ROBOTMAK3RS Blog

This awesome Drum set has been built with just a single NXT2.0 Retail set. It has a high-hat, kick drum and snare, all which produce the appropriate sound when hit.  That in itself is cool, but what makes it even better, is that there is a game built in.  The NXT will play a rhythm, and task it to recreate the rhythm.  The closer you get, the higher the flag goes.  Get the rhythm right 4 times in a row and you can move to the next level.  Kind of like the Drum version of the classic game 'Simon'. High scores leaderboard also included and you can even create your own patterns on your PC and download them. There are full build instructions as well as the program to download.  http://brickstack.black-rabite.net/nxt-drums/

Chinese girl  PixieTea  has created a great video in which she is playing and singing a popular song, supported by her LEGO® MINDSTORMS band: So cool!

Anika Vuurzoon has published a new great NXT-powered LEGO® model of her's: the LEGO® Gramophone . By sampling the colors painted on the back of a real LP, the NXT is able to play the song encoded: Fantastic stuff! (I am proud to say that I've also contributed some small part to the project: I've built the software that creates the color circles from any arbitrary song that is available in MusicXML standard format)

Mark Crosbie from Ireland, known for such great NXT robots like the Queboid and the Streetview Car ,  has published a new invention of his recently: the Sound Machine . It's a LEGO® drum sequencer that allows for "building" music with standard LEGO® bricks: The Sound machine is now even featured on the official LEGO® MINDSTORMS site !

The Vuurzoons have done it again! Arjen Vuurzoon has published a great video on Mindy Mindstorms , a Cheerleader robot that dances to the beats of an arbitrary song: Mindy synchronizes her movements via a Bluetooth connection to the PC playing the song and balances itself using a HiTechnic Gyro sensor ; it's most  remarkable that her creator managed to make her keeping stable even with the pom-pons constantly disturbing the delicate balance! More details on Mindy can be found here .

This is a follow up to my previous sequencer . Version 2 can be built from the NXT2.0 kit, and you can download the instructions and program here The program is quite straightforward, just takes in a colour sensor reading (0-5) which feeds a 'value' switch. Each tab in the switch corresponds with a particular colour/note combination. Black (carpet) gives no note. -- Damien Kee www.damienkee.com twitter:damienkee

Master builder NeXTSTORM keeps amazing us with his robot creations, and here's yet another inspirational design. In the past, the NXT has been combined with music several times, but this approach is one I haven't seen yet. Just watch the video to see what I mean, and read more on NeXTSTORM's webpage .

One things I'm always keen to explore is the use of MINDSTORMS in ways that are not immediately obvious. I was lucky enough to have the chance to play with the new colour sensor that will ship with the 2.0 kit and came up with this little music sequencer. Each coloured ball represents a different note. As the colour sensor passes over the top, the note assigned is played. Different rhythms are possible by placing the zamor spheres in different places on the holder. Inspiration for this came from the BeatBearing project. http://www.beatbearing.co.uk/ -- Damien Kee

There's a nice video on YouTube of the MINDSTORMS Blues band playing a Christmas song, led by an inspired OrganFairy : :)

Shortly after reaching the 50 project milestone , today the nxtprograms.com web site reached another milestone by turning one year old! So here is a one-candle birthday cake project to celebrate. The flame on the candle of the cake will "flicker" while the NXT plays the "Happy Birthday" song ,and when the song finishes, you can make a wish and blow out the candle. The sound sensor will detect the blowing, and then the flame will disappear! Here is a video of the cake in action:

BenderBot: The Anti-Theory Music Robot Here's a freshly thrown video providing some idea of BenderBot's functionality and purpose. BenderBot is a musical instrument which generates sound suitable for sampling and recording just as with any instrument. However, this instrument is like no other. You program and play it however you wish. The slate is clean (aside the sample programs and ideas) for you to create your own music. The bot can be set to run autonomously or can be operated manually. You program it as you wish. Viewers may notice (or knob-up your PC speakers until you do) the wild sound track segments near the start and end of the video. These segments are the results of a home recording studio production of BenderBot, an electric guitar, a sound processor pedal, and a Circuit Bent Texas Instruments Speak & Spell. These instruments were used to create sound samples that were then assembled into a nice track. Breaking it down further concerning BenderBot...with your P...