Lego to Open Mindstorms NXT Firmware

ajdlinux writes "LEGO has officially announced that the firmware for the Mindstorms NXT will be open source. They will be releasing several developer kits and the firmware source during August, the kits containing the NXT driver specs, the schematics for the hardware connection and the Bluetooth protocol used by the NXT. The NXT will be only US$250, which is only slightly more expensive than the Mindstorms RIS2 kit. I certainly can't wait. " We had covered the earlier announcement of this kit.

Comments

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[LiquidCoooled]

The link is incorrect.

You have trimmed the spaces from the name.

correct one is: http://mindstorms.lego.com/press/2057/Open%20Sourc e%20Announcement.aspx

liquidcoooled

Great news

[LarsWestergren]

I think I'm going to have to get one of these soon. I haven't seen any of these nifty Lego toys for adults in any shops in Sweden (for instance) but there are many shops in Europe you can order from online.

If you are heading for Java One this year, there is this interesting seminar:

BOF-0503: Java(TM) Technology in an Intelligent Swarm of Heterogeneous Lego Robots :This session reports on continuing work on developing Java(TM) technology for use in university-level robotics. It focuses on the issue of creating cost-effective and easily programmed intelligent robot swarms (n>10). Interesting swarms are composed of heterogeneous robots, but this quickly complicates programming. The presenters previously simplified the heterogeneous programming problem by using I/O tagging and reported on this at the 2005 JavaOneSM conference, in TS-1464. This presentation describes how they have successfully created a swarm of heterogeneous robots, based on Lego mechanical components, sharing a common code base, with a variety of non-Lego sensors.

Re:why just lego in this space?

[Lumpy]

They are not the only one. Radio Shack is one of the current vendors of the VEX product line of robotics and beginning robotics.

I find the VEX line a bit more fun as it's easier to toss the controller after you get to the more advanced stages and use a 68hc11 or other processor on a dev board for more fun and real brobot action... but then that is a small step away from building one from scratch which makes the VEX a really nice way to ease a child into the world of real robotics wher you fabricate and build most of the machine from parts.

Because the VEX uses standard aircraft servo connectors it's easy to get their sensors and parts to a homebrew processor.

Visual Studio Express

[adolfojp]

You can already program these toys with the free editions of the Visual Studio software.
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS4127455334 .html

Why, oh why didn't we get to have toys like these in out childhood. :-(

You are correct sir

[technoextreme]

They're either trying to win over the geek population or maybe hope their LEGO models will help the progress of human kind.

Actually, this was Lego's plan all along. They obtained the help of the most crazed Mindstorms hobbyists to help them design the product line. This wired article is probably the best one that involved the process behind creating the line.
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,69946-0.html

Re:why just lego in this space?

[hunte]

http://www.vexrobotics.com/ this is the url of VEX product line.

Re:Bluetooth?

[MeBadMagic]

There are several ways you can use
Bluetooth with the NXT. It can be used to send commands the NXT directly. It functions as a Bluetooth Serial port. The commands are well documented. One of the MDP's has already started / developed a java app for cell phones that can function like a remote control for the robot. The NXT programming software can use the Bluetooth to communcicate with the NXT(s) so you don't have to have a USB cable attached to it the whole time. So far, the Bluetooth stack that is supported is the Widcomm and MS stacks. There is a growing list of confirmed adapters from all over the world that work with the NXT. I myself am a MDP, and can attest to the ease of use for Bluetooth. Each NXT can have 2 connections. One in, and one out. You can chain these things together to have a series of NXT's all controlling each other if you wished.

B-)