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Update:
I have written a tool to disassemble EV3 programs. The EV3 software compiles the .ev3 file to a .rbf file and sends that to the EV3 brick. The disassembler can convert the .rbf file into a .lms file, which is a sort of assembly language that can be used to create programs for the EV3.
Here is a simple example using a trivial .ev3 project.
To ...
12
Official Docs
Word Blocks
The Word Block Descriptions for the block language (Scratch) are under Help & Support in the Settings.
Settings are found by clicking on the gear icon on the home page.
Basic Python
For Python, there is a Knowledge Base on the side of the screen. Click the book icon to show or hide it.
Advanced Python
There is also separate ...
11
As mentioned by @guestguy123 and @eficker, it is easy to combine an EV3 cable and a PF cable to make a custom cable that allows the EV3 to control. This can even be done without soldering - I just twist the wires together and tape them with electrical tape. The full schematic is here:
All you need is 2 resistors (1x1kOhm and 1x10kOhm) which are cheap to get ...
11
New answer (2020)
The V1.10E firmware is installed using the EV3 Device Manager web page. The instructions are not entirely clear, but if you visit the web page with Chrome (recommended), Safari, Edge, or Internet Explorer, click the Available Bricks (0) button and wait a very long time, it will eventually pop up a dialog asking to download and install an ...
10
Update Dec 2016
There is now an app for chromebooks on the chrome store:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/lego-mindstorms-education/jhnhfnolmcleankdkhfklakpchnccipg?hl=en-US
I have used it to program EV3 version of the bricks. It connects via bluetooth to the EV3 brick (I don't think USB is even supported). The bluetooth connection can be buggy ...
10
This is a common issue with the older Lego 9V cables. Lots of sources, including myself, have experienced the same thing - this particular chemistry of insulation ages poorly, no matter how well it's stored. Cables made later, circa 2004-2006 don't seem to have this issue - the insulation is less rubbery and more plasticy, and is still shiny like new to this ...
9
If you wish to program the EV3 with Scratch, then check out this project on github:
https://github.com/koen-dejonghe/ev3-scratch-helper-app
This software is a so-called helper app, that interfaces between the Scratch 2.0 offline editor and the Lego Mindstorms EV3.
The EV3 must be booted from Lejos (http://sourceforge.net/p/lejos/wiki/Home/), requires a ...
9
I'm assuming that you meant "the motor is not powerful enough".
Surely you can use a gearing ratio & leverage to assist? Essentially you want the motor to turn many times for each small amount of distance traveled by the lifting arm. This means a small gear on the motor and a large gear driving the lifting. You may need to connect several gears together ...
9
Here's a design I've been using, based on this model by Lambert Varias:
It's not a perfect circle, but it is relatively small all things considered:
It's pretty simple, but here's a partial disassembled version to better show what goes into it:
Parts shown:
1x 55013
2x 4265c
2x 57585
6x 32013
6x 32556
12x 42610
12x 50945
8
As I've said before in another answer, I find the #92585 Crowbar is the most versatile and is especially good at removing rubber bands from the #3736 (Technic, Steering Pulley Large) and the #4185 (Technic, Wedge Belt Wheel) elements.
Don't use any sharp/metallic objects like a screwdriver or a pen knife as you may scratch the brick or sever the rubber band....
8
In my opinion, Mindstorms is a subset of the Technic line up (Like how Police is a subset of Lego City). So most of the parts are interchangeable. The only part incompatibility issue you will come across is the electronics.
I would say go with Technic first. Learning how to build studless and basic Lego mechanisms will be more useful than robotics (...
8
Yes, it is possible to pass the port number as a parameter to a sensor or motor block via data wire. It's just that it's manually selected by default. To change this, go to the port of the sensor or motor block, and select the top-most option which has the plug icon on it:
It will then create a data port for which motor port you want to use:
The same ...
8
For a comprehensive enumeration and measurements on all motors, refer to Philo's excellent page on this topic: http://www.philohome.com/motors/motorcomp.htm
There are some LEGO motors that are missing from this list since they predate the 9V era, like the 4.5V motor, or the 4.5V train motor, but these are probably only of interest if you already own them, ...
8
I don't know of such a list, but you can find the inventory for the EV3 on Bricklink and other similar sites.
However, it would be more economical to buy an entire EV3 set. The 31313 retail set is about $350 (USD). To buy just the EV3 brick, motors and sensors individually would be more than that.
EV3 Intelligent Brick - $190
EV3 Large Motor - $25 x 2
EV3 ...
8
I contacted Lego and they gave me this link for a PC:
https://fileshare.corp.lego.com/node_share_links/119233?token=7a9527d5-cd94-491c-88b3-689587eae5ae
I don't have the link for a Mac, but you can ask Lego for it.
8
Buy a USB to Serial adapter. There are USB IR Towers, but the drivers are only for older version of Windows. A new USB/Serial adapter, on the other hand, should be compatible with Windows 10 (Windows 10 requires signed drivers, so do your homework before buying).
Use 3rd party software. For example, Brickx Command Center and leJOS are compatible with RCX and ...
8
I contacted Lego support and they got back to me with a fix, which worked great. It also has greatly improved the performance of the application.
For this issue fix, please install Mono for Mac OS found at the link below:
https://www.mono-project.com/download/stable/
and choose Mono 5.10.1
8
I have copied a design by Isogawa Yoshihito
I prefer it over the Lambert Varias design as the wheels are positioned more radially
More pictures in this EuroBricks thread:
https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/76297-isogawayoshihitos-lego-technic-omni-wheel-crab/
8
IR Transmitter Tower exist in both USB version as well as Serial cable version.
Page 7 of instructions for one of the sets (3804) that was using USB version has following explanation:
Transcription:
The IR Tower establishes a wireless link between your computer and the
RCX. With the IR Tower, programs can be downloaded from computer to
RCX. These programs ...
7
I was able to successfully get that size band off of that pulley using this brick separator:
I slid the sharp end in between the band and the pulley then worked it under the band and was able to pull the band off without damaging either part. If you don't have a brick separator handy, you can probably use a pointy minifig utensil such as a sword instead. I ...
7
This seems pretty much bordering on the impossible, given the current state of (LEGO) engineering capabilities. What you are describing is a Von Neumann Machine and as far as I know nobody succeeded in creating one, not just in LEGO but in general.
The problems you'd have to overcome:
The robot must be capable to exert sufficient force to overcome the ...
7
Recently I met with TeamSim. Its possibilities are impressing:
you can make own robot via LDD and export it to the program
you cam make own mat (FLL, WRO, sumo mats are already available)
you can program a robot via NXT-G
I have no chance to investigate this program in detail, but I think it's what you want.
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I could not find this in the help file, but according to this thread "Another little known characteristic of MyBlocks is that they aren't re-entrant. No two copies of the same MyBlock can be running at the same time."
I tried a few simple programs in EV3-G and confirmed that this is true. The order in which they run appears to be random.
7
Pulleys and gears
With a range of pulleys and gears you can build something capable of lifting as much as 100 kilos with LEGO parts, albeit at the risk of putting enormous amounts of stress on the bricks!
Using a small gear to power a larger gear (gearing down), you can greatly improve the torque (rotational force) at the cost of reduced speed. Gear ...
7
In general, would you recommend switching to a normal programming language (I am quite "fluent" in languages like C/C++, Python and Java) in order to avoid having to use blocks when building more complex programs?
Yes, especially if you plan on doing image processing.
If so, which programming language would you recommend? I feel like there is a big ...
7
LEGO officially stopped supporting NXT in 2015, however, as of 2019, the original NXT programming software is still available on the official LEGO MINDSTORMS web page.
The original NXT programming software and EV3 desktop programming software are both 32-bit, so cannot run on macOS 10.15 or later.
The new EV3 programming software based on Scratch does not ...
6
You can accomplish this with these two parts:
http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Converter-Cables-for-LEGO-MINDSTORMS-NXT-8528
http://powerfunctions.lego.com/en-us/Products/Default.aspx#8886
6
I built the 3 to 4 multiplexer posted above (thank you for posting that) but was able to tweak it into a 2 to 4 mux. The axles that are connected to the large gears are used to select the outputs by rotating the large gears.
It ended up being too big for what I needed though so I went a different route and built a 2 to 4 multiplexer that uses a turntable ...
6
If the ultrasonic cannot echo-locate the objects because they're too small, even with the sensor suspended very close to the floor, I suggest using a very sensitive feeler out front. It can be sticking forward like a jousting lance, and your robot can swivel back & forth while traveling to scan.
The trick to making it very sensitive is to:
(1) make it ...
6
Just measured them myself. Some of the dimensions might be just a little bit off, but I hope this suffices:
NXT:
Length: 111 mm
Width: ~71.7 mm
Height: 40 mm (extra 8 mm if you have a rechargeable battery installed)
Motor:
Length: ~105 mm
Width: 40 mm
Height: ~45 mm
Ultra-sonic Sensor:
Length: 44 mm
Width: 44 mm
Height: 30 mm
Generic Sensor:
...
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