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The New LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Review

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We are about 3-4 days from retailers across most countries in Europe and North America start selling the new #8547 NXT 2.0 kits. You can already pre-order them from some online retailers (e.g. amazon.com) and LEGO shop @ home web site.

Like many of the bloggers here in The NXTStep who are MINDSTORMS Community partners, I am very lucky to have been 'involved' in the development cycle of the NXT 2.0 right from the start. MCP's have been instrumental in helping LEGO define many of the features LEGO have added to the product.

In recent weeks there has been some excellent posts here about the new NXT so you get a feel for what you get with the new kit.

I just made a video of the four NXT kit stock models in action - as seen through the eyes of a two year old. Click on the video link below:




If you missed the recent posts here about NXT 2.0 - Here is a quick blurb about the new kit:

The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT 2.0 set has a bigger and revised element assortment of 619 elements, 16 building and programming challenges for 4 new fun and action-packed robotic models complete with building instructions [plus 10 more you can download shortly]

The new hardware mix consist of an NXT micro-controller, 3 Interactive Servo Motors – with built-in Rotation Sensors, 1 Ultrasonic Sensor, 2 Touch Sensors and the new Colour Sensor with triple functionality; it acts a Colour Sensor – detecting different colours, as a Light Sensor – seeing different light intensities and also works as a Colour Lamp.

Among the new software features there will be applications that makes it possible to make your robot display the images and play the sounds you want it to! There is also a Remote control application that allows for instant and direct control of your robot without any special programming needed.



Edit:

Following the last comments, I thought I will rate each of the stock models the kit comes with for ease of build and playability:

(1) Alpha Rex:



[humanoid robot - that can walk turn, dance, talk, can see and avoid obstacles, can grab and distinguish between different coloured objects]



  • Playability: 10
  • Ease of build: Pretty Hard [@ 2 hours]
  • Building instructions: Excellent


(2) Colour Sorter


[robotic sorting machine that can sort different coloured balls and dispense into sorting trays or catapult them]



  • Playability: 9.5
  • Ease of build: Hard [@ 2 hours – including optional catapult]
  • Building instructions: Excellent

(3) Robogator


[An animal robot that acts and moves like an alligator; It protect its area and jumps forward and snap at anything that comes too near]



  • Playability: 9.0
  • Ease of build: easy [@ 1.5 hours]
  • Building instructions: Excellent

(4) Shooterbot




[A moving vehicle robot (with tracks and a shooter) that can guard your room and will shoot balls at intruders!]




  • Playability: 9.0
  • Ease of build: easy [@ 45 mins]
  • Building instructions: Excellent and VERY easy to follow
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