Skip to main content

PSumo - want your own?

Some creations cry out out to you. They look so fun that it's hard not to bemoan the fact that 99% of them you will only ever see "virtually", on a web page, YouTube, or similar. Steve Hassenplug created a competitive robotic games that's a mash-up of the RoboRally boardgame and conventional robotic sumo, and it's been a hit everywhere it goes. The idea of robotic sumo is simple - your robot must defeat the opponent by incapacitating it or pushing it out of the ring. But that requires a lot of mechanical design, programming complexity, and testing. The idea of PSumo is to remove some of those hurdles, while preserving most of the fun. Instead of building a custom sumo robot, you build two identical ones. Instead of laboriously programming them, you swipe a series of "programming cards" over a sensor on the robot before the match begins - it's your selection of programming cards that determines how the robot will behave during the match.

I've had a lot of demand for some of my creations - but evidently Steve's had a little bit more for this one. In fact, he's put together a PSumo "kit" ($240) that has much of what you need to add to a standard NXT kit, together with instructions, software, etc., to produce your own copy of his PSumo game. Note this doesn't have everything - but it does have the harder-to-get components, as well as the instructions to make it all work together.

If you haven't seen this before, I'd recommend visiting Steve's PSumo page to at least take a look at what it is. It's not just an impressive feat of programming and building - but it's a really educational example of "packaging". While all the parts are there to experiment with and change any way you like, just like with LEGO in general, here's an example that does something, and does that something well, and is entertaining at the same time. In short, it's a good example of what a LEGO robotics project can be... for everyone (not just the builder).

Popular posts from this blog

Celebrating MINDSTORMS with a Remix - Part 2

The ROBOTMAK3RS continued their celebration of the 25th Anniversary of MINDSTORMS through these summer and fall remix projects. Each ROBOTMAK3R was tasked with selecting one LEGO set of their choice and combining it with a MINDSTORMS set. Below are the five amazing models they came up with. Remote controlled material handle r by Jozua van Ravenhorst (aka Mr Jo) This remix combines the LEGO Technic Material Handler (42144) with MINDSTORMS EV3 (31313) It uses the power of pneumatic cylinders to move objects around. By using a bluetooth remote control, very precise movements can be made with this model. Touch sensors in the base chassis prevent the turret twisting the cables that go through the turntable to much. The program has several protections to prevent over pressurizing the system for each of the 3 individual pumps and valves that control the 2 booms and claws. The real version of this machine is mostly used in waste material sites to bring the material to machines that sort and

Celebrating 25 Years of MINDSTORMS

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of MINDSTORMS, we take a trip through history. Please also visit ROBOTMAK3RS Community every week as we highlight different projects all through 2023 in celebration of the anniversary. Some of the early history is based on the content shared by  Coder Shah  in our  MINDSTORMS EV3 Community Group . Some of the text and links may have been edited from his original posts for consistency and clarity.  1984 - Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen watched a TV program called "Talking Turtle," where MIT professor Seymour Papert demonstrated how children could control robot "turtles" using LOGO, a programming language he developed. 1988 - The collaboration between MIT and LEGO resulted in LEGO TC Logo in 1988, which allowed students to control LEGO models using computer commands. The video shows Papert demonstrating TC Logo. 1990 - LEGO TC Logo was hampered since the robots you built had to be tethered to a personal computer. LEGO and MIT

MINDSTORMS Retires!

2023 is the 25th Anniversary of the MINDSTORMS brand. For 25 years, MINDSTORMS has educated and inspired a generation of robot builders, both children and adults. Unfortunately, the LEGO Group decided to end the line on December 2022. Many ROBOTMAK3RS have been passionately involved with the development of MINDSTORMS through the MUP and MCP programs. Even with the newest Robot Inventor line, several ROBOTMAK3RS were invited to submit additional bonus models that were included in the official app. Regardless of the retirement of a major LEGO robotics product line, ROBOTMAK3RS continue to MAKE-SHARE-INSPIRE using all LEGO robotics platforms available to us. Here is the official statement from LEGO. Since its launch in September 1998, LEGO MINDSTORMS has been one of the core ‘Build & Code’ experiences in the company’s portfolio, carrying with it significant brand equity and becoming a stand-out experience for the early days of consumer robotics and leading to current Build & Code