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Lego's in the classroom? It must be a classroom full of little kids, right? This is not the case at all. Lego Mindstorms, developed by MIT for the LEGO corporation, are the LEGO toys for the engineer.
It combines the basics of LEGO building with originally the
programmability of a Renesas H8/300 microcontroller, and now a 32 bit
ARM7 microcontroller in the newer LEGO Mindstorms NXT model. MIT's
Media Laboratory is where the "brick", the CPU of LEGO Mindstorms, was
developed. The main goals of the brick are to create a strong emphasis
on education and develop problem-solving skills while interacting with
a computer. With the help of MIT, LEGO was able to release their first
version of Mindstorms in 1998. With an age range of 10+, it is simple
enough for young students to grasp, but also has the complexity to
attract the attention of older students, and even adults.
The microcontroller can be programmed using the LEGO Mindstorms Robot Invention System (RIS) software, which is based off of National Instruments' LabView. This consists of a simple interface with drag and drop options. Commands such as "On" and "On For" can be used to turn on specific output ports either permanently or for specific time intervals. Though this is a simple method, it has great educational value when teaching the basics of programming. With the drag and drop options one has the ability to use "if" statements, create different types of loops, store variables, and make use of other programming techniques.
Samuel Peña, a junior electrical engineer at Manhattan College, who is working on the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Junior High School Olympiad expressed his appreciation for the LEGO system, saying "I've been programming for almost three years now, and from working with these robots for a week I have come to believe in the extensive programming ability you have available to you when using the LEGO system. These kids are going to get a great lesson in programming in a simple and easy to understand environment." The instruction set depth that the RIS software provides is a good way to teach programming concepts to people of all ages. Based on my own programming experience I can see how the LEGO Mindstorms system provides a relatively simple way to teach programming concepts to beginners. Though programming may be relatively simple for many people, there are certain challenges that can even be simplified for those who are experienced in this field. Miguel Hernandez, another junior electrical engineer at Manhattan College, was faced with a similar dilemma: "I just wanted to make a simple program to make the car travel in a simple 4×2 rectangle. It went its initial four feet and when it came time to make the first right turn, it just spun in place. It took a few more tries before I got it right." The Mindstorms software does offer a certain level of difficulty, making it more than just a child's toy. The program is compiled on your computer and transferred from the computer to the robot via IR signals from a tower connected through the USB port on your computer for the first version, and uses Bluetooth technology for Bluetooth enabled computers on the new NXT version. Another aspect of the programmability of the Brick is the option to program in other languages, not just the LEGO RIS language.
So even if you feel the RIS is not up to par with your ability, or just want a challenge, there is the option to program in another language.
These are advanced components for younger students and even older students entering the Electrical and Computer engineering field. These components can teach students so much more then just conventional programming skills, including how the brick interacts with components through the input/output ports and specifically how the components in Figure 1 work. The junior high school kids who participated in the SHPE Junior High School Olympiad learned how a touch sensor and a color sensor work. Using these transducers the students were able to learn how to use them to get their robot to successfully complete a racecourse. These IO devices can be used for an array of things other than navigating a course. The ultrasonic distance and movement sensor can be used to have your robot track and follow a moving object. While the light sensor, on the other hand, can be used to help navigate your robot out of a dark area on its own, or locate an illuminated object. These components can be used together, if wanted, to complete a variety of tasks.
LEGO Mindstorms is not only of educational value for every age, but can be used as a great introduction to Electrical and Computer engineering as well. It combines several aspects of EECE, thus making it very likely to spark interest in younger children, and is simple enough to appeal to young child. This product is also versatile enough to give those already in this field a simple, yet extensive, introduction to programming.
The microcontroller can be programmed using the LEGO Mindstorms Robot Invention System (RIS) software, which is based off of National Instruments' LabView. This consists of a simple interface with drag and drop options. Commands such as "On" and "On For" can be used to turn on specific output ports either permanently or for specific time intervals. Though this is a simple method, it has great educational value when teaching the basics of programming. With the drag and drop options one has the ability to use "if" statements, create different types of loops, store variables, and make use of other programming techniques.
Samuel Peña, a junior electrical engineer at Manhattan College, who is working on the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Junior High School Olympiad expressed his appreciation for the LEGO system, saying "I've been programming for almost three years now, and from working with these robots for a week I have come to believe in the extensive programming ability you have available to you when using the LEGO system. These kids are going to get a great lesson in programming in a simple and easy to understand environment." The instruction set depth that the RIS software provides is a good way to teach programming concepts to people of all ages. Based on my own programming experience I can see how the LEGO Mindstorms system provides a relatively simple way to teach programming concepts to beginners. Though programming may be relatively simple for many people, there are certain challenges that can even be simplified for those who are experienced in this field. Miguel Hernandez, another junior electrical engineer at Manhattan College, was faced with a similar dilemma: "I just wanted to make a simple program to make the car travel in a simple 4×2 rectangle. It went its initial four feet and when it came time to make the first right turn, it just spun in place. It took a few more tries before I got it right." The Mindstorms software does offer a certain level of difficulty, making it more than just a child's toy. The program is compiled on your computer and transferred from the computer to the robot via IR signals from a tower connected through the USB port on your computer for the first version, and uses Bluetooth technology for Bluetooth enabled computers on the new NXT version. Another aspect of the programmability of the Brick is the option to program in other languages, not just the LEGO RIS language.
So even if you feel the RIS is not up to par with your ability, or just want a challenge, there is the option to program in another language.
These are advanced components for younger students and even older students entering the Electrical and Computer engineering field. These components can teach students so much more then just conventional programming skills, including how the brick interacts with components through the input/output ports and specifically how the components in Figure 1 work. The junior high school kids who participated in the SHPE Junior High School Olympiad learned how a touch sensor and a color sensor work. Using these transducers the students were able to learn how to use them to get their robot to successfully complete a racecourse. These IO devices can be used for an array of things other than navigating a course. The ultrasonic distance and movement sensor can be used to have your robot track and follow a moving object. While the light sensor, on the other hand, can be used to help navigate your robot out of a dark area on its own, or locate an illuminated object. These components can be used together, if wanted, to complete a variety of tasks.
LEGO Mindstorms is not only of educational value for every age, but can be used as a great introduction to Electrical and Computer engineering as well. It combines several aspects of EECE, thus making it very likely to spark interest in younger children, and is simple enough to appeal to young child. This product is also versatile enough to give those already in this field a simple, yet extensive, introduction to programming.
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