contents in detail PART I GETTING STARTED acknowledgments...xvii

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1 contents in detail acknowledgments...xvii introduction...xix why this book?...xix is this book for you?...xix how does this book work?...xix the discoveries...xix what to expect in each chapter...xx getting help: the companion website...xx conclusion...xx PART I GETTING STARTED 1 collecting the equipment for your robot... 3 what s in the box... 3 the NXT brick... 4 the NXT-G programming software... 4 the test pad... 5 inserting batteries... 5 conclusion building your first robot... 7 building the explorer... 7 building tip: beams and axles... 8 building tip: friction and nonfriction pins... 8 connecting the cables using the NXT buttons to navigate on the NXT brick turning on the brick...20 selecting and choosing items...20 turning off the brick...20 running a program...21 conclusion creating and modifying programs a quick first program...23 creating a basic program programming palette work area...26

2 3. start area NXT controller...26 working with the NXT-G software configuration panel little help window program navigation bar toolbar robo center...29 controlling the robot remotely...30 conclusion working with programming blocks: move, sound, and display what do programming blocks do?...31 using blocks to create programs...31 using different programming blocks...31 the move block...32 seeing the move block in action...32 understanding the configuration panel...33 Discovery #1: Accelerate!...34 understanding the configuration icons...35 making accurate turns...35 Discovery #2: Looking Back!...35 Discovery #3: Move That Bot!...35 Discovery #4: RoboSpeller!...36 the sound block...36 understanding the sound block configurations...36 seeing the sound block in action...37 Discovery #5: Which Direction Did You Say?!...38 Discovery #6: Be the DJ!...38 the display block...38 understanding the display block configurations...38 seeing the display block in action...40 further exploration...41 Discovery #7: Subtitles! Discovery #8: Navigator! Discovery #9: Circle Time!...42 Discovery #10: W8 for the Explorer!...42 Discovery #11: RoboDancer!...42 Building Discovery #1: Exploring Art! waiting, repeating, and other programming techniques the wait block...43 understanding the wait block settings...43 seeing the wait block in action...43 Discovery #12: Count Down!...44 CONTENTS IN DETAIL

3 more on the move block: moving unlimited...44 the unlimited option...44 the duration unlimited setting in action...45 problems with moving unlimited...45 the loop block...46 using the loop block...46 understanding the loop block settings seeing the loop block in action Discovery #13: Guard the Room!...48 Discovery #14: Triangle!...48 using loop blocks within loop blocks...48 making your own blocks: the my block...48 creating my blocks using my blocks in programs Discovery #15: My Triangle!...50 Discovery #16: My Tune!...50 editing my blocks...50 parallel sequences of blocks...50 using parallel sequences in a program...50 Discovery #17: Let s Multi task! Discovery #18: Complex Figures!...52 Building Discovery #2: Mr. Explorer!...52 further exploration...52 PART II BUILDING AND PROGRAMMING ROBOTS WITH SENSORS 6 understanding sensors what are sensors?...55 understanding the sensors in the NXT 2.0 kit...55 Discovery #19: Mind Your Head!...56 understanding the ultrasonic sensor...56 creating the ultrasonic sensor attachment...56 polling sensors...56 programming with sensors...58 sensors and the wait block...58 Discovery #20: Hello and Goodbye! sensors and the loop block...60 Discovery #21: Avoid Walls and a Bad Mood!...61 Discovery #22: Follow Me!...61 Discovery #23: Happy Tunes!...61 sensors and the switch block...62 Discovery #24: See the Distance!...63 Discovery #25: Stop or Turn?...64 Discovery #26: Intruder Alarm!...66 Discovery #27: Ultrasound!...66 Building Discovery #3: Railroad Crossing!...66 further exploration...66 CONTENTS IN DETAIL

4 7 using the touch, color, and rotation sensors the touch sensor...68 creating the bumper attachment with touch sensors...68 programming with the touch sensor...73 avoiding walls with touch sensors Discovery #28: Only Two Is Enough!...75 Discovery #29: Smart Decisions!...75 the color sensor creating the color sensor attachment using the view mode to poll the color sensor...78 programming with the color sensor...78 Building Discovery #4: Clean That Test Pad!...80 Discovery #30: Tell Me What You See!...80 Discovery #31: Expert Line Following!...82 Discovery #32: Which Button Did You Press?!...82 Discovery #33: SoundBot!...82 using the NXT buttons as sensors...82 the rotation sensors...83 using the view mode to poll the rotation sensor...83 making programs with rotation sensors...83 Discovery #34: Circling Degrees!...83 Discovery #35: Rotational Music!...84 further exploration...85 Discovery #36: Color the Ball!...85 Discovery #37: Ultrasonic Line Following!...85 Building Discovery #5: Automatic House! shot-roller: a robotic defense system building the shot-roller...88 connecting the cables programming the shot-roller the complete palette the color lamp block Discovery #38: A Colored Voice! the motor block Discovery #39: A Motor Block Task! autonomous mode light sensor mode Discovery #40: Dangerous Intruder Alarm! remote-control mode Discovery #41: Combining Sensor Power! further exploration Discovery #42: Research with the NXT! Building Discovery #6: Look Before You Shoot! Building Discovery #7: Catapult! CONTENTS IN DETAIL

5 9 strider: the six-legged walking creature building strider connecting the sensor cables understanding strider s walking technique programming strider creating the walk-forward my block creating the walk-left and walk-right my blocks using the my blocks in an interactive program Discovery #43: Triangle Time, Again! Discovery #44: Walking in Six Directions! creating the scared strider program further exploration Discovery #45: Walking at the Speed of Light! Building Discovery #8: Tired of Walking?! Discovery #46: Remote Control! Building Discovery #9: A Pair of Eyes in the Back! PART III CREATING ADVANCED PROGRAMS 10 using data hubs and data wires building SmartBot a program to get started with data wires understanding the sample program how do data hubs and data wires work? creating a second example program with data wires and data hubs using data plugs: input and output block configurations when using data wires deleting data wires Discovery #47: Growing Circles! Discovery #48: Dynamic Speed! Discovery #49: Motor Input! sensor blocks configuring a sensor block configuring a touch sensor block configuring a color sensor block configuring a rotation sensor block data wire types the number data wire the logic data wire Discovery #50: Touch Sensor Wires! the text data wire Discovery #51: Read the Sensor Readings! the broken data wire CONTENTS IN DETAIL

6 multiple data wire connections connecting multiple wires to different plugs connecting multiple wires to one data plug using settings with both input and output plugs Discovery #52: Multifunctional Wires! using help for data plugs tips for managing data wires hiding unused data plugs using data wires across your program Discovery #53: Looking for Help! Discovery #54: Turn Up the Volume! Discovery #55: Control the Throttle! Discovery #56: SmartBot Is Watching You! Building Discovery #10: A Polite SmartBot! further exploration using data blocks and using data wires with loops and switches data blocks the math block Discovery #57: Math Practice! Discovery #58: Random Sound! the random block the compare block the logic block switch blocks and data wires Discovery #59: And, Or, XOr, or Not? Discovery #60: Total or Else! configuring switch blocks with data wires using number and text data wires and switch blocks connecting data wires to inside switch blocks loop blocks and data wires Discovery #61: Press Any Key to Continue! Discovery #62: Arithmetic Rotations! Building Discovery #11: Bionic Hand! further exploration using variables, constants, and playing games on the NXT using variables defining a variable using the variable block creating a program with a variable Discovery #63: Old vs. New! Discovery #64: Smarter Count Program! using constants using the constant block creating a program with constants CONTENTS IN DETAIL

7 playing a game on the NXT defining the variables step 1: displaying a target randomly step 2: waiting until a button is pressed step 3: storing which button is pressed step 4: comparing the position and button variables step 5: adjusting the score step 6: displaying the current score step 7: making the program repeat for 30 seconds expanding the program Discovery #65: Smart-Game Program Advanced! Discovery #66: Brain Trainer! Building Discovery #12: Whack-a-Mole! further exploration PART IV ADVANCED ROBOT PROJECTS 13 snatcher: the autonomous robotic arm under standing the grabber the grabbing mechanism the lifting mechanism building the snatcher creating objects programming the snatcher creating the my blocks creating the final program troubleshooting the snatcher further exploration Discovery #67: I Don t Like Blue! Discovery #68: Light in a Corner! Building Discovery #13: Tabletop Cleaner! hybrid brick sorter: sort bricks by color and size understanding the sorting technique the driving module the scanning module identifying a brick s size building the hybrid brick sorter connecting the cables finding bricks to use with your sorter finding buckets programming the hybrid brick sorter creating the my blocks creating the final program Discovery #69: High-Speed Sorting! Discovery #70: Quatro Brick Sorter! CONTENTS IN DETAIL

8 Discovery #71: Intelligent Sorting! Building Discovery #14: Hybrid Brick Shooter! further exploration CCC: the compact chimney climber understanding the climbing technique staying balanced on the x-axis balancing on the y-axis building the compact chimney climber preparing a chimney programming the compact chimney climber step 1: extending the arms step 2: climbing and staying balanced step 3: going down, staying balanced, and stopping troubleshooting the CCC further exploration Discovery #72: Altimeter! Building Discovery #15: Aerial Tram! appendix troubleshooting and solving connection problems using the NXT controller to download programs to the NXT using the NXT window problems connecting to an NXT with USB problems downloading programs to the NXT using Bluetooth to download programs to the NXT finding a Bluetooth dongle connecting to the NXT with Bluetooth problems connecting to an NXT with Bluetooth conclusion index CONTENTS IN DETAIL