13
votes
Accepted
How to install Firmware 1.10E on an EV3 home/retail edition brick
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,...
- 9,503
12
votes
Accepted
Where can one find the documentation for the LEGO Mindstorms Robot Inventor software?
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.
...
- 9,503
11
votes
Accepted
Old RCX Wires Have Become Grey and Brittle
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 ...
- 1,352
11
votes
Accepted
What's the easiest way to build a delta robot using LEGO Mindstorms 51515?
What are the parts used for the [Hirolabo delta robot's] arms and circular base (labelled as parallel links and universal joints) ?
Let's see another still from that video:
There I see:
2736 ...
- 7,813
10
votes
Accepted
Programming Mindstorms on a chromebook
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 ...
- 216
9
votes
What are some good purist rotacaster / omni wheel designs?
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 ...
- 13.3k
9
votes
Accepted
How do the Infrared Towers work?
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:
...
- 22.4k
9
votes
Accepted
Lego colors that the powered up color sensors can detect
Official Sources
The LEGO Shop page for the Color & Distance Sensor (88007) says:
Detect 6 colors and objects within 5 to 10 cm range with this robot toy accessory for kids.
Since this one is ...
- 9,503
8
votes
What are the various LEGO motors that have been produced over the years?
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 ...
- 15.6k
8
votes
Accepted
List of parts to buy for to "upgrade" existing Mindstorms NXT 1.0 to Mindstorms EV3 set?
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 ...
- 9,503
8
votes
LEGO Mindstorms 9797 (NXT Education base set) Software Download
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 ...
- 81
8
votes
Lego Mindstorms EV3: programming language recommendation
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 ...
- 13.3k
8
votes
Accepted
How to load an RCX from a modern system?
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 ...
- 9,503
8
votes
Lego Mindstorms Ev3 home edition on Mac OS Mojave bug - bricks sometimes go blank
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 ...
- 251
8
votes
Accepted
What are some good purist rotacaster / omni wheel designs?
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/...
8
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to re-flash the LEGO Spike Prime Hub with Mindstorms Robot Inventor Hub Firmware while retaining all functionality? And if so, how?
Yes, this is possible. Just connect the SPIKE Prime hub to the MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor App. The app will tell you that the firmware needs to be updated. Follow the instructions in the app to update ...
- 9,503
7
votes
How can a Mindstorms robot lift something very heavy?
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 ...
- 17.6k
7
votes
Does LEGO no longer support NXT 2.0 at all?
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 ...
- 9,503
6
votes
Does the Mindstorms EV3 software run on OS X El Capitan?
I've recently upgraded to OS X 10.11 El Capitan (as a matter of fact, I have the exact same model of computer). I've done some basic tests with the EV3 software without running into any issues. I've ...
- 9,503
6
votes
EV3 Ultrasonic Sensor block is not availible in the Home Edition software
You can download the Ultrasonic sensor block (and Gyro sensor too) from the official MINDSTORMS website.
Look for "Ultrasonic Sensor Block" near the bottom of the downloads page.
- 9,503
6
votes
What is the use of a single ultrasonic signal?
I'm not an EV3 expert, but my understanding is that continuous mode stores results into a buffer that can be read nearly instantly. Single mode will need to wait to hear a ping back before reporting ...
- 39.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Missing parts in a Lego Mindstorms box
If you have a brand new set, and a few parts are missing, you should definitely contact LEGO Customer Service, so they can send you the parts you are missing.
New sets with missing parts
We’re really ...
- 13.3k
6
votes
Accepted
Is the LEGO Mindstorms Education (not Home, not Scratch based) Edition for Mac OS gone?
It looks like LEGO have indeed completely pulled the previous version.
According to the announcement last year (emphasis added):
Mac Catalina Issues
[…] We have therefore decided to replace the ...
- 19.5k
6
votes
Accepted
Where do I find the program to go with the LEGO 51515?
The "App" page does seem to be hard to find at the moment. I found it by clicking on this little icon on the MINDSTORMS "About" page.
The app is distributed through various app ...
- 9,503
6
votes
Robot Inventor 51515 - PIN request when connecting via Bluetooth
I removed the brick using Windows Bluetooth panel. Then once again readded the device using Lego software. And this time it did not ask me for the Bluetooth PIN.
- 231
6
votes
Accepted
Any build instructions for vertical Technic/Lego conveyor belts?
You're in luck! Jason at JK BrickWorks has put his instructions online. There are others I've used; I'll hunt for those links, too. He's made multiple Ideas sets, so this might be how Lego officially ...
- 7,542
5
votes
Export LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Lab Code
Recently in the scope of a pet project I have put effort into finding a way for systematic decoding of the rbf file to EV3G compatible high level blocks buildin upon David Lechner's disassembly work.
...
5
votes
LEGO Mindstorms EV3 crashes on OS X El Capitan
Check if you have Silverlight plugin on your mac:
Access your hard drive
Double-click the hard drive icon on your desktop
Find the plugin
Navigate to your Internet Plug-Ins directory: /Library/...
- 51
5
votes
Accepted
Does the Mindstorms EV3 software work on macOS Sierra?
I have a Mac Mini with macOS Sierra, and the LEGO software works on it for me.
- 166
5
votes
Recreating Mindstorms TRACK3R test track
Luckily I still kept the original packaging so I managed to open up the sleeve and take a picture.
The best photo I managed to take had some inconsistent lighting due to the flash and room lighting ...
- 17.6k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible