Lego Mindstorms is a great way to take your Legos to the next level by adding in the flavor of robotics! But, with taking it up to the next level, it does get a hair tougher! And if you're having trouble working with the Mindstorms software, this great video with Patrick Norto ...more
These how-to videos provide an introduction and tutorial to LEGO Mindstorms NXT. Topics discussed are (1) what is included with the NXT robotics kit (2) how to build a simple NXT robot (3) programming an NXT robot and (4) testing an NXT robot. Watch this video tutorial series ...more
The light sensor on a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot can be used to help the robot navigate obstacles or follow light sources. Learn how to program light sensors and the calibration program in the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics system using movement blocks within the NXT programming ...more
If you want your Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to function as accurately as possible youneed to understand how to get data from the viewing sensors via the NXT brick. Learn how to use the NXT brick and the NXT programming environment to view and change light, sound, or touch senso ...more
Programming a Lego Mindstorms robot to do more than just move continuously involves using the wait block within the NXT programming environment.. Learn how to use wait blocks to program your robot to respond to certain conditions including touch and sound. Program wait blocks ...more
Learn how to program a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to perform multiple tasks simultaneously in the NXT programming environment. Program multiple tasks in Lego Mindstorms NXT. Click through to watch this video on ortop.org
Using variables allows your Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to store numbers or text based on input. Learn how to program variables using the NXT programming environment. Program variables in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system. Click through to watch this video on ortop.org
Learn how to program movements in the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics system using movement blocks within the NXT programming environment. You will be able to configure move blocks to move parts of your Lego robot at varying degrees and speeds. Program movements in the Lego Minds ...more
To get some great functionality out of your Lego Mindstorms NXT robot it is important that you know to how program basic decision-making tasks. Learn how to program switches in the Lego Mindstorms NXT programming environment. Program switches in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system. ...more
If you want your Lego Mindstorms robot to perform one task repeatedly, it will be much more efficient to use a loop. Learn how to program loops in the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics system within the NXT programming environment. Program loops in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system. C ...more
Data hubs allow you to create interactions among the different function blocks in the NXT programming environment. Using data hubs allows you to program your Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to perform complex tasks or output information based on these tasks. Program data hubs in the ...more
The Lego Mindstorms system may seem like a toy at first, but it is actually a very powerful robotics system used by universities, schools, hobbiests, and kids alike. Learn how to use the Lego Mindstorms NXT editing and programming software to program movements for your robot. ...more
Programming cascading switches in the NXT programming environment allows you to program a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to perform several if/then functions and react to inputs differently outside of a sequence. Program cascading switches in Lego Mindstorms. Click through to watch ...more
Lego Mindstorms NXT robots are capable of displaying images, text and/or feedback on their screens. To get them to do this you have to learn how to program display blocks in the NXT programming environment. Program display blocks in the Lego Mindstorms system. Click through to ...more
If you find yourself using the same functions over and over again in the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics system it may be helpful to program your own subroutine or block to save time in making other programs. Learn how to use the my blocks function in the NXT programming environm ...more
A video tutorial on how to use the wiimote to control a Lego NXT robot. Link to download GlovePie: http://carl.kenner.googlepages. com/glovepie_download Script for Glovepie wiimote.Leds = 9 Key.F1 = Wiimote1.Left Key.F2 = Wiimote1.Right Key.F3 = Wiimote1.Up Key.F4 = Wiimote1. ...more
Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. Search Systm on WonderHowTo for more DIY episod ...more
Learn how to create more advanced subroutines or blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT programming environment that will use data hubs and other functions to perform complex tasks. Create advanced blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT. Click through to watch this video on ortop.org
This NXT Mindstorm LEGO robot can actually walk on a treadmill. Quite an amazing feet. Nicknamed "Pinocchio" the Department of Biomechanics at the FSU Jena created it.
The Android Megaminxer is mind-bogglingly elaborate, impressively combining multiple geeky mediums to solve an incredibly complex puzzle. ARM, the genius behind the stunt, uses LEGOs (a Mindstorms NXT kit to be exact) to build a robot responsible for the mechanics; they then e ...more
Because who wants to mess with all those wires, programming and power sources? You can make your own origami robot out of paper or cardboard! Though it probably won't do as much as a real robot would, it's nevertheless a fun project to do! All you need are a few sheets of pape ...more
This Mindstorms NXT-based 'droid may be able to walk upright like a human being — but can he do the robot? Not without a torso, he can't! Better luck next time, Biomechanics Department of the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena.
Ogre is a "Tank" built around a Zamor launching system nicknamed "Hailstorm". For more information, visit http://www.teamhassenplug.org/robots/... It uses three XL PF motors, controlled either by a standard PF remote, or by the on-board (black) NXT using the Hitechnic IRLink ...more
With Microsoft's release of the Kinect SDK, things seem to have slowed down a bit in the world of Kinect development. Have developers exhausted the uses of Kinect already? No way! Four researchers at Cornell University have created an AI-based system on the Kinect that can rec ...more
The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing everything in our homes and at work, from security systems and lighting fixtures to smartphones and speakers. An estimated 50 billion devices are now hooked up to IoT. With so much of your daily existence connected to this vast global ...more
If you or someone you know has younger kids and you're looking for an augmented reality toy, Pai Technology has just the educational option for you. For $199, the toy maker offers Augie, a spherical robot that uses augmented reality to teach children the basics of programming ...more
You might have seen our post on this last week: It's a working reproduction of the Mars Curiosity Rover made with LEGOs, but it's a bit complicated for anyone without a decent amount of robotics knowledge. Plus, you need to have some Mindstorms NXT and TECHNIC parts lying arou ...more
Sweden's Hans Andersson, has a new way of solving both the Rubik's Cube and Sudoku puzzles... ROBOTS. That's right, memorizing lengthy algorithms or racking your brain with numbers is no longer required to solve these perplexing puzzles. The Tilted Twister and Sudoku Solver a ...more
Hi guys, this is going to be kinda like a follow up to my previous post on hacking facebook with the remote keylogger. If you haven't seen that post I suggest you do. So like you can click here. Anyway let's move on. Even though people are the weakest form of security, some o ...more
The Lego Mindstorms system may seem like a toy at first, but it is actually a very powerful robotics system used by universities, schools, hobbiests, and kids alike. The NXT Brick is the basic component of the NXT system - learn how to use it to build robots and program or che ...more
In this article, I'll be exploring the basics of Python, i.e. variables, input and output. You'll need Python (2.7+), a computer, and some free time. Variables Simply put, variables are like envelopes. They are empty and meaningless until we place objects and meaning into th ...more
Very cool project by Benjamin Gaulon. Gaulon has created a graffiti writing paintball robot, entitled PrintBall. He uses technology from (previously posted) EyeWriter to tag with his eyes, plastering a wall with paintballs. From Gaulon's site, Recyclism: "The PrintBall is a ...more
WonderHowTo is made up of niche communities called Worlds. If you've yet to join one (or create your own), get a taste below of what's going on in the community. Check in every Wednesday for a roundup of new activities and projects. Thanks to all of our active moderators and ...more
This week I made the tinyCylon kit from the Maker Shed. It's a fun little project that has a lot of cool light patterns programmed onto the chip. this is a tiny programmable robot from Make Magazine.
Building a robot in real life is not an easy task, and not usually accomplishable unless you have a degree in electrical engineering. But building one virtually on your computer is something almost anyone can do, if you know what program to use. This Autodesk 3ds Max tutorial ...more
WonderHowTo is made up of niche communities called Worlds. If you've yet to join one (or create your own), get a taste below of what's going on in the community. Check in every Wednesday for a roundup of new activities and projects. Thanks to all of our active moderators and ...more
Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. Search Systm on WonderHowTo for more DIY episode ...more
Microcontrollers are great. You can do anything from water your garden to catch wildlife trash diggers in the act—and on the cheap. I prefer to use the Arduino microcontroller because of the large and helpful community built around the website. Though it is my favorite, there ...more
Back in the '80s, I was just a kid with a LEGO hobby. I remember building castles and floating boats, spaceships and monster trucks, even a working LEGO train powered by battery, lights and all. But I wasn't aware of the advancements underway in the educational department—lik ...more
PopSci has compiled an amazing list of 30 college labs that would tempt anybody to re-enroll. If you know any high school juniors or prospective grad students, pass this along. They just might reconsider their initial choices. 30 courses are pictured below, click through to P ...more
In this video from ThunderBoom9709 we learn all of the faces used in Facebook chat or any IM program. We learn :) is a smile, :( is sad, +o( is sick, ;) is wink, :D is excited, :O is shocked, : '( is crying, B ) is glasses, 8| is glasses/cool, >:( is really mad, >:O s laughing ...more
Welcome, dear readers, to week two of Edit on a Dime, the community for inexpensive, and, dare I say it, free in many cases, editing software. Magisto - the YouTube plugin designed to add some semblance of order and structure to your videos. This week I’ll be doing a series of ...more
It's remarkable that a gaming device (from Microsoft, no less) designed for geeky gamers has incited broad innovation in medicine and robotics. But that Kinect has captured the imagination of hackers-with-MBAs-in-mind is downright amazing. Below, six videos demonstrating a va ...more
Love folk art but could do without the folk? Prepare to have your heart stolen by a self-folding origami automaton. Scientific American writes, "Researchers at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) have invented a real-life Transformer, a d ...more
Three-dimensional printing is one of the many wonders of modern technology. It's the first step towards real life Star Trek replicators and Timeline-esque teleportation chambers. While we aren't at the level of reconstructing strands of DNA, it's already possible to make tons ...more
If you are a pet owner, going on vacation can be stressful. Usually, you need a friend or neighbor to come over everyday and feed your pets. However, by enslaving robots you can keep your pet happy and enjoy a stress-free holiday. Today, we make an automatic pet feeder from c ...more
¬¬Just about every business has a website these days but very few businesses know how to effectively use their websites to get more customers. There are two different things that a business owner needs to do to increase their website traffic: optimize their site so that search ...more
In the age of automatic video editors and all around software-assisted creativity, how can a humble blogger help people master a program if said program does all the work for you? This isn’t a theoretical question, dear reader. In the old days (you know, like two months ago), ...more
A CNC router machine is probably the most useful tool a hobbyist can own, but the price for a CNC machine on the market is way more than the average hobbyist is willing to spend. You can build your own CNC with very basic tools, little knowledge of machinery, mechanics, or ele ...more
I have an absolutely wonderful time making projects and writing articles for all of you mad scientists! Today, I will bring you behind the scenes for a look at the workbench, tools, and software that make the Mad Science World possible. Above is my beautiful workbench! My who ...more
You're never too young to start building your vast swarm of robotic minions. Taking over the world requires a whole lot of robots. The sheer volume of robots needed means your first wave will have to be made of cheap materials. After they take over key resources, you can upgra ...more
This article is going to cover the basics of link building. Why do we want to build links? First of all, what is a link? A link is a hyperlink, actually. You click on it and it brings you to another webpage. I'm sure you've all clicked on links before. Well, what we want to do ...more
WonderHowTo is made up of niche communities called Worlds. If you've yet to join one (or create your own), get a taste below of what's going on in the community. Check in every Wednesday for a roundup of new activities and projects. Thanks to all of our moderators and contrib ...more
This scorpion toy was constructed by Make Magazine with a Twitchie Robot Kit. If you're afraid of real life scorpions this friendly toy might help you get used to them. His plush body is made from some fabric aiming to make him look like an Arizona bark scorpion, which are tan ...more
Making little robots with a LEGO Mindstorms NXT set is already cool, but putting one underwater? Now that's just crazy. That didn't stop this engineer, who built a LEGO submarine that can not only maneuver around his fish tank, but can also be remotely controlled with his Xbox ...more
User interfaces for computers have evolved over the years, from the introduction of the keyboard and mouse on the personal computer, to touchscreens on mobile devices, to natural voice recognition. However, the same cannot be said for robots or drones—until now. There are two ...more
Hello null_byters, after some time out here we are again with another tutorial, continuing our beautiful series, today we will write our first real world bash script. BEFORE WE START Before we start today's lesson Let's recap what we learned in the previous lesson, right now ...more
Welcome back, my greenhorn hackers! As all you know by now, I'm loving this new show, Mr. Robot. Among the many things going for this innovative and captivating program is the realism of the hacking. I am using this series titled "The Hacks of Mr. Robot" to demonstrate the ha ...more
These soccer playing robots from TU Freiberg Robotics are programmed using Knesthetic Bootstrapping, which control the Bioloid's motions. Players can send commands to the soccer bots via Wii Remotes, and users abroad can control them directly online. If soccer's not your game ...more
There are more than 2 billion Android devices active each month, any of which can be hacked with the use of a remote administration tool, more commonly known as a RAT. AhMyth, one of these powerful tools, can help outsiders monitor a device's location, see SMS messages, take c ...more