LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 The King’s Treasure (Technology in Action)

328 Pages·2009·22.21 MB·English

by  James Floyd Kelly

LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0
The King’s Treasure

■ ■ ■
James Floyd Kelly
Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0: The King’s Treasure
Copyright © 2009 by James Floyd Kelly
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ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4302-2491-4
ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4302-2492-1
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Lead Editor: Jonathan Gennick
Technical Reviewers: Adam Tester, Fay Rhodes
Editorial Board: Clay Andres, Steve Anglin, Mark Beckner, Ewan Buckingham, Tony
Campbell, Gary Cornell, Jonathan Gennick, Michelle Lowman, Matthew Moodie,
Jeffrey Pepper, Frank Pohlmann, Ben Renow-Clarke, Dominic Shakeshaft, Matt Wade,
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Coordinating Editor: Jim Markham
Copy Editor: Seth Kline
Compositor: Mary Sudul
Indexer: Ann Rogers/Ron Strauss
Artist: April Milne
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For Kristie B. and Canvin – thanks for everything

(cid:2)CONTENTS
Contents

(cid:2)About the Author ........................................................................................................ ix
(cid:2)About the CAD Reviewer .............................................................................................. x
(cid:2)About the Technical Reviewer .................................................................................... xi
(cid:2)Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................... xii
(cid:2)Introduction .............................................................................................................. xiii
(cid:2)Chapter 1: Turns and Tricks ........................................................................................ 1
Day 1: King Ixtua’s Treasure Repository, 2:13 p.m. ........................................................... 1(cid:2)
The Maze Challenge ........................................................................................................... 4(cid:2)
Evan’s Solution .................................................................................................................. 6(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 2: Mazerunner—Planning and Design ........................................................... 9
The MazeRunner ................................................................................................................ 9(cid:2)
The Robot Description...................................................................................................... 11(cid:2)
The Task List .................................................................................................................... 12(cid:2)
Limitations/Constraints .................................................................................................... 13(cid:2)
Mindstorm ........................................................................................................................ 15(cid:2)
Sketches .......................................................................................................................... 17(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 3: MazeBot—Build It .................................................................................... 19
Never Be Afraid to Experiment ......................................................................................... 20(cid:2)
Step by Step CAD Instructions – MazeBot ....................................................................... 21(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 4: MazeRunner—Program It ........................................................................ 41
Some Experience Required .............................................................................................. 41(cid:2)
Into the Maze ................................................................................................................... 46(cid:2)
Out of the Tunnel ............................................................................................................. 55(cid:2)
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Left Turn and Right Turn Calculations ............................................................................. 58(cid:2)
Simulating the Challenge ................................................................................................. 59(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 5: Swing and Switch .................................................................................... 61
Day 4: King Ixtua Treasure Repository, 9:14 a.m. ............................................................ 61(cid:2)
Don’t Look Down .............................................................................................................. 62(cid:2)
The Monkey’s Swing Challenge ....................................................................................... 63(cid:2)
Evan’s Solution ................................................................................................................ 64(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 6: RopeSwinger—Design and Planning ....................................................... 65
Getting Started ................................................................................................................. 65(cid:2)
The Robot Description...................................................................................................... 65(cid:2)
The Task List .................................................................................................................... 66(cid:2)
Limitations and Constraints ............................................................................................. 68(cid:2)
Mindstorm ........................................................................................................................ 68(cid:2)
Sketches .......................................................................................................................... 70(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 7: RopeSwinger—Build It ............................................................................. 73
Never Be Afraid to Experiment ......................................................................................... 74(cid:2)
Step by Step CAD Instructions – RopeSwinger ................................................................ 75(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 8: RopeSwinger—Program It ..................................................................... 113
Swing Swing .................................................................................................................. 113(cid:2)
Pulling the Lever ............................................................................................................ 117(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 9: Hook and Pull ......................................................................................... 125
Day 5: King Ixtua’s Treasure Repository, 8:39 a.m. ....................................................... 125(cid:2)
Watch Your Step ............................................................................................................ 126(cid:2)
Tricky Tupaxu ................................................................................................................ 127(cid:2)
The Four Warriors .......................................................................................................... 128(cid:2)
Hooks and Doors ............................................................................................................ 129(cid:2)
Evan’s Solution .............................................................................................................. 131(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 10: RingTosser—Design and Planning ....................................................... 133
The RingTosser .............................................................................................................. 133(cid:2)
The Robot Description.................................................................................................... 133(cid:2)
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(cid:2)CONTENTS
The Task List .................................................................................................................. 134(cid:2)
Limitations and Constraints ........................................................................................... 136(cid:2)
Mindstorm ...................................................................................................................... 136(cid:2)
Sketches ........................................................................................................................ 138(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 11: RingTosser—Build It ............................................................................ 141
Step by Step CAD Instructions – RingTosser ................................................................. 143(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 12: RingTosser—Program It ...................................................................... 179
It Starts with Rolling ...................................................................................................... 179(cid:2)
Building the Challenge Area .......................................................................................... 187(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 13: Rock and Roll ....................................................................................... 201
Day 6: King Ixtua Treasure Repository, 9:27 a.m. .......................................................... 201(cid:2)
The Story Wall ................................................................................................................ 202(cid:2)
An Uphill Battle .............................................................................................................. 202(cid:2)
The Ramp of the Warriors .............................................................................................. 203(cid:2)
The Ramp Room ............................................................................................................ 205(cid:2)
Evan’s Solution .............................................................................................................. 206(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 14: RampRider—Design and Planning ....................................................... 207
The RampRider .............................................................................................................. 207(cid:2)
The Robot Description.................................................................................................... 207(cid:2)
The Task List .................................................................................................................. 209(cid:2)
Limitations and Constraints ........................................................................................... 210(cid:2)
Mindstorm ...................................................................................................................... 210(cid:2)
Sketches ........................................................................................................................ 212(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 15: RampRider—Build It ............................................................................ 213
Step by Step CAD Instructions – RampRider ................................................................. 217(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 16: RampRider—Program It ...................................................................... 235
Multiple Statues ............................................................................................................. 235(cid:2)
The Ramp Challenge Setup ............................................................................................ 244(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 17: Grab and Release ................................................................................. 247
Day 7: King Ixtua’s Treasure Repository, 8:41 a.m. ....................................................... 247(cid:2)
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(cid:2) CONTENTS
Tupaxu’s Story ............................................................................................................... 248(cid:2)
The King’s Throne .......................................................................................................... 250(cid:2)
Evan’s Solution .............................................................................................................. 251(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 18: ZipLiner—Design and Planning ............................................................ 253
The ZipLiner ................................................................................................................... 253(cid:2)
The Robot Description.................................................................................................... 253(cid:2)
The Task List .................................................................................................................. 254(cid:2)
Limitations and Constraints ........................................................................................... 256(cid:2)
Mindstorm ...................................................................................................................... 256(cid:2)
Sketches ........................................................................................................................ 258(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 19: ZipLiner—Build It ................................................................................. 261
Step by Step CAD Instructions – ZipLiner ...................................................................... 263(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 20: ZipLiner—Program It ........................................................................... 291
Hold On! ......................................................................................................................... 291(cid:2)
The Zip Line Challenge Setup ........................................................................................ 295(cid:2)
(cid:2)Chapter 21: Treasure and Discovery ....................................................................... 303
Day 8: King Ixtua Treasure Repository, 7:02 a.m. .......................................................... 303(cid:2)
Qau’s Challenge ............................................................................................................. 304(cid:2)
The King’s Legacy .......................................................................................................... 304(cid:2)
Qau’s Teacher ................................................................................................................ 305(cid:2)
■Design Journal ......................................................................................................... 307
■Index ........................................................................................................................ 317
viii
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About the Author
■James Floyd Kelly is a freelance writer living in Atlanta, Georgia, with degrees in
English and Industrial Engineering. A long-time LEGO MINDSTORMS developer,
he is editor-in-chief of the world's most popular NXT blog, thenxtstep.com, which
continues to draw an estimated 40,000+ readers monthly, and is a regular
contributor to the LEGO MINDSTORMS development team. James Kelly has
written on topics including robotics, building custom computers and free
software. When not writing, he can be found spending time with his wife and
young son exploring all sorts of places and things.

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