The LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ Robotics Invention System (RIS) is a wildly popular kit for building mobile robots. This book contains all the information you need to get the most out of your kit. Based on hands-on robot projects, it includes descriptions of advanced mechanical techniques, programming with third-party software, building your own sensors, working with more than one kit, and sources of extra parts. This book goes far beyond what you'll find in the official documentation to enable you to build and program whatever you can imagine. Topics include:
NQC
legOS
pbForth
Software architecture
Locomotion design
Bumpers and feelers
Line following
Data logging
Getting more motors and sensors
Using a project-oriented approach, The Unofficial Guide to LEGO(r) MINDSTORMS Robots introduces programming and constructing robots using the popular robotics invention. While presenting four complete and progressively more capable robots, the author cover the usage of sensors, motors, the Infra-red (IR) port, and programming languages. Programming topics are covered well, particularly the languages NQC and pbForth, and installing replacement firmware.
Although the book is stronger at covering the software than the mechanical aspects of robot design, the assembly plans incorporate many useful features that can be used in your own designs, including a directional transmission and a single-motor grabber.
Two projects provide clear demonstrations of using the IR port for communication. One involves creating a remote control and using it to communicate with a robot; the other project creates tag-playing robots to demonstrate inter-robot communication.
The series of step-by-step, robot-building photographs are helpful, but they are in black and white and are without a lot of accompanying text. For the simpler robots this isn't a problem, but for Minerva (which is somewhat complicated and a very good learning example) they are a little difficult to follow.
The last chapter of the book includes an informative discussion on building your own sensors, getting sensor input to the RCX, and configuring sensor inputs from your programs.
A thorough introduction, this book even provides links to many online resources. If you specifically need a detailed, organized tutorial on robot mechanical issues, this book may not suit you. If, however, you are looking for a book that introduces building MINDSTORMS robots with useful examples and covers programming them, replacing their firmware, and introduces building sensors for them, this is a perfect book. --John Keogh
Topics covered: Building robots using the Robotics Invention System, programming the RCX using RCX Code, NQC, pbForth, and C, using sensors and actuators, gears, transmissions and pulleys, obtaining and installing pbForth and legOS replacement firmware, communication with and between robots using the IR port, and making your own sensors.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Very good book: A must-see for the MINDSTORMS enthusiast.:
I have recently bought a copy of this book. Many of these projects and info are very good to know to programming the RCX and a crash course in legOS, pbForth, etc.
Full view of Mindstorm posobilities:
Well written, docummented and explained.
Plenty of examples and good references.
Well worth the money.
This book is ALMOST a great book:
After purchasing The Unofficial Guide to LEGO MINDSTORMS Robots by Jonathan B. Knudsen, I was very excited about working on each project in the book. Then I continued to read and found myself getting disappointed with the terrible photos, less then detailed descriptions, and easy working robots. I though this book was going to blow me away with new robots creations but it fell short. For the price I paid I expected more, more robots, more information, more of everything. I have to admit, the information on... more info
A Work of Art:
This book is very well written and easy to read. It starts off slow and simple, and advances into programming "Behavior" based robots, which is very interesting. The chapters on custom sensors don't say that much, but they are still a good intro to homebrew sensors. If you want a compilation of tons of robots to build, buy "Dave Baum's Definitive Guide". If you want a disorganized 'Everything but the kitchen sink' book, buy "Extreme Mindstorms". If you want well written, well structured, well thought out... more info
