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:
Scanning the cube: 1 minute
Calculating a solution: 20 - 40 seconds
Executing the moves: 1 - 5 minutes. Average 4.5 minutes (60 faceturns)
After Building a light box to take better photos out of PVC Pipe, I had a Bit of excess pipe laying around so I got to thinking, What if I could build something that could move along over a pipe with ease.
So that is when I got to thinking, I needed 8 wheels, 4 on each side so that it has enough traction to move along the pipe under a heavy load. After I had built the prototype I figured out that it was going to be difficult to power all of the wheels with just one motor.
At first I tried chains but found out that wouldn’t be strong enough, and would be very easy to do in the first place. This is mostly because the wheels on each half turn different directions.
To be able to get them to turn like this I was lucky enough that the distance was perfect so I could use the right amount of gears. To turn the wheels different directions as shown above. From what I had to work with I came up with this design:
When I was done getting the Moving part of things done, I worked on the lifting mechanism. After several attempts to get the perfect ratio on the gears from the motor to the drum where the string is wound onto I moved onto the pulley system.
After Building and testing Pipe Runner on the small Test piece of pipe I had and deciding that it would work good enough, I decided that I would then go ahead and build the pipe structure to be able to run on. I started simple, but then realized that I needed somthing more stable so i added more pipe to sections to make it stronger.
Due to the strength of the PVC pipe Pipe Runner is only able to lift about 5 Pounds. That is my only disappointment with it. If I ever decide to make another one similar I will either use metal pipe or enforce the current one. Other than the pipe not holding very much I believe that Pipe Runner Works very well and I like how it turned out.
I used the Mindsensors.com Sony Playstation 2 Controller interface to control it in the video. Programming anything to be extreamly accurate with string is very hard due to the string winding up on the spool different ways every time. Using the PS2 Sensor makes hooking very simple and easy.
Please feel free to post any questions, comments, improvements or if you need help with the Pipe Crawler at the Forum. Click Below:
Downloads:
Top
This is the Top of Pipe Runner. You will need to attach the bottom part to it as shown in the pictures below.
Bottom
This is the Bottom of Pipe Runner. You will need to attach it to the top as shown in the pictures below.
Side
This is the Side of Pipe Runner. You will need to build 2 of these and attach them to the top part on each side as shown in the pictures below.
Program
This is the Program for Pipe Runner. It uses various Buttons and the analog stick to move and operate the functions.
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.
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.
Giganto is a joint effor of several people I know and me. It uses two XL PF motors, several NXT motors, and two NXTs. This is it’s second version, and while it is still not THAT big it’s alot bigger than many robots I have built so far. See more of it on NXTLog Here:
And by the way, the Lego Technic Bulldozer I bought came in the mail today, so some of my upcoming projects are going to have a obvious size difference than my old ones!
Alpha Rex can’t be the only biped you’ll ever make, so we’re asking you to create the NXT two legged walker!
Bipeds are said to be the most difficult robot to make, but we know NXTLOGgers are up for the challenge!
All entries to NXTLOG fall under the Terms of Service
Entries must be submitted from Saturday March 1, 2008 - Monday March 31, 2008
All entries must be tagged “NXT200803″
Only LEGO elements may be used.
There is no limit on the amount of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT sensors, motors, NXT programmable bricks, HiTechnic sensors, or Bluetooth communication. No home brewed sensors allowed.
A programmable LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT brick must be onboard the robot and must control the robot’s actions.
The NXT robot must be a robot that can take still pictures with a camera and you must explain how the robot is a “Biped” robot in your NXTLOG documentation.”
This is the first creation that I have made that has rack and pinion steering. I wanted it to have all wheel drive but I don’t have the necessary parts to do it. All four rear wheels do turn and both have a differential drive. Overall I was disappointed in this project because it needs suspension and to be geared down. If it goes sideways up something the wheels just spin with the differential drive. It is way underpowered having a 1:1 ratio, it really needs a 3:1 ratio to be able to climb up anything. I will make something similar in the future that will hopefully be better and stronger.
Please feel free to post any questions, comments, improvements or if you need help with Truck #1 at the Forum. Click Below:
This is a sturdy little robot that I made a while ago that can get over anything. Well, not exactly, but it can get over dictionaries! It has 4 treads that can pivot freely, enabling it to have great traction when driving over books etc. Here’s the movie:
