LECTURE

LEGO Mindstorms is a programmable robotics toy released by LEGO Group, originating

from the programmable sensor blocks used in the line of educational toys. It comes in a
kit containing many pieces which includes the controller, motor, and sensors.

SERVO MOTOR

There are three Servo motors that are included in the kit. The Servo Motor gives your
robot the ability to move. When programming a motor, you can use degrees or rotation to
specify a desired position. For example, you can specify a motor to rotate 90 degrees.
Recommended use: Vehicle, Tank, Crane

TOUCH SENSOR

The orange missile-shaped tip at the front end, known as a push button, provides the
touching abilities. When pressed, the push button moves backward into the sensor and
sends signal to the NXT Controller.
Recommended Robot: Catapult, Cannon, Morse code Machine
LIGHT SENSOR

Capable of measuring the light intensity, the light sensor can determine the brightness or
darkness of its surrounding area as well as the light intensity of the surface, enabling it to
identify different colors.
Recommended Robot: Color Sorter, Flash Light or Line Follower

ULTRASONIC SENSOR

The ultrasonic sensor can detect an object by determining the distance between itself
and that object, allowing your creations to “see”.
Recommended Robot: Hunter Salamander, Claw Chaser
SOUND SENSOR

The NXT sound sensor can detect the volume of a sound (amplitude) and sound
patterns.

BRICK

Lego Bricks are compatible with Lego Mindstorms NXT. You can add this to your
prototype to give it more function and detail. Generally, a Lego brick‟s name depends on
the number of studs it has. Figure 1.10a shows a Red and Yellow 2 x 4 Brick.
PEGS / PINS

Pegs or sometimes called Pins are used to fasten Lego parts together. Pegs are made in
such a way that they can be easily inserted and removed from a Lego hole, and the
variety in color allows different pegs to be easily identified.
AXLES

Lego Axles are very important component of wheeled-vehicles. While the motor is
attached to the axle, it will rotate with the wheel or any object attached to it. Axles also
have different kinds as well.
BEAM

A Beam is a rigid horizontal object that directly supports the weight of the prototype
robot.

ANGULAR BEAM
BLOCKS

An Angular block is used to form a corner using both the regular hole and the axle-
shaped hole.

CROSS BLOCKS

Cross Blocks are small pieces that have cross opposite holes. Cross blocks are used to
connect parts together using pegs and axles.
GEARS

Gears perform several important roles. The gear is used to adjust the power, speed and
the rotation of the motor. The gears are classified according to their teeth or crown. Each
gear has different functions and complexities.

HUB AND TIRE

Wheels and Axles are simple machines that turn on at the same time.
BUSHING

A Bushing, also known as a bush, is the simplest type of bearing. A common application
of bushing is in vehicle wheels, where the bushing is used to separate the faces of two
parts to allow the wheel to move freely or to lock it in place.

RUBBER BELT

NXT Belt / Rubber band can have several uses in creating a prototype robot. They can
be used as pulley by connecting two gears. They can also be used for suspensions and
as shock absorbers.
CABLES / WIRES

There are 7 cables included in NXT Lego Mindstorms Kit. It is used to connect motors
and sensor to NXT Mindstorms. The only difference between these cables is the length.
Short length cables are perfect if you have parts that are close to the NXT Controller
while long length cables are used in larger robots or situations requiring longer
connections.

USB DATA CABLE

USB Data Cable is used to transfer data files between your computer and the NXT
Controller. Alternately, you can also use Bluetooth for wireless connection.
NXT BALLS

The NXT Balls can be used as a bullet for shooting. There are 4 different colors of balls
that are included in the kit: red, blue, yellow and green..

TANK TRACK

To enable robots to move forward in an upward slope, you can use tank tracks. Tank
Tracks are linked into continuous bands by using by two or more wheels, enabling it to
maximize mobility on rough surface.