely be the most used app, seconded by the Commander app. This was demoed at CES earlier in 2013 and it was put together collectively with Autodesk (known for their AutoCAD software). You can go step by step in the builder, rotate, pan and zoom in on each individual step and can click on each piece to see it's part number.

Commander: This is the app that provides remote control functionality to the EV3 brick. USing your smartphone/tablet gyroscopic sensors, you can control motion/action of a robot and also have on-screen controls that will also provide action/motion commands.

Machine with Plastic (A LEGO adaptation of "Machine with Concrete")

Perhaps you've seen kinetic artist Arthur Ganson's "Machine with Concrete" recently? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q-BH-tvxEg)

This is my LEGO-based adaptation of that albeit for fewer gear reductions and a slightly different setup. The principle is in demonstrating the exponential powers of gear ratios. As you gear something down over and over, the gear ratio grows exponentially larger.

In this case, the motor turns 340 RPM.
The torque is about 11 N-cm.
The gear reduction is as follows:

Pulleys: (7:2)^2 = 12.25:1
1st worm gear block: 24:1
2nd worm gear block: (3:1) x (24:1) = 72:1
3rd worm gear block: (5:3) x (24:1) = 40:1
4th, 5th, & 6th worm gear blocks: ((3:1) x (72:1))^3 = 373,248:1
Final gear: 5:1

Multiply them all together and the total ratio is: 1,580,182,732,800:1
The total torque then is 11 times the ratio = 17,382,010,060,800 N-cm

If you calculate for time, the 40 tooth gear at the end would rotate only once about every 8,837 years. You'd have to wait about 221 years just for the gear to turn one tooth.

Mindstorms Johnny 5

It's been over two years with this thing and it's time for it to get disassembled and used in building something new. Johnny 5 ended up being more of a demo robot for items like BrickFair. I never went into programming it with much to utilize the sensors and drivetrain. Mainly just to amuse the public visitors at shows by writing a small demo program that speaks items, moves his hands, bobs his head and operates the color lamp.

I made a teaser parody of it's construction similar to the movie a while back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptyewfuXDSM

Bricklayer Prototype & Ackermann Tractor-Trailer

These are two Lego models of mine that I didn't get much of any video on and they are in the process of becoming other models.

First is my Bricklayer Prototype: This was made with the intent of laying out two rows of dominoes at once all mechanically (no robotic parts are involved). Because dominoes and Lego pieces don't match up well in terms of dimensions, I resorted to using 2x4 blocks with caps. It worked in concept, however it suffered from poor reliability and the spacing between blocks is too much.

Ackermann Tractor-Trailer: This model has changed a number of times over the years. It started out as a small windowed trailer that I used with the Lego Road Train. Afterwards it was changed into a bumper-pull style trailer and coupled with a vehicle using rack and pinion steering along with a differential. It was followed up by a fifth-wheel conversion and of course the vehicle changed to support the fifth-wheel design. However the steering was set up to behave using the Ackermann principle. In that, each wheel turns with a different angle of deflection. The wheel on the inside of a turn will have a higher degree of angle relative to the outside wheel. This helps keep the vehicle from 'pushing' in a turn and follow the turn correctly as opposed to traditional R&P where each wheel is the same angle.

MINDSTORMS EV3 at CES 2013

News out there for MINDSTORMS enthusiasts like myself and potential first time buyers of LEGO robotics. Lego unveiled the third generation of their MINDSTORMS product line the EV3. There doesn't seem to be any mention of what EV3 stands for. My guess is that it stands for EVolution 3 as in MINDSTORMS evolved to the third generation. I guess you could also call it 'eve'.

We already had the Robotics Invention system introduced in 1998 abbreviated as RIS. Many people refer to it by the yellow brick used in the set the RCX (Robotics Command eXplorer). There were three versions: 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0. In 2006 the Robotics Invention System was succeeded by the NXT system standing for NeXT generation. It came in two versions: 1.0 and 2.0.

Now we have the EV3 after seven years. So if it was eight years between the RIS and NXT does that mean we'll just have to wait six years for the successor to the EV3? (I'm sure they'll have EV3.5 in the middle there somewhere).

As far as the brick itself goes, it's mostly the same dimensions as the NXT however the screen area sits one stud higher. The rechargeable battery pack (optional, you still need six AA batteries) is also different from the NXT type so they aren't interchangeable. However NXT motors and sensors are backwards compatible with the new system.

As far as specs go for the retail version:
-two large motors (same motor armature and gearing with a redesigned casing)
-single medium motor (based on the Power Functions M motor except fitted with an encoder (to monitor rotation) and NXT style connector)
-infrared sensor (for object detection and detecting other infrared signals)
-two touch sensors
-redesigned color sensor
-mini infrared remote for control and as an infrared beacon (based on the small Power Functions remote)

The educational version drops the infrared sensor for a redesigned ultrasonic sensor and also includes a gyro sensor.

Now the specs of the EV3 brick itself:
-high resolution black and white display (color and/or backlit would have been nice)
-ARM9 processor
-microSD card slot (finally extra memory)
-16MB flash memory, 64MB RAM for storage
-open source Linux operating system (hacking heaven)
-USB port for connecting wifi dongles and other peripherals
-4 input ports with 1000 samples per second (or 1 sample per millisecond)
-4 output ports (not just 3)

A noted function of the EV3 is its extended on brick programming. So a computer won't be needed to program most ordinary functions. You'd still need a computer to take full advantage of programming and what not. Also the EV3 has support for Android and iOS right out of the box for remote control, building instructions and programming. In fact, the building instructions are provided in 3D format courtesy of Autodesk (the creators behind AutoCAD).

The set will come with instructions for five models and instructions will be available online as well for up to seventeen models in total.

The set is expected to become available the second half of this year. The price is expected to be $350 upon release. The educational version is available for preorder from LEGO education right now.

More information, pictures and a video are to follow.