ROBOTMAK3RS Blog

The NXT 2.0 version of the NXT Guitar Challenge Game is now posted (See earlier post for more description of this project). Compared to the NXT 1.0 version, the building instructions are modified for the different parts mix, as are the NXT-G "Free Play" programs (for color sensor, etc.), but the programs for the "Game Mode" play and song recording (compiled from NXC) are unmodified and run just fine on the newer 2.0 firmware. Note that the bonus materials offered on the CD (Windows song recorder/editor, NXC source code for Game Mode play and NXT recording) apply unchanged for NXT 2.0, since Game Mode is the same between the two versions (although the CD is primarily designed for NXT 1.0 users). I still need to find time to make a newer/better video and will when I can.

It is finally here on nxtprograms.com , after squeezing in bits of spare time throughtout the school and FLL season and other projects: The NXT Guitar Challenge Game ! This project is a "Guitar Hero"-like game for your NXT that requires only a single NXT kit. Using a guitar controller built with a single NXT kit, you are challenged to play a series of "notes" that scroll towards you on the NXT screen while listening to the song. You select the correct note by sliding a plate on the neck of the guitar that is seen by the ultrasonic sensor, and then strum the note using a lever that triggers one or two touch sensors. The game counts your hit and missed notes and displays your score at the end of the song. And unlike other Guitar games, the music plays externally on your iPod or stereo, so you can listen to the real recording on your own sound system while playing along, and you can also author/record your own favorite songs and play along with the real recordings that...

John Hansen, the author and maintainer of NXC , the C-style programming language for the NXT, has now published a set of tools for the NXC development on Mac OSX. NeXT Tools is "a universal binary Mac OS X application which provides many of the tool windows that are part of the Bricx Command Center IDE. Included are: Direct controller, Diagnostics, Watch, Piano, Joystick, Remote, NeXT Explorer, NeXT Screen, Messages, Memory Map, Clear Memory, MIDI Conversion, Wav->RSO, Find Brick, Turn off brick, Close communication, and Firmware download", as John states on the site from which the tools can be downloaded for free. Nice stuff for Apple users!

Dr. Stephanie Ludi has composed an excellent series of tutorials and lessons plans on NXC. They're available here and here . The lessons are targeted for grades 7-12 and assume no prior knowledge of programming in general or NXC in particular. They were underwritten in part by the National Science Foundation.

"megamindstorm101" has posted some basic tutorials for those new to NXC. They're available here . NXC requires no additional firmware other than that supplied with the NXT kit. (It's also free). You can download NXC and its graphical interface (known as "Bricx Command Center") here . NXC is used by all the robots in Daniele Benedettelli's book, "Creating Cool Mindstorms NXT Robots" . It's also used in Tilted Twister , a Rubik's cube-solving robot that requires only one NXT kit. Those wanting to delve deeply into NXC can purchase NXT Power Programming by John Hansen.

John Hansen, the relentless author of NBC/NXC, a C-style programming language for the NXT, has published a new release that provides enhanced support for the HiTechnic iRLink device in connection with the newly documented Power Function modes as well as the R/C Train IR protocol - see http://bricxcc.sourceforge.net .

John Hansen , the author of NXC , a C-style programming language for the NXT that runs on the original NXT firmware on the brick, has announced that Variant Press will soon publish his new book, NXT Power Programming. Robotics in C. It can be pre-ordered now at Amazon.com or Variant Press . The author on his book: "NXT Power Programming delivers everything you need to create the robot you've always dreamed about. This is the definitive guide to C programming by the developer of some of the most powerful and popular development tools for LEGO MINDSTORMS. John C. Hansen presents a comprehensive yet friendly set of tools that allow you to create almost any robot you can imagine. Inside, you’ll find an ingenious set of projects that explore the complete arsenal of NXT functionality. At the heart of these projects is Versa, a versatile mobile robot platform utilizing modular attachments." I'm positive that everyone who has used NXC in the past as an alternative to the ...

Indefatigable John Hansen has released a new beta version of NXC , his free C-like language for the NXT. It's 1.0.1b31 , and according to the release news, it contains not only a lot of fixes, but also an enhanced parser and enhancements for safe threading. One of the particularities of NXC is the fact that though it runs on the brick itself, you do not need a separate firmware - it uses the original LEGO NXT firmware. There's also a new relase available of the associated IDE BrickCC that supports also NXC. Check it out and provide feedback.