Here is a great robot that my best friend Ben made, called the Netch-a-sketch. Well actually it’s the program that’s cool. As you may have guessed from the name, it is an NXT based etch-a-sketch. If you want to see it in action, download the program(Right Click and Save as to Download) I’d have included a video, but unfortunately you can’t take Screencasts with the NXT 
Here is a really good example of what you could do with one NXT Retail Set and no other parts or sensors needed. A Rubik’s Cube solver!!! It uses just the retail kit. It seems like a simple design but would be a complex program. The following is some specks on it:
Here is his website and a video of it in action.
http://tiltedtwister.com/index.html
(Edit) The Maker has added the LDD File and Program files on his site, so head on over there and build one for yourself.
End of FLL this year…End party, right? Well, we can’t just sit around talking! To celebrate this year’s great success in FLL, all our team members got together to have one more challenge: a sumo competition. Each team member got together with one other, and since we had 10 members, a total of 5 robots were created. Now, who won?
First place: The Bull
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Pipe Runner
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Here is a pair of Claws that I discovered on YouTube that I found very cool. These look like they work very well and are somewhat simple. I may try something like this for fun when I have one of mine taken apart.
I was Thinking about getting some more sensors besides the ones that come with the set like the IR LINK, Compass, Accelerometer ECT. Which one do you like the best? So pick which one that you have, want , or would like the most. You can select up to two of them if you cannot make your mind up. Also if there is just one that you love so much You can just vote by replying.
Go over to the forum to vote on your two favorites.
Poll: Which Sensors are the best?
Here are the ones that I thought would be the most popular:
I stumbled Across this video on YouTube and thought it was awesome. It uses a unique way of meshing the green wheels to the 40 tooth gears. from what you can see in the video it looks very strong and powerful.
Here is what he has to say about it:
“The interesting part of this robot is the use of the 8108 Exoforce kit’s large green wheels fitting perfectly between a set of large gears thus making it a very simple rather effective 4wd robot base. — Then at the front there is a ultra sonic sensor head that rotates right and left measuring the distance in front to determine which way it should go next If however it still detects an obstacle, it backs up a bit and re-does the scan. This is in hopes not be get stuck anywhere. I’m sure both the program and the robot could use multi design improvement — well that’s where you come in. Have fun making / improving your own version.”
2+1 = 4 . This robot’s function is a special drive train called a Motor Multiplexer. It works by having 2 motors to drive the vehicle, and another motor in between the 2 to slide them forward along a gear rack. When they are in the front position a bump sensor is pressed, and it stops the center motor. The 2 motors are now disengaged from the wheels, and engaged to the 2 worm gear-boxes on the front, which have attachments on them. So, basically, it’s purpose is to have 2 powered drive wheels and 2 powered attachments, with only 3 motors. It was originally designed for FLL.
Video Found Here: LEGO MINDSTORMS Motor Multiplexor
Here is the video of the robot mezzauk the winner of NXTLOG 5000.
