Build and Program Your Own LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Robots, Rough Cuts

Description

This is the Rough Cut version of the printed book.

Build and Program Your Own LEGO®  MINDSTORMS® EV3  Robots

Absolutely no experience needed! Build and program amazing robots with the new LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3!

With LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3, you can do modern robotics without complex wiring or soldering! This step-by-step, full-color tutorial teaches all you need to know, including basic programming skills most introductory guides skip. Even better—it’s packed with hands-on projects!

Start by “unboxing” your new EV3 kit and getting to know every component: motors, sensors, connections, remotes, and the EV3’s more powerful, easier-to-program “brick.”

Then walk through building your first “bots”…creating more sophisticated robots with wheels and motors…engineering for strength and balance…“driving” your robot…building robots that recognize colors and do card tricks…and more!

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 robotics is the perfect pathway into science and technology… and this book is the easiest way to get started, even if you have absolutely no robotics or programming experience!

• Explore your new EV3 kit: both the retail “Home”  and LEGO “Education” versions
• Get foolproof help with building the Track3r and other standard robots
• Build cars and tanks, and hack them to do even more
• Write programs that enable your robots to make their own decisions
• Improve your programs with feedback
• Handle more sophisticated engineering and programming tasks
• Troubleshoot problems that keep your robot from moving
• Get involved with the worldwide MINDSTORMS® robotics community

Marziah Karch is Senior Instructional Designer at NWEA, a Google Expert at About.com, and Senior Web Editor at GeekMom. She has more than a decade of experience in instructional technology and was senior educational technologist for Johnson County Community College, where she also taught interactive media development. She holds a master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology, and is pursuing a doctorate in Library and Information Science. Her hands-on technology experience ranges from 3D animation to multimedia learning, content management to music video creation. She has extensively explored the educational potential of LEGO robotics. She is the author of Android Tablets Made Simple.

This book is not authorized or endorsed by the LEGO® Group.

Sample Content

Table of Contents

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Chapter 1 What’s In the Box? 1

Unboxing MINDSTORMS EV3 2

The LEGO Family Tree 6

    LEGO DUPLO 6

    LEGO System Bricks 6

    LEGO Technic 6

Core LEGO Units 7

    Beams 8

    Angled Beams 10

    Beam Frames 12

    Pegs 12

    Axles 15

    Bushings 16

    Axle Connectors 17

    Ball Joints 19

    Gears 20

Parts with Flair 26

    Wings 26

    Spikes 27

    Other Decorative Parts 28

The Brains and Brawn 30

    EV3 Intelligent Brick 30

    Servos 34

    Sensors 35

    Cables 37

Summary 40

Storage Box 41

Color Scheme 44

Ball Caster 45

Tank Tracks 46

Rechargeable Battery Pack 47

Sensors 48

    Touch Sensors 48

    Gyro Sensor 49

    Sonic Sensor 50

Gears 50

The Expansion Set 53

    Extra Wheels 53

    Extra Beam Frame Elements 54

    Gears and Joints 59

    Tank Cleats 65

    Wings and Other Decorative Pieces 66

Summary 70

The NXT Versus the NXT 2.0 Versus the EV3 71

The Brick 73

    Sensor and Motor Connections 74

    The Sides 76

    Programming 77

Advanced and Alternative Programming Environments 78

Part Compatibility 80

    Sensors 80

    Motors 80

    Batteries 80

Summary 81

Downloading Instructions 83

The EV3 Starter Robots 84

    Track3r 85

    R3ptar 91

    Spik3r 93

    Ev3rstorm 97

    Gripp3r 102

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