Techn'xt

Controlling PF.....via bluetooth!

2012-03-07T07:23:00.001-08:00

Hello hello hello!

There's a team of individuals creating a new PF element that makes it possible for you to control your PF motors via bluetooth (smartphone, tablet, of PC!) They're calling it the "Core" project.

Here is their presentation:

They would like you to answer this quick 5 min. survey on your thoughts, ideas, and such.

Seems pretty cool. Though, I don't have a smartphone or tablet, I do have a PC, so I hope they go through with that.

Joey

LEGO Falkirk Wheel!

2012-03-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

HEY!!! HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY!!! :-D This is Joe here showing you my latest MOC! A LEGO version of the famous Falkirk Wheel!

Here's the description I gave on my EuroBricks post:

"Did you know one of the architects of the Falkirk Wheel (Tony Gee) originally made the gearing mechanism out of LEGO? [1] The Falkirk Wheel is a "boat elevator" in Scotland. It was opened on May 24th, 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II. [2]

This is just a bunch of random facts. Let's get down to my build:

This is it. The specs:

2 PF Battery Boxes
2 PF Switches
4 PF M-Motors
2 PF IR Receivers
6 short turntables
A bunch of panels (but not enough in the same color )
A bunch of (mainly) 24t gears
And a bunch of other parts

There are more pictures in my G+ folder here:
https://plus.google....593957320649553

First Video:
http://youtu.be/ltKVHUDubqM

Second Video:
https://vimeo.com/37868205

Thanks for taking a look at it!
Joey "jojoguy10"

[1]: Falkirk Wheel PDF file
[2]: Falkirk Wheel Wikipedia Page "

Thanks!
Joey

9397 Logging Truck now available at LEGO Shop@Home!

2012-03-02T12:39:00.002-08:00

Finally! The 1H2012 Logging Truck is now available at S@H! You can get it here for $139.99 + shipping!

Happy building!
Joey

[via TechnicBRICKS]

PriNXT by Leon Overweel!

2012-02-24T14:31:00.002-08:00

This is an AMAZING NXT printer! There are some really great printers out there, but this is a whole new look on NXT printing.

Here's the video:

You can see more (or rather ALL) of the down-low of the PriNXT at Leon's blog: World of Mindstorms.

Fantastic job!
jojoguy10

Dexter Industries' new sensor!

2012-02-18T08:22:00.001-08:00

Dexter Ind. has just come out with it's newest sensor: the dCompass!

Here's the product description from the Dexter Ind. website:

"The Dexter Industries dCompass is a compass sensor for LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT. This compact sensor detects magnetic fields for navigation. Using a magnetic sensor, the sensor is able to measure the earth's magnetic field and returns a magnetic heading, telling you which way your robot is heading.

The device can be used without calibration and can be calibrated with software to account for magnetic fields to deliver a highly accurate compass heading.

The sensor is supported in NXT-G, Labview, and RobotC.

The sensor communicates with the NXT via I2C and can be placed on any port."

You can buy the dCompass on Amazon or on the product page.

jojoguy10

9397 Logging Truck video!

2012-02-14T16:20:00.000-08:00

Here's another video of one of the new 2H2012 Technic sets! The 9397 Logging Truck. Provided by YouTube user Cypr-21.

jojoguy10

New video explaining another persons view on the new 2H2012 Technic line

2012-02-11T06:21:00.000-08:00

Here's a video (made by YT user sunnykoo) where he explains what HE thinks is in the new crane truck and 4x4 crawler.

jojoguy10

New video of the Toy Fair in Nuremburg!

2012-02-10T06:16:00.000-08:00

Well, well, well. Look what we have here! A video was just found that shows the 2H2012 Technic lineup from the Nuremburg Toy Fair! Check it out!

Pretty sick! The helicopter looks a LOT bigger than I originally thought! The 4x4 crawler looks like it uses those new motors nicely! Should be helpful to Trial Truck competitions.

jojoguy10

[via TechnicBRICKS]

New LEGO piece coming soon!!!

2012-02-08T05:34:00.001-08:00

WOO HOO!! Another new LEGO piece is coming along with the 2H2012 Technic line!

Looks pretty sweet! This is coming with the 9397 logging truck.

jojoguy10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TECHN'XT!!

2012-02-06T06:27:00.000-08:00

WOW! I can't believe it's been a YEAR since last time! *starts to cry* my blog is growing up ;-(

OK, I'm done now. This has been an incredible year! Lot's has gone on: name change, color change, logo change, podcasts, VISITS! Here are the stats on visitors since last year (only goes back to Juney 28th, because that's when I had to switch domains :-( ):

HIGHEST VISITOR COUNT: August 28th with 53 visitors! That's near the time when I posted about my COCO_MAKER 2.0

LONGEST TIME ON SITE: September 30th with a total time of 12 minutes 32 seconds! There wasn't anything very interesting during September (actually...there were ZERO posts in September), so I have no idea why that's the highest time.

COUNTRY STATS
(Most visits TOP 3):
Unites States: 756
Australia: 203
Germany: 157

(Average time on site TOP 3):
Costa Rica: 13 minutes 43 seconds
South Africa: 12 minutes 24 seconds
Turkey: 4 minutes 54 seconds

MOBILE STATS:
133 mobile visits (205 pageviews)
Most visited "phone": Apple iPad (94 visits)

That's all I have for today. I want to wish TechN'XT my happy birthday wishes:

Updates on the upcoming 9398 Off-Roader!!!

2012-02-02T11:22:00.001-08:00

YES! It's true! We finally got some new close-ups of the new Technic 2H2012 9398 Off-Roader! In this picture, you can clearly see one of the new motors (the suspected steering servo motor).

Some more pic's of the colors. I think it's pretty cool lookin' :-)

Some cool things we're seeing here. I've heard some rumors about a new remote (because of the new servo motor), but it looks like it's the same. I just wish, when I used the remote, red lasers would come out of it :-D

And, best of all, THERE'S A VIDEO! :-D

jojoguy10

SNOW! And other updates.

2012-01-18T05:45:00.000-08:00

Hello!

I feel awful about not posting about all of the stuff that's been going on in the LEGO community :-(. For that, I'm sorry. Life gets busy and tied up and then we get SNOW!

So, I know that we now know the B-Model for the 9397 Technic set. It looks like a snow plow BEAST! :-)

Also, CUUSOO made it so that you have to be 18 or older to post your own project. I guess they must have gotten a bunch of projects that were getting close to ZERO supporters.

We also know one more 2H2012 Technic set (3 total now) and their prices:

9398 - 4x4 Crawler:
1327 pieces
~$200
9396 - Helicopter:
1056 pieces
~$100
9393 - Tractor:
353 pieces
~$40

That's all I can really think of right now. I hope you all have a great rest of the week!

jojoguy10

Year-end report

2011-12-31T05:55:00.000-08:00

Well, it's getting closer to the END OF THE YEAR! :-O

It's OK people! Just another year :-)

TechN'XT has been doing pretty good (people are still coming....that's good, right?) Unfortunately, since I had to change the name back in June, I only have a little bit of data :-(. Here's what I DO have though (June 26th, 2011 and on):
Clustrmaps (my hits included):

Google Analytics:

Visits by country

Overview of all visits (from June 26th)

Not too bad. That peak is 53 visits. So far (with the 7th podcast out), there has been a total of 157 visits! :-D

Well, until next year! Hope you had a good Christmas and I hope you have a good New Year's! Send me comments (I'll do pretty much anything to make my viewers happy :-). Stand on my head for my next podcast? Ehh... :-/ )

Until next year!

Jojoguy10

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2011-12-24T21:25:00.000-08:00

Here it is! The latest episode of the ~~LEGO-X~~ TechN'XT podcast includes an interview with Andy Milluzzi, new sets, and more! Hope you like it, and

MERRY CHRSTMAS!

Recording: check!

2011-12-20T15:38:00.000-08:00

Got the recording done! Next up, editing!

Podcast script: Check!

2011-12-20T06:02:00.001-08:00

Next up: recording! I'm hopefully going to do that either today or tomorrow. I'm doing my best to get it done BEFORE Christmas, but that may not happen :-(

Stay tuned!
jojoguy10

Farm Equipment builder makes it on YouTube!

2011-12-09T11:47:00.001-08:00

Remember THIS post? This kid, Warren Seely, made it on Make and on YouTube! When I met this guy, he was really cool and interesting! EVERY single on of his designs had something unique about it. I'm VERY glad I got to meet him when I did!

jojoguy10

First draft: FINISHED!

2011-12-07T06:25:00.001-08:00

So, I have been typing up the podcast (hoping to have it finished BEFORE Christmas) and I have just finished the first draft! YAY! I also learned something: NEVER type at 5am in the morning! I just typed it up, and found a BUNCH of misspellings, mistakes, and I TOTALLY forgot that this is going to be near Christmas! I'm hopefully going to have the final draft finished and start recording by next week!
Stay tuned!
jojoguy10

I'm still here...

2011-11-26T13:36:00.001-08:00

Sorry everyone for not posting for a while :-(. I've been REALLY busy! I haven't even had time to finish my Chocolate Milk Maker :-(. I'm hoping to have a podcast pretty soon, but there's really nothing to talk about. So, I'm kind of waiting for some of the "Latest News".

I will try my best to not have such a long break like this again.

Happy late Thanksgiving!
jojoguy10

COCO_MILK! (Pt. 2)

2011-10-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well....I have the basic program down! After a LONG struggle with Andy Milluzi's RS-485 NXT-G block, it's finally 90% done!

It can go through the whole proccess! Now, all I have to do is get some timings right and finalize a UI (User-Interface), and it'll be done! (Anyone have a spare NXT they'll let me have/borrow? lol!)

I haven't really changed anything with the structure, but I may have to move the NXT's to a more convenient place so that one of them can be used for the UI.

So far, this project is going VERY well! Can't wait to get it finished and have it running!

jojoguy10

Touch Panel for NXT from Mindsensors!

2011-10-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

YAY! After a long time of it being on the Coming Soon page at MindSensors (MS), it's finally ready! For $50, you can get a touch panel that fits over the NXT screen with these features (quoted form the MS product page):

"Write your own Gesture recognition algorithms with this Touch Screen Overlay!

Fits over the NXT Brick LCD.
Corresponds Touch Points with LCD pixels.
Complete LCD area is touch sensitive
Provides 8 virtual buttons on sides."

Go get yours, NOW!

jojoguy10

New 1H2012 Technic Sets coming soon!

2011-10-21T04:51:00.000-07:00

Well, people are starting to get some rumors about them, so let's put them in line.

9290 Mini Tow Truck

First up is the 9290 Mini Tow Truck. It's pretty simple. Although, instead of an 8t/worm gear combo in a mini model, there is just steering and the winch (just a knob). Overall, a pretty cool model for its size.

9391 Mini Crane

Next is the 9391 Mini Crane.Again, pretty simple, but the reason why I would get this set is because of the new mini turntable part! (More on that later). It's also got some tracks (always good to have).

9392 Quad Bike

The 9392 Quad Bike! Pretty cool! Its got some cool orange parts! Nothing extremely cool about this set. It's got suspension and steering for features.

9394 Jet Plane

The 9394 Jet Plane looks......strange to me. I hear people saying that the nose looks too much like a helicopter nose. I kind of agree. But, aside from that, it has a cool wing function!

9395 Pick-Up Truck

Next is the bother to the 8285 Tow Truck, the 9395 Tow truck (Would've been cool to match up the 2nd and 4th numbers. lol!) A very cool model. Cool tires, cool functions. If I had the money, I'd get this!

9397 Logging Truck

And, finally......the 9397 Logging Truck! "The Big One" of the Technic sets for 1h2012! It (along with the mini crane) also has the new turntable gear! It's also got those cool tires and cool functions!

Then there's the new turntable gear! It has a square hole in the middle and 28 teeth! The square hole can fit:

4 pneumatic hoses or
An axle or
A pole reverser switch (or similar) or
A pneumatic cylinder or an LA (or their mini counterparts) or
A U-Joint or
An axle joiner or
A standard beam

I know I didn't cover the B-models or anything in-depth. But, TechnicBRICKS did a GREAT summery of all the models (which is where I got the pictures from. Thanks TB!) GO check them out! HERE

jojoguy10

[via TechnicBRICKS]

New MOC! COCO_MILK 2.0! (Pt. 1)

2011-08-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

Remember a while ago (a little more than a year ago) when I made the NXT_COCOMILK? I made a new one!

When I built the old one back in 2010, I knew there was LOT'S of room to improve.

It was WAY too long and flimsy
The modules didn't work very well
The track was too narrow (the cup would tip)

So, I took those problems to mind, and went to work.

Disclaimer: sorry..no development pic's :-(

I started with the powder module. It's a pretty basic design. Just one NXT Motor controlling two LA's that open a trap door to let the powder fall out into the glass.

Next, I started on the stirring module (I know, not in order). It was the hardest part to build. I had to make it tall enough to go into the cup most of the way, but not too tall that it would tip over. So, I thought...and thought, and thought. Until I came up with a nifty design that will solve the height issue mostly. You can see in the bottom-right picture, that I used some wheel hubs and axle's to make an extension.

Other than the height issue, another issue was the weight. I had to use two NXT motors on top to make it easier and faster to raise up the stick. I had to have lot's of support.

Next, was the milk dispenser. This design was much like the design on my last Maker. I wanted to add one improvement My family likes two different kinds of milk: 1% and Non-fat. I wanted this to work for everyone, so I used two water bottles for both milks. I have yet to test my system, but I think it should would just fine.

Lastly, was the conveyor belt. Again, pretty simple design. The problem with my last Maker's design, was it was too flimsy and tippy. This conveyor belt uses two track sets and there's a guide ALL the way down that holds the "car" in place.

Then, I had to do some wiring. The sensors I used:

NXT 1

3 Motors
1 IR Link Sensor
Port 4_RS-485

NXT 2

3 Motors
1 Hitechnic Touch MUX (with 4 touch sensors)
Port 4_RS-485

Here are the final pic's. Video is coming soon. I have not programmed it as of yet, but am currently.

Stay tuned!

jojoguy10

Rebrickable!

2011-08-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone!

There's a new website in town and it's looking nice! It's called Rebrickable!

Rebrickable is a tool where you can input what set's you have (Brickset set list import capable!) and it will tell you what you can build with those parts that you have!

It is still in development with only a small selection of sets, but it has most Technic sets (No Mindstorms :-( ) and MOC's from other builders (Like Serial, Nico71, crowkillers, and more!)

Go check it out now!
http://rebrickable.com/

jojoguy10

Coming soon...New MOC!

2011-08-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

Hellooooo!

I have been working on a top secret project that I will let you in on. I'm not going to give it all away, but I will tell you his, it uses a pump to pump some kind of liquid!

Stay tuned!
jojoguy10

Sorry for the wait :-(

2011-08-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the VERY long wait for my podcast to come out. I'm having trouble with getting the clips that I need when I need them. I will keep you updated in the shoutbox, but as of now, the podcast is most likely not going to come out anytime this summer ;-(

jojoguy10

Podcast #7 update

2011-07-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

If you've been paying close attention lately, you'd know that I'm currently working on the next podcast! It's going to be a great one! Tomorrow, I hope to start shooting, and the next day, hopefully start editing. I'm hoping to have it up by ~~early next week.~~(Don't know when)

jojoguy10

EDIT: I can't get it in next week :-(. I'll get it in as soon as it's done!

New Hitechnic sensor!

2011-07-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hitechnic has just announced their next sensor! It's a barometric sensor. With a built-in temperature sensor and an altimeter (of sorts).

The sensor can measure 1/1000th Inch of Mercury (inHg) and 1/10th Hectopascals. And temperature is measured in 1/10th degree Celsius and Fahrenheit. (Fahrenheit is just a conversion from Celsius). The elevation sensing part of it can measure in Feet and Meters.

"By default, the altitude calculation is based on a "standard atmosphere" with an altitude pressure at sea-level of 29.921 inHg." (HiTechnic)

Maybe if you had the Compass, Barometric, and Angle sensors, you could build a robotic weatherman!

They are asking the normal HT sensor price: $54.95

jojoguy10

LEGO Computer Case!

2011-07-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

I've personally always wanted to have LEGO make a computer case. But this guy didn't wait! Mike Schropp created a LEGO computer case out of...well...LEGO's! (And, it's a pretty sweet computer too!)

(You can see the rest of his pictures on his entry here)
"3x Motherboards
3X CPUs
3x CPU Coolers
2x GPU (Only 2 of the systems needed video, the third is remote operated)
3x Power Supplies??
3x Computer Cases??
Multiple Hard Drives and SSDs"

This is the list of parts he made that were going into the case. Amazing!

jojoguy10

WALL-E 5!

2011-07-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

Incredible! It all started back in 2008 when the 8275 Bulldozer came out when Marc-Andre Bazergui created Wall-E version 1. Then he wanted to make it bigger and created Wall-E3 (Wall-E2 was a remake of Wall-E1 that is currently in Billund, Denmark [LEGO Headquarters]). Next, in zWall-E4, he took out ALL of the PF motors and made an NXT-only Wall-E (with 3 NXT's and 8 motors!) Finally, he created Wall-E5 to be able to transform into a brick like in the movie.

VERY well done on ALL of your Wall-E's Marc!

You can see a video that Marc put together at the bottom after the pictures.........

Great job Marc!

jojoguy10
[via TheNXTStep and LEGO Mindstorms: News]

LEGO Cuusoo: the next big thing?

2011-07-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

Hello LEGO fans!

This just came up! LEGO Cuusoo (translated from Japanese "LEGO Wish") may be your biggest wish! Have you ever wished you could sell your own official LEGO products to people? Well, with LEGO Cuusoo, you can!

OK, that may have sounded a bit commercialized :-)

Basically, all you have to do is:

1. "Create a project, share your idea and see what other people think."
2. "With more than 10,000 supporters, your idea will be reviewed by LEGO for a chance to become an official LEGO product."
3. "If the project passes the review, it will be produced and you as the idea owner will receive 1% of the sale."
[Quoted from the official Cuusoo website]

YAY! So, not only will you possibly become popular and get to play with your own set, you get a little bit of cash! The site is currently in a beta stage, but you can ask for an invite on their Register page. All you have to do is, in one sentence, explain why you should be invited to Cuusoo.

You can read a full write-up by BrickJournal HERE(link).

jojoguy10

P.S. First, if you found this, congradulations! I'm sure you highlighted this page on purpose ;-)
Second, hopefully I'll get some podcast ideas going and possibly have one coming soon! YAY!
[via TechnicBRICKS]

More robotic food :-)

2011-07-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

Some people at Tufts University (RoboLab Software and Legoengineering.com) have made a wonderfully delicious robot! Well, the robot itself isn't delicious, but the thing it makes is: SUNDAES!

Mmmmmm! Reminds me, again, of my Hot Coco Maker. But...theirs has 4 NXT's. Mine only had one :-).

jojoguy10

[via TheNXTStep]

Mmmmmm...Pancakes :-D

2011-06-29T20:54:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody!
Check out this MOC from Mexican Viking. He made this AWESOME creation based around home automation: Automatic Pancake (with ShapeChoice).

Looks like he used 2 Pneumatic Pumps, 3 NXT motors, 1 NXT, 1 Air Tank, and other LEGO pieces.

Very nice job! Hope to see more MOC's fromhim soon (maybe a Hot Coco maker?)

jojoguy10

New name. New look. New feel. New blog!

2011-06-28T13:56:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the new home of LEGO-X. Wait...it's not called that any more. The new name is Techn'xt.

I hope you like the name, look, and feel!

The NXT Step's new look!

2011-06-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

WHOA! The NXT Step just updated their blog's look! There's new "Education" and "Building Instructions" tabs (they say Coming Soon right now). There's also a "Top COntributors" list! Competition time?

VERY Cool! Keep up the good work everyone over at The NXT Step!

jojoguy10

P.S. What do you think of the name Techn'xt?

New poll!

2011-06-24T04:36:00.000-07:00

OK everyone, I need some ideas. I need to know that if I had to change LEGO-X's name to something else, what would it be? Have an answer? Enter it in at the poll HERE(link).

Thanks!

jojoguy10

8043 Custom Set is finished!

2011-06-24T03:46:00.000-07:00

YAY! I bought pieces form Bricklink, found the building instructions on LEGO.com, and I put it together and it looks like this:

Pretty cool, huh? You can see the progression pictures on my Picasa Web Album (higher quality).

This build cost me about $55 for the parts I had to buy. I think it was worth it :-)

jojoguy10

8110 Unimog parts list!

2011-06-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody!

TechnicBRICKS just got a hold of the 8110 parts list! Check them out!YAY! More new parts and they're bringing back the pneumatics system! I can't wait for this to come out!

jojoguy10

New Custom Set coming soon!

2011-06-09T02:00:00.000-07:00

Hello people of the world!

If you are a regular comer to this website, you already know about my "Custom Sets". But, if you're new to LEGO-X, here is a quick explanation of my Custom Sets:

"Custom Sets" are sets that I build (official LEGO sets, that is), but I build them with the pieces I already have, and pieces that I don't have, I buy from Bricklink (most of the time). You can see my very fist custom set HERE.

Anyway, moving on. I have been waiting for prices of the pieces I need next for my next 4 (that's right, 4) custom sets:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="690" caption="8258 Crane Truck"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="690" caption="8455 Back Hoe"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="8421 Mobile Crane"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="690" caption="8043 Excavator"][/caption]

I have just bought parts to be able to finish my build on the Excavator! YAY! When the pieces arrive, I will start building and post pictures while I'm at it. I can't wait!

jojoguy10

Mindstorms Testing in North Carolina!

2011-06-08T02:53:00.000-07:00

LEGO Mindstormks is holding a Toy Testing event in Raleigh, North Carolina! From what they say in the latest Mindstorms News story, it looks like they will be testing new Mindstorms products. People who want to join can download THIS PDF file and send it in to the Toy Testers team and they will choose a number of people to help the out.

Looks like lots of fun! Too bad I don't live in North Carolina :-(

jojoguy10

Mindstorms StackExchange! Please commit!

2011-06-02T22:33:00.000-07:00

StachExchange is basically a big Questions and Answers (Q&A) site that has MANY different topics. Eric wanted to make a Mindstorms one. We need 200 commits from people. Please commit to the StackExchange so we can help new Mindstorms users easily :-)

jojoguy10

New set! 8110 Unimog U400!!!!

2011-06-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

YAY! Coming soon form Technic is the new Unimog U400!

Said to cost around $275 ( :-( ), the U400 will have over 2000 pieces including:

Pneumatics

New HUGE tires ("94.3 x 38R")

Looks to be about 12 Technic Panels (5x11)

And MUCH more!

This Technic model is a 1:12 scale of the original U400. It also is going to have at least 1 motor and 1 battery box.

The U4oo also supports 4-wheel drive and coil-spring articulating solid axles, plus a powered winch on the front of this beast!

TechnicBRICKS gives us some pictures with drawings to give us a better idea:

"

Green: I had this suspicion before, but not I'm pretty sure it is confirmed. With 2.048 parts the Unimog should be quite heavy and thus requiring stronger suspension or shock absorbers.
The spring coils used on the Unimog look different from all those ever released in the previous LEGO Technic models. The coil pitch looks quite larger than usual, likely meaning stronger springs and consequently heavier suspensions.
Bet it might open some new possibilities (e.g. for the heavier TrTr vehicles).

Red: This doesn't seem to match with anything known to date. Maybe a new kind of frame similar to 64178 or 64179. A new C-Shape frame would be highly appreciated and it seems to fit nicely in this application (an articulated solid axle).

Yellow: Still quite fuzzy but the hub gearboxes behind the portal axles might be here...

Blue: It looks the PF M-motor with its multiple functions. The pneumatic pump seems running from a single pump cylinder!? The only strange thing it is the way it looks positioned. Just behind the motor, i.e. in the opposite direction to the motor shat output...Or is it another cylinder for the pneumatic "dump" bed!? Don't think so...
Also this pneumatic dump bed feature, came to puzzle the way I have imagined the Unimog controls should work.

Somehow I still doubt on this information about a pneumatic dump bed.

"

Well...I don't know about you, but I'm going to start saving NOW! I will (hopefully) buy it and give an X-view on it!

Stay tuned!

jojoguy10

[via TechnicBRICKS and Brickset]

Congrats Google Science Fair Finalists!

2011-05-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Google Science Fair judges chose 15 out of 60 semi-finalists to go to Mountain View, CA to be judged by the finalists judges. Luke Taylor (Programming in Pure E [English]) was chosen as one of the finalists! He and 14 other's will be judged for the best project. The prizes include:

$100,000 in scholarship funds

real-life experiences at CERN, Google, LEGO and Scientific American

a trip to the Galapagos Islands courtesy of National Geographic Expeditions

(via GSF)

Congrats Luke and the other finalists! May the best scientist win!

jojoguy10

Google Science Fair semi-finalist needs your help!

2011-05-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

Luke Taylor entered the Google Science Fair with his new way to program your NXT! Introducing, Pure-E!

WOW! Awesome job Luke! You liked his project too? Go vote for him right away to help him win the Google Science Fair
jojoguy10

Wall-E5 Teaser!

2011-05-16T23:23:00.000-07:00

All the way from Bazmarc Productions: I present his latest model: WALL-E5!

Bazmarc has been working on this version of Wall-E since around the start of 2011! 5months later, he brings us this video. If you want to see Wall-E5 and Bazmarc in person, they will be showing at Brickworld in Chicago, IL.

Kudos Bazmarc!

jojoguy10

I'm still here!

2011-05-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I'm back from a long absence.

There has been a lot of updates since my last post, and I want to post some of them here.

MINDSENSORS

Mindsensors has released their newest product! The Servo Operated Pneumatic Valve Kit! This is their servo-controller pneumatic valve. For $22.95 you can get it WITH a valve included or $19.45 WITHOUT a valve.

On other news, they6 also have a new "Coming Soon..." sensor! The Dual-Relay driver for NXT.

"With this device, you will be able to control two relays. (You could also use it to power on/off high power motors).
Rated for 18 Volts, 10 Amps." (Mindsensors)

HITECHNIC

For hiTechnic, They have a new block out! The PID motor block! It gives the ability to accurately control a NXT servo motor. It was used in their new sample model, the IR RC Kart, that uses the PID block instead of a differential.

DEXTER INDUSTRIES

And, last, but not least, Dexter Ind. They have been a bunch of busy bee's with their WiFi sensor and their dGPS sensor (And now the new Thermal IR Camera sensor!). Let's start with the WiFi sensor.

Their new WiFi sensor (not yet for sale) gives the user the ability to control their robot through the internet! Xander Soldaat has been beta testing it and has created a camera and a few simple commands that YOU can give to HIS robot through the INTERNET!! You can play around with his NXT too! Just go to his blog: http://mightor.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/want-to-play-with-my-nxt/

Next, is their Thermal IR Camera Sensor. It was just mentioned today by D.I. themselves. With it, you will be able to tell the temperature of an object...WITHOUT touching it! If you've ever watched the TV show "MythBusters", you might know what these are. They are a special camera that shows a "heat map" of the object(s) the camera is looking at. The sensor D.I. is going to use can measure objects as hot as 380 degrees Celsius!

Well, hope you enjoyed this LONG re-cap post!

jojoguy10

P.S. May be moving back to Blogger soon! YAY!

A special MOC...

2011-04-16T23:54:00.000-07:00

Lately I haven't been building a whole lot, but I decided I want to build something that may get noticed!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="Justin Lan's robot"][/caption]

This robot is by a guy who does a LOT of RCX robots and projects! You can see more robots that he made at his website.

[caption id="attachment_737" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="NeXTSTORM's Synchro-drive"][/caption]

This robot is made by NeXTSTORM who also builds some AMAZING robots! His wheel base turns MUCH faster than mine. It also looks very cool :-). You can see more of his awesome MOC's at his website.

OK, now that I've shown you some background info, let's move onto my creation spec's

4 wheels

4 small turntables

about 400 parts

Uses the HiTechnic Touch Multiplexer for the four touch sensors attached

1 NXT

3 NXT Motors

OK, now for some.......PIC'S!

I don't have a video (YET!), but one will come soon.

I have other ideas to make it better. One of the cons of this MOC: when the wheels spin, the robot goes off-center a bit (because of the rubber tires). So, I'm going to get a total of 4 3L differentials and put those in each wheel. Another idea is to add an all-around "touch sensor".

I also have a simple program that makes it go forward until ANY of the touch sensors are press, backs up, turns, and loops. I wrote it in NXC :D

jojoguy10

P.S. Podcast (hopefully) coming soon!

New record for tallest LEGO tower!

2011-04-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

Originally set by Chile (at an amazing 30.94 meters![~100ft.]), Brazil came a long and beat it by a little under 1 meter! Standing at 31.19 meters (~102ft.), this tower is almost a tease to Chile.

Is Chile going to come back for more???

jojoguy10

New Mindstorms NXT Promo!

2011-04-02T03:02:00.000-07:00

WOO HOO! Have you been wanting a new NXT 2.0 set, but needed more of a push? LEGO is having a new promo for the NXT 2.0 set! Buy one and get a free Bluetooth Dongle free! Head there NOW!

jojoguy10

Google Buys LEGO

2011-03-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

Google's announced that they've bought LEGO today. I can't remember the link, but if anyone could post it...

Want something that you wish LEGO would do?

2011-03-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to ask TLG something, but don't know how? Maybe you wanted them to make a new piece, but didn't know where to tell them? HERE's the place for you! Submit ideas! If we have enough, TLG will see them! Go out and spread your ideas!

jojoguy10

Got any ideas for the next LEGO-X podcast?

2011-03-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

There's a place to share them!

Here is a place you can go to submit ideas for the LEGO-X podcast! You can check it out HERE(link)! I'd LOVE to see some ideas!

jojoguy10

LEGO Motion Simulator

2011-03-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

I have a new MOC to show! This is my entry for the Technic challenge: the LEGO Motion Simulator!

A motion simulator is like a Stewart Platform. It can move in various different ways, but, while the Stewart Platform has 6 DOF (Degrees Of Freedom), my Motion Simulator only has 3.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="697" caption="Real motion simulator"][/caption]

This is a real Motion Simulator that you might see at amusement parks. Motion simulators usually show some kind of video of something that requires a real feeling to be cool. What I mean by that is, something like a roller coaster. Without the felling of it, just watching is pretty boring. Company's have also built motion simulators for games!

The Technic Challenge for this month was all about Linear Actuators. Well, mine has 3, but I also made a pneumatic one just for fun (I'm still working on the pump).

Here are some pic's of my motion simulator and....a video at the end! Hope you like it!

Note: The parts with the yellow beam: those are with the camera on TOP of the car. I'm moving the camera using the actuators so that you can get the feel of what's it's like to be a passenger.

Please comment or shout in the chatbox your suggestions!

jojoguy10

Mindsensors "mystery" sensor named!

2011-03-05T22:49:00.000-08:00

You know that mystery sensor that mindsensors had on their "Coming Soon" page? Well, they named it! Yup, now, it's a "Touch Screen Overlay for NXT" "This Touch Screen Overlay is designed to fit on the NXT brick, over the LCD, and correspond the touch point with LCD pixels."

Pretty neat!

jojoguy10

Technic Challenge-March 2011

2011-03-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

Take the Technic Challenge! The challenge is starting once again! Don't know what it is?

The competition is very simple
1. Build a model out of primarily LEGO Technic elements.
2. Take a picture of the model
3. Press the button below to Enter the competition
4. Enter your contact information
5. Upload your image

What to build?
This month (March) the competition focuses on Linear movement.
Build a cool model with nice functions based on linear movement – with or without the linear actuator!

Read a Designer's Blog entry explaining more about Linear Actuators.

How does it work?
Right now you can submit models - On the 15th of March - a panel of judges consisting of designers, marketing managers, building instruction artists and more will pick out (of all submissions) 10 finalists that will then be put up for voting here on the site. Considerations for the Nominees will be based on Model, Design, build to theme and age.

The winner will receive a prize and also continue to the Big Finale in October.

Cool! Are you going to try it? I think I will...I think I'll make a motion simulator! :-O

jojoguy10

Good Luck!

Mindstorms NXT Official survey!

2011-02-28T08:19:00.000-08:00

LEGO Mindstorms is holding a survey for all who want to share about online interaction. Fill it out HERE(link).

jojoguy10

New RS-485 NXT-G blocks!

2011-02-27T20:37:00.000-08:00

Do you think Bluetooth on the NXT is a bit slow for what you need? Do you wish you had something fast enough? Are you an NXT-G user? If you answered "yes" to all three questions, the RS-485 block is for you! With speeds up to 921600 bps, RS-485 will make any motion practically at the same time! Thanks Andy Milluzzi! Download the block HERE(link)!

jojoguy10

How do the Linear Actuators work (both new and old)?

2011-02-20T21:59:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! The Techinc designers have posted something new on the Technic blog! You can see it HERE(link). I will write a quick summery for you!

This is the old fashion way of doing a Linear Actuator: (1) You would turn the worm gear which would rotate the (2) 8t gear and moving the (3) gear rack back and forth.

The old LA (the longer one), for me, worked pretty well. But it wasn't able to lift heavy loads without the clutch engaging. Here's how it works: The user puts an axle in the orange clutch mechanism (1) and the turns the white threaded tube (kind of like the worm gear up above)(3) and that pushes the threaded piston in and out (4).

The new LA (I don't have yet :( ) looks really nice! Here's how it works: The user attaches an axle on the orange axle end which is also the "worm gear" in this example (1). Then, the piston goes in and out (2). This LA has a clutch system as well (3).

Thanks for reading!

jojoguy10

P.S. I'm thinking of some more ideas for the 7th LEGO-X podcast! So, if you haven't already, fill out this quick poll to see what I should keep from podcast 6 and what I shouldn't keep. Also, who should i interview? Fill it out HERE(link)! If you don't...I won't have another podcast! (just kidding :) )

I'm SOOO sorry LEGO-X!

2011-02-13T22:00:00.000-08:00

I feel terrible right now. Have you ever forgotten somebody's birthday? I have. LEGO-X's! on February 6th, 2009 I started a blog that talked about LEGO's, Lego news, and I still had my brother as a contributer. Time's have changed since then. I now have SIX podcasts! Here are some interesting facts from my Google Analytics report as of July 8, 2010 to NOW.

Most visit's in one day: 108
Total visits: 7,392

This had been a GREAT 365 days for LEGO-X! Please keep on dishing out ideas and comments and maybe even complaints!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEGO-X!

jojoguy10

New chatbox!

2011-02-13T09:24:00.000-08:00

We've been getting some spam from the other chatbox. I had to fix that. Hopefully, if I have to< I can delete bad chat messages. All for a better LEGO community! Thanks!

jojoguy10

Motor Speed vs. Motor Power

2011-02-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

Reposting from My Blog.

[caption id="attachment_230" align="aligncenter" width="497" caption="Polled at a Motor Power Output (%) every 5% increase, over a motor rotation of 720 degrees each. Motor Rotation Speed vs Motor Power Output (%) for NBC/NXC Firmware 1.28. As you can see, it's a pretty linear."][/caption]

I was interested in how fast the motors would spin (in the air for the first tests, to not let gravity/load/friction/etc affect the results) depending on what I set pwr in the NXC function OnFwd(outputs, pwr).

I wrote a program (download here) which logged the time it took to spin the motor at 720 degrees (in one experiment), and with a starting pwr value of 5, increasing by 5, until it reached 100. It was tested on the NBC/NXC Firmware 1.28.

It seemed to be linear, and I did a little "analysis" (if you can call it that), and came up with the graph on the right, which represents the ratio between Speed and Power. This ratio is about 7:1.

Next, I tried it with the robot on the ground. The results were pretty much the same (linear), as you can see in the image to the bottom left. Of course, it slowed down a bit, as can be expected.

I still haven't figured out how this is useful, but if you can suggest reasons for why I haven't wasted my time (which I actually like doing, believe it or not), please tell me in the comments. Now I'm adding meaningless text just to fill this line, so my blog post looks good. :)

If you want a copy of the program and data, you can download it here. [LINK]

[gallery]

X-View #2: MSRS

2011-02-02T21:37:00.000-08:00

Hello all! I'm going to start this by saying that this is a mix between a review and a tutorial. It's more of an overview, and a compare/contrast chart to NXT-G. Hope you like it!

What is MSRS???

MSRS is Microsoft's own robotic studio. It's meant for the non-programmer, but advanced programmers will like it too! Like NXT-G, it is a visual "language". It has a "Sequence Beam", Variables, Data blocks, and MORE! MSRS can also allow you to control many robots other than the NXT (such as the iRobot Roomba, etc.). It also has other "services" (basically "sensor blocks") that can do various interesting things on the computer, or to your robot. Have a pop-up window appear, have a desktop joystick to control your robot, webcam support, speech recognition support, and MANY more!

Is it like NXT-G in many ways?

Yes. Actually, when I first used it, I was surprised on how easy it was to adapt from NXT-G. NXT-G has sequence beams, MSRS has wires. MSRS's wires double as data wires for NXT-G too in some ways! NXT-G has MyBlocks MSRS has Activity's

Is there anything that is difficult to learn in MSRS?

Kind of. MSRS has, what's called a DSS (Decentralized Software Services) node which let's you run the program. Setting it up can be a pain, but if you're an administrator on your computer, it's relatively easy.

What are some cool features in MSRS that NXT-G doesn't have?

LOTS! MSRS has one of my most FAVORITE features of all time...a Simulation Engine! With this, you can control a LEGO TriBot or an iRobot Roomba in a controlled environment. Complete with built-in physics, objects you can add (called "Entity's"), and, depending on you program, you can control it from on your desktop! No hardware required.

Another cool feature is the desktop joystick. If you're like me, all of your desk space is cluttered with stuff (whether it be LEGO's, computer monitors, or anything!). That's where the desktop joystick comes in really handy! You can control your robot with just a move of the mouse!

Something I wanted to add to the Simulation details is, you can also add a motor base with a few sensors: Webcam, Color Sensor, Laser Range Finder (LRF), Light Sensor, Sonar, Infrared, Compass, and GPS.

Can we see some pictures?

YES! Here they are!

[caption id="attachment_663" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Simulated TriBot with Desktop Joystick to control it"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_662" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A Simple "Hello World" program"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_661" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Simulated joystick porgram"][/caption]

Where can we get MSRS?

You can get it at the MSRS home page (called Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio there).

Hope you liked this review! Want more X-Views? Contact me at jojoguy10 (at) lego-x.com to give me some ideas!

jojoguy10

Introducing: BRICKBOTS!

2011-01-31T20:58:00.000-08:00

From NXTQuebec, I present to you his latest creation: BRICKBOTS!

Using plastic storage bricks from the Plast-Team, Marc-Andre has created little robots that can fit inside those little bricks! Only using 1 NXT kit too! Here are some of his pic's he took:

Even MORE picture at his Picasa Web album! Now, here's a video he created to show his robot:

Nice work Marc!

jojoguy10

More new sensors!

2011-01-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

YAY! Don't you just LOVE new sensors? I do! Well, Mindsensors does too! In their "Coming Soon" page, they have added two more sensors: a "Dual Relay Driver for NXT" and a "Pneumatic Control from NXT".

Dual Relay Driver

"With this device, you will be able to control two relays. (You could also use it to power on/off high power motors).
Rated for 30 Volts, 13 Amps."

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="180" caption="NXT relay Driver"][/caption]

Pneumatic Control
"This Servo Operated Pneumatic Valve can be controlled from NXT using NXTServo-v2.
The kit will include the valve, servo and necessary hardware and instructions to assemble the valve."

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="180" caption="Pneumatic Control"][/caption]

Good job Mindsensors! I'm really looking at the Pneumatic Control and thinking "YAY!" I've always had trouble working with the valve and trying to make it work with the NXT motor, and now I can! I hope it will be accurate!

jojoguy10

The nightmare begins

2011-01-29T05:59:00.000-08:00

std::cout << "Hey everyone!\nI'm new here, and I'll be posting (and I decide when that is)." << std::endl;
I'll tell you a little more about myself:

~~Hah, fooled you. Well... maybe not.~~

If you don't already know me from The Mindboards Forums as muntoo, I'm a guy who:

Likes LEGO Mindstorms NXT (well... duh.)

Likes Robotics

Likes Programming

Likes Math

Likes Chess

Likes Reading

Likes Classical Music

Used to play trumpet (for 3 years)

Does not like anyone who dislikes John Williams

Will take over/destroy the world. The date has been pushed back 10 years to 2022. (Sorry for any inconvenience.)

Has a blog.

Here it is from my SO profile:

I am The Great Evil Genius, Supreme World Dictator.

----------

Math: Currently studying Calculus

Science: Physics is my favourite

"Programming Languages" I know: C/C++ (Windows, DirectX), NXC (For LEGO Mindstorms NXT), NXT-G (For LEGO Mindstorms NXT), (some) HTML

"Programming Languages" I'm learning: Java ("Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." - Sun-tzu), Javascript, CSS

"Programming Languages" I want to know: VHDL, OpenGL (C++), C#

Books I Read: The Lord Of The Rings (and some accompanying texts), Hunger Games, His Dark Materials, Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Inheritance Cycle (Eragon), Alex Rider, The Gatekeepers (UK: The Power Of Five), Ranger's Apprentice, The Last Apprentice, Eragon, The Secrets Of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Skulduggery Pleasant, Artemis Fowl, Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Evil Genius (lots of hacker terms in the book; the first book is best)

Music/Artists I Like: Pachelbel's Canon In D, Bach (Minuet In G, Brandenburg Concertos), Adagio For Strings, Vivaldi's Four Seasons (Spring mvt 1 - Allegro, Summer mvt 3 - Presto, Autumn mvt 1 - Allegro, Winter mvt 2 - Largo), Johann Strauss II (Vienna Blood), Johannes Brahms (Hungarian Dances), Bach, Dvorak (Symphony No. 9 "From The New World", Slavonic Dances), Franz Liszt, Lux Aeterna (Requiem For A Dream), John Williams, Green Day (Wake Me Up When September Ends, Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, American Idiot, Good Riddance), Beatles (Here Comes The Sun, Eleanor Rigby), Eye Of The Tiger

Movies I Like: Lord Of The Rings, The Chronicles Of Narnia, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Star Trek, Pink Panther (Original with Peter Sellers), Spiderman, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Blood Diamond

If it's OK with Joey, I'll post some of my blog entries on this blog.

New NXT-G Blocks!

2011-01-21T21:23:00.000-08:00

Boom! Hello everybody! There has been some great news around that Hitechnic has published some new Trigonometry blocks for sin/cos and ATan2! They also have example programs for both blocks, plus the acceleration sensor! Check out the HT Blog post here: http://www.hitechnic.com/blog/uncategorized/new-hitechnic-blocks-for-sin-cos-and-atan2/

jojoguy10

First LEGO-X Review: 7158

2011-01-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="414" caption="Hero Factory 7158 Furno Bike!"][/caption]

Woo hoo! From my FLL team that I co-coach, here is the 7158 Hero Factory Furno Bike! This is a great set! Though it may seem small, it's actually quite large!

Parts:

Here are some parts I thought were VERY cool to have! (I will name them by my names/Bricklink #)

*) 2 of the new Technic tires (88517/88516)

*) 2 Axel-4 with stop (87083)

*) 3 Axel and Pin connector triple (63869)

*) 2 Red Zamor Spheres (bb194)

The tires/wheels were my FAVORITE pieces! They are kind of like the old RCX wheels (white rim, black tire). Though their grip isn't as good as the RCX ones, they look much more stylish!

Building:

The build experience was fairly easy. It took me about 15 min. to complete. In terms of how hard it is (1 out of 10 [10 being HARD! 1 being Duplos]) I'd rate it a 3 or 4.

Playability:

I like to play with toy motorcycles :). I like to sit on the floor and spin in circles acting as if I'm the side-cam in a movie. I've had lots of fun playing with this set, and I think pretty much anyone would too.

Overall:

Overall, I think that this set is a good start for Technic builders (even though it's Hero Factory). It's easy, and has LOTS of great parts to start of your collection!

Rating:

I will now rate with 5 stars being the most:

Playability: * * * * *

Building experience: * * *

Building Ease: * * * *

Parts assortment: * * * * *

Thanks for reading the first ever LEGO-X review. I always though that reviews were sort of like X-rays. So, from now on, I will now call them

X-views!

jojoguy10

Building 3 new Custom Sets soon (hopefully)

2011-01-01T22:02:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

You what I do for fun when I want a new set, but I don't have enough money for? That's right, I make them anyway :) . I'm planning to build 3 new customs sets pretty soon: The 8455 Backhoe, the 8421 Mobile Crane, and the 8258 Crane Truck.

For the 8455 I need a few more parts:

3 Pneumatic Cylinders, 1 Small bucket, 1 10x18 Bucket, 3 Engine Crankshafts, and 2 56x30 Tires

For the 8421 I need a few parts too:

2 Bionicle Bohrok Shoulders, 1 Buggy Motor, 8 62.4x20 tire and hub, and 2 small wheels

The 8258 Crane truck needs the most pieces:

3 Drive Ring extensions, 2 Linear Actuator holder (The horseshoe style), 4 1x13 gear racks (the new ones), 4 Panel Plate 1x5x11, 1 steering wheel, and, again, the 62.4x20 tire and hub.

So, I looked around, and I can get ALL of these parts for around $100 (somewhat including Shipping & Handling). Maybe around my birthday I will have at least the mobile crane done (that's my most favorite of the three).

Have a great 2011, and Play well!

jojoguy10

HAPPY 2011/2K11/Twenty-Eleven!

2010-12-31T23:57:00.000-08:00

WOO HOO! 2010 was a fun and good year for LEGO. We got our own domain (lego-x.COM), we have published 4 podcasts! We have gotten a LOT of visits (maybe as many as TheNXTStep? :P ). Thanks for helping Lego-X get on it's feet and starting to soar with the other BIG websites/blogs (Like theNXTstep)!

jojoguy10

Personal LEGO-X Christmas wish!

2010-12-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone! Have a WONDEFUL Christmas! This year has been VERY good for LEGO-X! 4 podcasts in one year?! That's insane! Thanks for supporting LEGO-X all of these years (2 to be exact :) ).

jojoguy10

2H2011 Sets announced! WOO HOO!

2010-12-24T20:59:00.000-08:00

WOO HOO! The 2H2011 Sets are already known! It looks like the Unimog U400 is going to be the biggest one, but the others are still great! I will post more updates as they come!

jojoguy10

108 views! Thank you EVERYONE!

2010-12-22T20:35:00.000-08:00

YAY! Yesterday, LEGHO-X got 108 views! 30 people went to the Podcasts page, 23 people saw the 1st LEGO-X podcast. COOL! This is LEGO-X's new high-score! Thanks everyone!

jojoguy10

LEGO MINDSTORMS wished everyone a Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T05:10:00.000-08:00

From The MINDSTORMS News Page:

We thank you all for a very creative and inventive year. We look forward to seeing all your fantastic robotic creations NXT year and wish you all a happy holiday season. Let’s make next year “The year of the robots” by creating and exploring more awesome robotic inventions together.

Play well,

The LEGO MINDSTORMS team

Merry Christmas everyone!

jojoguy10

New poll!

2010-12-21T23:54:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

First, Thanks to ALL of the poeple who posted about my podcast (To name a few, Xander and Shep).

Second, I have a new poll I'd like everyone to fill out! It's about the 7th LEGO-X podcast! Have any awesome ideas you just HAVE to share? Now you can! It's just to the right sidebar! I'd LOVE to see your ideas!

jojoguy10

The 6th LEGO-X podcast is OUT!!!

2010-12-21T04:48:00.000-08:00

Here it is...after a long upload and editing proccess, it's here! Tell me if you liked it in the chatbox!

Thanks for watching!
jojoguy10

Podcast will be up today! Soon...

2010-12-20T23:39:00.000-08:00

I am currently uploading my 5th installment of the LEGO-X podcast right now as I type this. Here are the spec's:

Total running time: 23 Minutes, 13 Seconds

Cool Effects Used: Green Screen (Chroma Key), Reverb (Echo)

Total Production Time (From first recording to end): about 2 weeks to record, write the script, and edit.

Hope you enjoy it when it comes out! It should be out around 11am (GMT-8, Pacific).

Stay Tuned!

jojoguy10

Firefox logo - made of LEGO!

2010-12-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

WHOA! AWESOME! Guess what...your favorite browser has just been LEGO'd! Check out the guy who made this masterpiece: His Blog Post

jojoguy10

P.S. The podcast is coming along slowly but surely. Stay tuned!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2010-12-11T21:30:00.000-08:00

It's getting to that time of year isn't it? Only 13 more days!!!! I'll get my PF_SNOWCRAWL done and the podcast will be published (hopefully).

jojoguy10

Correction: NXT_SNOW is actually going to be PF_SNOWCRAWL

2010-12-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the confusion everyone, but it's actually going to be JUST PF motors and such. I might add an NXT later on, but for now, it's called PF_SNOWCRAWL.

jojoguy10

P.S. Just finished shooting the first Lego-X 5 podcast scene last night! I will do the best I can to get it done before Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

New project! Code Name: NXT-SNOW

2010-12-10T21:18:00.000-08:00

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="My Inspiration!"]

[/caption]: Right Side

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Left Side"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Steering Mechanism"][/caption]

Double Steering

Well, I'm back! I know it's been a while since my last project, but here it is. I'm building a snow crawler to be able to go in the snow when it comes (WHEN it comes). So, I started searching online, and I found this awesome Columbian Sno bus! I started building the tracks work (taking note of the phrase "From the ground up") and next was connecting them together. I am using 2 XL motors and for the steering, I'm going to use 1 M motor. Plus 1 battery box and 1 IR receiver+remote. I'm also thinking about maling a NXT version, so stay tuned!

jojoguy10

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2010-11-24T22:01:00.000-08:00

[caption id="attachment_569" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="TURKEY! *CRUNCH!*"][/caption]

Well, it's that time of year again! Everyone stuffing their faces with delicious turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, family, and friends! Don't forget the Black Friday LEGO Sales!!!

jojoguy10

Welcome dGPS!

2010-11-22T21:04:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!

It's been a while since I've posted on here! From Dexter Industries, they brought out their new GPS Sensor! We have been beta testing this for maybe 2 months! I have a couple of ideas on how to test it :-)

Robot that goes around in the snow

Robot that draws a specific points (depending on what coordinates are)

Maybe a robot that will track a line on where I've gone (like a real GPS!)

Well, it's snowing over here right now, and it's about 20 degrees Fahrenheit (about -5 degrees Celsius), and I wanna make a SLEDDING ROBOT! Maybe just a simple tracked robot that crawls in the snow!

The podcast is coming off at a slow start. I can't start recording till about December 4th. So, I'm just perfecting the script right now (since all of the news that I HAD written is now old news). I made that promise that I will post it BEFORE Christmas, and I will try my hardest to make it that way!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

jojoguy10

Lego-X got a new look!

2010-11-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!

You may have noticed by now, but Lego-X has a new look and feel to it! Do you like it? I got it from a guy who makes WordPress themes, and his LEGO site is The Lego Directory! Check it out!

Also, I have been getting ready for the next Lego-X Podcast! Here are some hint about what's going to be in it:

Christmas

Famous People

Fast Building

That's all I'm gonna give you! I will try to get it up BEFORE Christmas comes around! Play well!

jojoguy10

Podcast 5 update!

2010-11-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I'm sorry I haven't been blogging a lot lately :( . But, I've been working on the latest LEGO-X podcast! So far, I have an interview planned, some basic news for other websites/blogs, a special LEGO-X feature, and more! Stay tuned!

jojoguy10

New poll about next video podcast!

2010-10-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I have a question for all of those of you who listen to my podcasts': How do you listen to them? How WOULD you watch my newest one? Go to the right sidebar, and answer! This will make it easier for me to convert videos and sounds, etc.

jojoguy10

Got back from vacation and got some new LEGO parts while I was gone!

2010-10-08T01:54:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody! I just got from a fun vacation! And while I was there, I got some cool LEGO stuff done and received LEGO parts while I was gone! Here's a list of what I got done:

Started making a Bluetooth guide (made some good headway!)

Tried at least 3 different stair climber ideas (1 of them almost made it, except for the wiring problem [LEGO needs wireless motors])

Destroyed my Scopio XV-1! here's the video:

Now here's the list of parts I got while I was gone (plus, a pic [not mine, from the seller]):

[caption id="attachment_531" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="LOTS of LEGO parts!"][/caption]

NXT Stuff

1 NXT brick

3 NXT motors

1 of each NXT 1.0 default sensor

1 MS Accelerometer (old)

1 MS IR sensor (old)

RCX Stuff

4 RCX Touch Sensors

1 RCX Light Sensor

2 RCX Motors (black and grey)

LOTS of wire (most of it split and to to mix and match wires [I assume for different lengths])

Wheels (just the highlights)

3 RCX Motorcycle tire (4 tires, only 3 wheels :( )

4 NXT 1.0 wheels (only 3 tires and 3 wheels :( )

And other coold wheels

Gears (just the highlights)

2 differentials (the 16t and 24t kind)

1 large turntable and 2 small turntables (the newer ones)

Other cool gears

Pneumatics

1 large pump (no spring)

3 cylinders (round type)

4 new switches

LOTS of T's and tubing!!!

about 9 grey shock absorbers

Other random LEGO pieces

I gave those to my bro :D

This is gonna be fun! I think I got a good deal on this!

I know everyone is waiting for the next LEGO-X podcast. And I know that you want it to be a video podcast. I will tell you right now....it WILL be a video podcast! I'm trying to see if I can get some green fabric ( ;) ), and a decent software for video editing. Video podcasts are a LOT harder than audio, so it will take a bit longer than useual. Stay tuned!

jojoguy10

BrickCON 2010 update!

2010-10-02T23:27:00.000-07:00

Just got back from my trip to BrickCON 2010 up in Seattle, Washington! It was amazing! I saw lots of ridiculously-awesome creations (both Mindstorms and regular LEGO). Here are some pics:

[caption id="attachment_507" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Big Technic seaplane!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_520" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Part of the 4-NXT Ball "Factory""][/caption]

I have LOTS more at my Picasa album. Check them out:

Link [http://picasaweb.google.com/Jojoguy10/BrickCON201002#]

jojoguy10

P.S. Username obiwanjr also made a public Flickr album of BrickCON which you can see here:

Link [http://www.flickr.com/groups/nwbrickcon/pool/with/5046497382/]

Heading to BrickCON 2010!!!

2010-10-01T23:32:00.000-07:00

WOO HOO! I'm really exited today! I will be at the BrickCON LEGO convention in Seattle, WA! Are you coming? Join the fun! Only $7 a ticket!

jojoguy10

NXTasy Forums is dead, but his son is taking over!

2010-09-28T23:00:00.000-07:00

Introducing...MINDBOARDS! Former NXTasy contributers came up after lot's of Emails to the owner of NXTasy forums, and when there was no answer they started MindBOARDS! Go check it out!

Link: http://www.mindboards.net/

jojoguy10

I have made a small change...

2010-09-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I made a small change to LEGO-X that will reduce spammers in the comments. So, I have made it where you have to create an account for my blog, then you can post a comment. You can find the log-in button below the chatbox, and you can register there too. I hope this helps LEGO-X, but if there's something you want changed, comment, or put it in the chatbox to the right.

jojoguy10, out!

Update! Datalogging experiment with the Dexter Industries GPS sensor!

2010-09-20T23:07:00.000-07:00

YAY! I have more pic's and more info! Check them out!

[caption id="attachment_485" align="aligncenter" width="471" caption=""Google Earth" style map. (Click to enlarge)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_484" align="aligncenter" width="484" caption=""Excel" style map. (Click to enlarge)"][/caption]

You can see they look almost IDENTICAL! Thanks to Dexter Industries' founder, John Cole, I know how to do this! You can too! John is working on a special guide on how to import his GPS's data into Google Earth!

jojoguy10

P.S. You can download the Google Earth path RIGHT HERE! (I left out where I live for security reasons ;) ): GPS map

(To use it, just open it, go to "File>Save As..." and save it as "GPS map.kml" Then open it, and Google Earth should automatically open. When it does, you should see a little spec of red over near the west coast of the US, that's the path. If you have any questions, comment about it, I will get back to you ASAP)

Another datalogging experiment - GPS

2010-09-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well...I made a new datalog experiment using the beta version of the Dexter Industries GPS sensor! I logged the latitude, longitude, velocity, and heading, all with just one sensor! It was about a 25-min. drive. And, the sensor tracked us all the way from point A, to point B. Here are some graphs for you to see:

It may be kind of hard to see, but by looking at these, we can see a few things. First, we can see that I was traveling mostly North and East. Second, we can see how many left and right turns I made. We can see where I stopped and was going.

Thanks for looking at my website!

jojoguy10

Farming equipment gone LEGO!

2010-09-19T05:27:00.000-07:00

LEGO-X has got a special post for a kid that's gone all around Oregon to show off his farm equipment. He's 17, and he has about 3 RCX 1.0 bricks, 1 buggy motor, about 3 buggy motor battery boxes, about 10 pneumatic cylinders, and more! I went to my town's library, and this guy was showing them on tables. He let me touch them too :-). It felt like a privilege to play with creations such as his. Check them out, and you'll know what I mean...

[caption id="attachment_436" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tractor"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_435" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Harvester"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_434" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Potato Harvester (harvester part)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_433" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mint Farmer (Picking trailer)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_432" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Potato Harvester (Harvester part)"][/caption]

Check out more at my Picasa Web Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/Jojoguy10/LEGOFarmEquipment?feat=directlink

jojoguy10

New rumors for the 1H2011 Technic sets!

2010-09-15T22:45:00.000-07:00

Woo Hoo!!! I think it's time for some new LEGO sets, don't you? While the 8043 Excavator was "The Big One!", these other sets may "trump" that. Check 'em out:

January:
#8065 - Mini Dump Truck
#8066 - SUV
#8067 - Mobile Mini Crane - Edit: Thanks Bazmarc!
#8068 - Rescue Helicopter
#8069 - Backhoe

March:
#8070 - Super Car

YAY! I can't wait! What set are you looking most forward to? For me, it's the 8069 Backhoe! But, I think the 8070 Super Car may be 1H2011's "Big One!".

jojoguy10

New HiTechnic Sensor is out!

2010-09-12T22:30:00.000-07:00

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="208" caption="HiTechnic Magnetic Sensor"][/caption]

*We Will Rock You*

Woooo! Ya! HiTechnic has done it again! Caught us by surprise with a new sensor! But, this sensor is no ordinary sensor. This...is the HITECHNIC MAGNETIC SENSOR!!!!! You can buy it (Currently OoS) at http://www.hitechnic.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=NMS1035

jojoguy10

Service pack for the 8043 Excavator!

2010-09-08T00:58:00.000-07:00

YAY! For those of you who bought the 8043 Excavator before they took it off S@H, they now have a number you can call to get a service pack for that set! WOO HOO! The number is: 1-800-838-9647. Call now!

jojoguy10

Excavator is BACK!! And, crane truck?

2010-08-31T22:52:00.000-07:00

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="178" caption="Crane truck is back?"][/caption]

Wow! This has been a weird year for LEGO. First, the Crane Truck went "Out of stock", then the Excavator went "missing", then it came back...and now, the crane truck is back too!?! WOW! Well...you can see the product pages by clicking on their pictures. What do you think of all this? Maybe they'll bring back the 888O Super Car!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="178" caption="Excavator is back too!"][/caption]

Special "Datalogging" a rolling tube

2010-08-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hell0 everyone,

I'm here with a special presentation of my own! I have created a datalog situation, where I roll in a pipe (or tube/barrel), and the NXT (with a HiTechnic Accelerometer sensor on it) records the 3 different axis.

[caption id="attachment_384" align="alignleft" width="754" caption="(click to enlarge)"][/caption]

There is lots of info we can pick up from this graph. First, we can see that, the X and Z axis are going crazy, but the Y axis is staying, relatively, in the same spot. Why? Because I positioned my NXT upwards (meaning, I had the accelerometer sensor facing forward, so the Y axis was pointing left/right [ends of the barrel]), so the Y axis didn't show much data, because it wasn't used very much in this test. But, if I had positioned my NXT, so that the Accelerometer sensor was pointing left/right (ends of barrel), the Y axis would show more change. We can also pick up from this "Rolling......" segment if the fact that each spike, is 1 revolution for the barrel. So, if you count the X spikes, you will see that there are 14 spikes. So, 14 spikes = 14 revolutions, which you will see in the video.

The second thing we can pick up from this graph, we can see the highest (or, in the X axis state, lowest) point in the axis lines: Z: 459 (~2.25 G's), X: -444 (~-2.25 G's), Y: 332 (~1.5 G's).

Third thing, right after the "Rolling......" part of the graph, you see a bunch of jumps and spikes in the Z axis. That's because, if you see the video, you will see that I ran down a hill, and into some rocks, so those spikes, are the bumpy rocks and the hill.

Last thing you can pick up from this graph, you can see different jumps in the graph, and therefore, know what's happening. For instance: the constant up and down movements made by the X and Z axis in the middle of the graph, are made from me rolling. And, near the end, where the Z and X axis curve a bit, and the Y axis jumps, that's where, at the end of the "ride", it went slowly from upside-down to rightside-up.

I have also calculated the speed at which the barrel was going: ~10ft/s. The barrel is 9ft in circumference, and the time it took to go 1 revolution was 0.9, so, it was going about (~) 10ft/s.

Here is a little 30 second video that shows how I made the data (I started the program around 0:12):

Thanks for reading!

jojoguy10

Poll What should the next podcast have in it?

2010-08-26T02:06:00.000-07:00

I think it's time for a new podcast. What do you think? VOte to the right on what you think it should be like, and what I should talk about.

jojoguy10

Update! Excavator coming back from vacation

2010-08-25T02:21:00.000-07:00

*This is an update to the previous post about the 8043 Excavator*

We now know the piece that was faulty: the boom Linear Actuator. Apparently, there was too much strain on it, so that's why it didn't function properly.

"Our Quality team have investigated and it appears that the digging arm itself (specifically the ‘linear actuator’), which works perfectly well in our other sets, is not strong enough to lift the arm of our Motorized Excavator 8043. The piece itself is not faulty or unsafe, but gets too strained in combination with all the gear-wheels used in this particular set."

-LEGO

For the people that have already bought this set, you have two options:

"you have the option of returning the set for a full refund or credit with Shop @ Home. If you’d like to do that, please get in touch with us and let us know."

"However, we also realize that this is a unique set and so you might not want to return it, you just want it to work properly. Because of this, we have created a second option: We are having a new replacement part made which we will send to you as soon as it’s ready. We’ve only just started the design and production of this new piece, so it may not be available until early October. "

"In the meantime, if you choose not to return your set but to wait for the replacement piece, we'd like to offer you a GBP 10.00 credit with our apologies and we will send the new part as soon as possible."

-LEGO

This has been an update for the missing Excavator. This is jojoguy10, signing off.

[via Brickset]

Techn'xt

Controlling PF.....via bluetooth!

LEGO Falkirk Wheel!

9397 Logging Truck now available at LEGO Shop@Home!

PriNXT by Leon Overweel!

Dexter Industries' new sensor!

9397 Logging Truck video!

New video explaining another persons view on the new 2H2012 Technic line

New video of the Toy Fair in Nuremburg!

New LEGO piece coming soon!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TECHN'XT!!

Updates on the upcoming 9398 Off-Roader!!!

SNOW! And other updates.

Year-end report

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Recording: check!

Podcast script: Check!

Farm Equipment builder makes it on YouTube!

First draft: FINISHED!

I'm still here...

COCO_MILK! (Pt. 2)

Touch Panel for NXT from Mindsensors!

New 1H2012 Technic Sets coming soon!

New MOC! COCO_MILK 2.0! (Pt. 1)

Rebrickable!

Coming soon...New MOC!

Sorry for the wait :-(

Podcast #7 update

New Hitechnic sensor!

LEGO Computer Case!

WALL-E 5!

LEGO Cuusoo: the next big thing?

More robotic food :-)

Mmmmmm...Pancakes :-D

New name. New look. New feel. New blog!

The NXT Step's new look!

New poll!

8043 Custom Set is finished!

8110 Unimog parts list!

New Custom Set coming soon!

Mindstorms Testing in North Carolina!

Mindstorms StackExchange! Please commit!

New set! 8110 Unimog U400!!!!

"

"

Congrats Google Science Fair Finalists!

Google Science Fair semi-finalist needs your help!

Wall-E5 Teaser!

I'm still here!

A special MOC...

New record for tallest LEGO tower!

New Mindstorms NXT Promo!

Google Buys LEGO

Want something that you wish LEGO would do?

Got any ideas for the next LEGO-X podcast?

There's a place to share them!

LEGO Motion Simulator

Mindsensors "mystery" sensor named!

Technic Challenge-March 2011

Mindstorms NXT Official survey!

New RS-485 NXT-G blocks!

How do the Linear Actuators work (both new and old)?

I'm SOOO sorry LEGO-X!

Most visit's in one day: 108Total visits: 7,392

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEGO-X!

New chatbox!

Motor Speed vs. Motor Power

X-View #2: MSRS

What is MSRS???

Is it like NXT-G in many ways?

Is there anything that is difficult to learn in MSRS?

What are some cool features in MSRS that NXT-G doesn't have?

Can we see some pictures?

Where can we get MSRS?

Introducing: BRICKBOTS!

More new sensors!

The nightmare begins

New NXT-G Blocks!

First LEGO-X Review: 7158

X-views!

Most visit's in one day: 108
Total visits: 7,392

Update! Datalogging experiment with the Dexter Industries GPS sensor!

Special "Datalogging" a rolling tube

Poll What should the next podcast have in it?

Update! Excavator coming back from vacation