Sunday, February 26, 2012

The results are in!!!

The results for the poll I made for my new blog name are in! Here are the results:
  • NXTGeek - 66%
  • NXTExtreme - 16%
  • NXT Level Robotics - 16% 
Well it looks like we have a new name NXTGeek I will change the name and the URL right away.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

M.V.F.B. Video

Here is a video I made of  "My Very First Biped" that won the "snapbot" challenge on NXTLog. 

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Programming difficulties :-(

Ever since I got my parts I have been programming like crazy, but today after finishing about 40% of my program I tried it out and it wouldn't work right. Now I am going to have to go back over to see what the problem is, I think it has something to do with one of my gears slipping and not turning the right amount of degrees. Like I said before I should hopefully have it done sometime near the beginning of March.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The parts are here!!!

I have been waiting for a little more than a week now for my parts and they have finally arrived! While I was waiting I was working on a couple of glitches and improvements, Let the programming commence. I should have my MOC finished sometime in the beggining of March. Let the programming commence!

      The parts I ordered.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Poll!!!

I just added a new poll to my blog on what name you think I should change my blog too. Sorry it took so long but I have been busy, but here it is. I will announce the poll results in a week and then I will change the name.

Vote now!!!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Multi-Cuber

Here is another creation I found on YT that Mike Dobson David Gilday made it is a multi-cuber and that is what it does, it can solve a 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, and a 5x5 all in an impressive 14 min. 7.9 sec. The program was written in C++ for both the robot and the computer.

  Mike Dobson and David Gilday where the inventors of cubestormer.



Monday, February 13, 2012

MOC update and more...

Here is the latest update on my MOC: On Saturday I made building instructions (which I knew everyone would want) and now I am just waiting for the parts to come in the mail, hopefully they come sometime this week.

 I found this photo of Daniele Benedettelli's "Cyclops" that he displayed at the World Robot Olympiad. It supposedly has voice and face recognition and interacts with humans. Hopefully he will post some more about it soon!!!  

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Name idea!

Hey everyone! I just thought of a name that I could put on the poll "Xtreme NXT" how do you like it? I also had a perfect name for my blog name but was taken by somebody :-(  it was "NXT Level" I anyone can think of a blog name just comment or write to me: mindstormmaniac1.0@gmail.com.

MOC update!

Here is the latest news on my MOC: My MOC will take a little longer to finish then I thought it would, just yesterday I noticed the "Flexible technic axle joiners" were breaking and they play an important role in my MOC. So I called up LEGO, and they told me they would send me some more since mine broke. So in 7-10 days, when my parts arrive, I should be able to finish programming my MOC. Right now I think I will start to make building instructions while I am waiting.


Also if anyone has any names for my blog either comment or write, After I get five different names I will put up a poll.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Crazy Contraption Building Challenge!!!!

Yay!!!  NXTLog just came out with an all new challenge here are the details:
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Many robots are designed to do simple tasks in an efficient way to make our lives easier. But what if robotic machines did simple tasks in an over-complicated way? That’s what we’re asking you to explore in this NXT building challenge. We want you to design a LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Crazy Contraption to perform a simple job like turning a page or clicking a LEGO brick, but in the most creatively complicated way you can imagine. Yes we’re inspired by the work of Rube Goldberg for this one! There's no limit on amount of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT sensors, motors, NXT programmable bricks, HiTechnic sensors, or Bluetooth communication you can use on your Crazy Contraption robot. All entries must be tagged "crazycontraption." Entries must be submitted by March 31, 2012. What will you make?

JUDGING
Robots will be judged in five categories: FAN FAVORITE AWARD: This award is based on the ratings from the NXTLOG Community. The highest rated robot(s) in the challenge will be eligible for this award. Please vote only for your favorite and be a fair voter as well. JUDGES AWARD: This award will go to a creative project the judges feel deserve special merit. BEST TECHNICAL PRESENTATION: We will be looking for NXTLOGs that best document how the Crazy Contraption robot was designed, programmed, and functions in a clear, concise, and creative way. How well can you show and explain your robot's over-complicated technical capabilities? MOST CREATIVE PRESENTATION: How are you using NXTLOG creatively to document your project? ARTFUL DESIGN: Is your Crazy Contraption amazing to watch? There are many NXTLOGgers that take great pride in designing their robots with care, and we want to encourage and recognize this kind of great work!

RULES
All entries to NXTLOG fall under the Terms of Service: http://mindstorms.lego.com/nxtlog/Terms.aspx. Entries must be submitted by March 31, 2012. All entries must be tagged "crazycontraption.” Only LEGO elements may be used. There's no limit on amount of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT sensors, LEGO MINDSTORMS RCX sensors, motors, NXT programmable bricks, HiTechnic sensors, Codatex RFID sensors, or Bluetooth communication you can use. A programmable LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT brick must control the robot's actions. You may enter more than one robot. You may enter a robot that was previously submitted to NXTLOG (just remember to add the tag, crazycontraption). All documentation must be posted on NXTLOG. You must include the following in your NXTLOG Building Challenge entry: • Description - Careful, well-written explanation of how the robot was designed. • Pictures of the robot - Clear, well lit pictures - (no blurry ones!) • .rbt Program(s) - Annotations within the programs are a plus! • (Optional) LEGO Digital Designer File (LDD) - you cannot submit an LDD file only. Your LDD file must document some or all of your robotic entry. • (Optional) Video - Videos cannot be larger than 4MB and they cannot exceed 2 minutes in length. The allowable video formats are: .mov, .avi, .mpg, .wmv Please only upload only one video per project. Videos cannot contain music. You CAN include the noises that your robot makes. Videos cannot contain people in them Videos cannot contain speech. The contest will be judged by the NXTLOG moderating team. Good luck and play well!

INSPIRATION
Rube Goldberg Turns on His Fan - by: snabeli - How to knock down a domino track - by: thecove - The Great Big Useless Contraption - by: sqiddster -


           Courtesy of NXTLog.





I will probably enter after I finish programming my MOC.




Wednesday, February 8, 2012

MOC update!

 Awhile ago I showed you a blurry picture of the MOC I am working on. Well I decided to give you a update: I started to program it last week but noticed a few glitches in the building so I fixed them and started to program again. Then just today I noticed another glitch that was messing up the way the robot performed its task, so I decided to make a vesion 2.0 I am almost done with it and should have it finished before the night is over, tommoroww I will work on the program. I will try to finish it within the next two weeks, but I might take a little longer.

           
Oh and you might be wondering why I haven't changed the name yet, I haven't changed it because first of all the domain is already taken and second because their is another blog called TechN'XT that sounds a little to close to that name (One of my readers informed me about that). So after I finish this MOC I will put up another poll.    

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Technical difficulties

 My poll results are in, but I am having a few technical difficulties that I am trying to fix.

 Here are the poll results:
  • NXT Tech - 60%
  • NXT Geek - 20%
  • Other - 20%
   The other two names got a 0% vote.

Well it looks like we have a new name "NXT Tech" I will be making the changes just as soon as I solve these technical difficulties.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Re-designing

You may have noticed a few thing different about my blog, that is because I am re-designing my blog, I should be finished in a few days.