Recommended books about robot

I've had NXT for about 10 months and have three other books. I wish I had know about this first. My strong point is programming, my weak point is gearing and this is the only book that really shows how to build gear trains. I love rover bots and have designed many but he has several fresh takes on the genre. His ball caster is much more elegant than mine and his bumper is quite sturdy. (My method of picking a random angle for a turn is better than his though: random block set for 0 to 6 wired to a switch block with 7 conditions, the equivalent of 45,90,135 degrees left and right and 180. save the whole thing as a myblock to use with all your rovers.)
I highly recommend this book if you are starting out or if you want to get some new ideas for rovers.

These are my first impressions on David Purdue's book, I will follow up later when I finish reading it. So far what I can say is that it differs from other No Starch Press books in many ways. For starters, the quality of the images (in grayscale) is very much improved. I found no difficulty following the building instructions which David managed to keep simple and well commented. I would not say it is as if they were in color, but it is close enough. In other No Starch books I really did have problems in that area, and had it not been for the help and support of the authors themselves and the community, I could not have finished some projects.

Secondly this is a highly educative book. It starts from the very basics and goes to some very advanced topics. My son and I regard ourselves as experienced Lego builders, having built dozens of robots. Well, what a surprise we were in for. In the first few pages when David starts to "dissect" and classify every single part of the Mindstorms kit, we were already learning some details it would have been impossible to find out otherwise. This book has a meticulous attention to detail for which the author must be commended. It merits careful reading because you find bits of useful info in every page.

I am eager to reach the programming section in which I hope to improve my NXT-G skills considerably.

As to the robots themselves, they are in line with the purpose of the book, which is educational. You learn something by building them.

I truly recommend this book and especially as a first book if you plan to build Lego Mindstorms robots for quite some time.

If you are new to Lego Mindstorms then you are also probably new to Lego Technics. This book not only covers how to program robots but also how to build them with Lego Technics parts and makes use of many well laid out and easy to follow diagrams. This book should be included with every lego Mindstorms set.

I'm a coach of a FIRST LEGO League team and I bought this book to help my son "get to the next level." I am making this book mandatory for every team member next season! It is informative, yet easy to read. It covers all the bases from good robot design to programming explanations. I can't recommend it enough!

This "Unofficial" book is very good. David does a great job of showing exactly how to build each project with informative snapshots from the program Lego Digital Designer. The programming was missing a little of information on what to fill in the for each module, but his comments provided enough information to fill in the modules. I did have a question for David and he responded with the answer I was looking for.

If you're serious about having fun with LEGO robotics, you've come to the right place. The team behind The NXT STEP blog - the authoritative online source for MINDSTORMS NXT information and advice - has packaged its considerable skills and experience in this book. Inside, you'll find some of the team's best ideas for creating cool and sophisticated models, including instructions for eight robots you can build yourself.

Follow along with the MINDSTORMS NXT experts as they explain the fundamentals of programming and design, accompanied by CAD-style drawings and an abundance of screenshots that make it easy for you to master the MINDSTORMS NXT system. You'll get an overview of the NXT parts (beams, sensors, axles, gears, and so on) and clear instructions for combining them to build and program working robots.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book delves into the complexities of the NXT programming language (NXT-G) and offers tips for designing and programming robots, using Bluetooth, creating an NXT remote control, troubleshooting, and much more.

Here are just a few of the robots you'll learn to build in The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book:

RaSPy, a robot that plays Rock, Scissors, Paper

3D PhotoBot, a robot that will help you take photographs that can be converted into 3D images

Slot Machine, complete with flashing lights and a lever

ScanBot, a robot that scans black-and-white pictures and displays the images on the NXT's LCD

Beach Buggy Chair, a roving, rambling robot

CraneBot, a crane-like grabbing robot

LEGO fans of all ages will find this book to be an ideal jumping off point for doing more with MINDSTORMS NXT. The only ingredient you need to add is your imagination!

You would need this book if you own the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Kit. Can't get it work without it!

The problem with this book is it has black and white photos of black and white pieces. They don't give a close up of what your adding to your structure. Writing is too small to look at without a magnify glass.
Programming was screwed up in some places.

Lots Of good information on NXT G-code,Bluetooth programming for the NXT, and an informative guide to designing your NXT bots.I thought this book was well worth the money. The "LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT-G Programming Guide (Technology in Action) is a very good intro to this book.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book: Design, Invent, and Build

I read this book and I really enjoyed it. This was the first Mindstorms book that I read and it was really easy to understand and got me off to a quick start. The only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars was that the graphics and text are printed on an off white background and it made it a little harder to read and the graphics themselves are all black and white and some of them were a little hard to figure out the robot designs because of it. But dont let this keep you from getting this great robotics book. [...]

'The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Idea Book: Design, Invent, and Build' is an absolutely wonderful book with one MAJOR flaw in that the entire book is in black and white. Packed with 16 chapters written wonderfully with exciting examples and content, this would have been a easy 5 star recommendation but I simply cannot do that. Legos are bold, bright, and full of color, the decision to publish this in black and white was a terrible one. I understand this decision was made to no doubt save costs, but it shouldn't have been published (no matter how good the content is) in this form. Some books would benefit from color, some books require it and this is one of those cases. If you enjoy Legos and want to learn how to use Mindstorms NXT and all the fun, amazing things you can do with them this book will show you how, but I would wait for version 2.0 of this book with color. Not only is the black and white unfavorable, it's downright hard to follow.

Great content, great layout, thumbs WAY down for no color

**** RECOMMENDED

Learning robotics by yourself isnt easy, but it helps when the encouragement comes from an expert whos spent years in the field. Not only does Author David Cook assist you in understanding the component parts of robot development, but he also presents valuable techniques that prepare you to achieve new discoveries on your own.

Cook begins with the anatomy of a homemade robot and gives you the best advice on how to proceed successfully. General sources for tools and parts are provided in a consolidated list, and specific parts are recommended throughout the book. Also, basic safety precautions and essential measuring and numbering systems are promoted throughout.

Specific tools and parts covered include digital multimeters, motors, wheels, resistors, LEDs, photoresistors, transistors, chips, gears, nut drivers, batteries, and more. Robot Building for Beginners is an inspiring book that provides an essential base of practical knowledge for anyone getting started in amateur robotics.

I had a lot of fun and learned a lot following this book and the quest of getting parts and building a robot.

This book covers the fundamental in robotics. I highly recommends this book to anyone trying to learn robotics at an amateur level.

I went to school for Electrical Engineer. Unfortunately, most of the education is theoretical and made for cubical dwellers. This book is a perfect companion for those wanting to get their hands dirty; which comes in handy if one's technician assistant takes the day off. I also found this to be a great book to share with my 10 year old. I would not expect kids to enjoy reading it; however, it helped explain the details in ways he would understand as we built the robot.

this book will seriously tell you how to build a robot they should submit this to building robots and replace the other one because it is really easy to understand what he is saying in this book. he even goes into depth on like the most obvious details. i am a slow reader have a small vocabulary and this book was just great.
although sometimes i did have to reread.

This is an excellent book for a beginner. I'm a software engineer, didn't have any knowledge about robotics prior to this book, and yesterday I finished building my first robot - Kobi (Jacob, which is a rather biblical name but in hebrew also literally means 'will follow'... as it follows lines of course). Took me about 1-1.5 months to read, gather parts and build.

I live in Israel and didn't want to order all the parts from the web (wanted to get it fast), so I bought what I found in the stores, improvised a little bit (just a bit) and built Kobi.

The book takes you through the electronics, including all the parts and tools to use, and the body building (quite a simple body - adjusting a container). Well written, amusing, very readable, lots of pictures to show the reader how things are supposed to be.

This is my first robotics book. I chose it after reading the excellent reviews on it in Amazon, now I'm adding mine. This book greatly enhanced my knowledge (and practice) in robotics, and I already ordered some more robotics books to learn more.

Whether you're just beginning with your LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set or are already an expert, you'll have hours of fun with these animal-like models that walk, crawl, hop, and roll!

The first part of the book introduces you to the NXT kit and reviews the parts you'll need in order to begin building. Next, you'll learn how to program with the NXT-G programming language, including how to make miniprograms called My Blocks that you can use to build larger programs. Finally, you'll learn how to build each robot and program it to act like its real animal cousins.

Learn to build and program the following robots:

• Ribbit, a jumping frog
• Bunny, a hopping rabbit
• Sandy, a walking camel
• Spiderbot, an eight-legged spider that avoids objects and walks forward and backward
• Snout, a walking alligator that opens and closes its jaws
• LEGOsaurus, a four-legged, plodding dinosaur
• Pygmy, a walking elephant that raises and lowers its head
• Polecat, a skunk on wheels that lifts its tail and shoots "darts"
• Strutter, a peacock on wheels that turns and flutters its tail feathers

Troubleshooting tips help you avoid problems like misarranged gears and incorrect programming, while a list of Internet resources is included to help guide you in further exploration with the NXT. Teachers and home educators will appreciate an appendix with helpful suggestions for using the models in the classroom.

The models in this book have been tested repeatedly - and built successfully - by novice builders, so all you have to do is follow the directions and watch them go. Now, let the building begin!

I think it's great with lots of neat animals but my 12 year old has yet to touch it.

I'm really impressed with this book. The models are solid and easy to construct. The programming is also easy to understand. My daughter and I really enjoyed this book. She gives it a big thumbs up, which is five stars in my book.

My son has been doing Lego robotics through a school program all year, and he finally saved enough money to buy his own Lego NXT Mindstorms kit. In the past week, he has spent hours tweaking ideas he learned in the program as well as the ones included in the instructions that came with the kit. I thought this book would be a natural fit, since it is one of the few that are made more for children than adults.

He was very excited to get it, too, and immediately started constucting the spider bot... and then he realized he didn't have half the needed parts. So he tried to make the frog bot...and again, same thing. He was very frustrated by this point and asked that we return the book.

I told him I would try to find the parts he was missing online, and, thanks to the companion Web site, starting making a list of what he would need... which ended up being over 200 pieces of dozens of different types!

My son would've rated this book a 1, but I'll give it a couple of extra stars for content, the Web site and the fact it is written for children. But after shelling out $250 for the kit and another $20 for the book, be warned: The spending won't stop there. (Not to mention the hours you'll spend tracking everything down.)

Animals have taken over my house. Every time I turn around something is hopping, walking or skittering across the floor. I blame No Starch Press and the LEGO company; a NXT MindStorms kit and a copy of "The LEGO NXT Mindstorms Zoo" ("Zoo") by Fay Rhodes has my 15 year old daughter (with previously no real interest in robots or programming) building all sorts of infernal machines.

The release of the MindStorms NXT has brought forward a plethora of new possibilities and books to inform us of them. No Starch has published several. "Zoo", subtitled "A Kid-Friendly Guide to Building Animals with the NXT Robotics System" seems well pitched at the beginner; all the models are easily built and programming the models for the basic behaviours in the book is easy and well explained.

At first impression a retail NXT buyer may suffer some disappointment, the book is designed for those who have the Educational version of the NXT with a the extra Educational Resource Kit so you will be missing some pieces required for the models. Most NXT owners, though, will have some LEGO already and may have the pieces. Rhodes does go to the trouble of telling you which pieces and where to get them. Just keep this in mind if you are intending to give the book as a gift, you may wish to track down and purchase the extra pieces and include them to avoid disappointment.

The building instructions are a good size, more easily read and understood than those from LEGO themselves which I find a little too small. I also appreciated the parts guide at the start of each model; when you might have to go hunting through other sets for a piece or an alternate the guide meant you could get this over and done with at the beginning rather than just as you are about to complete the model.

The first few models are easily built and programmed, getting progressively harder as you go through the book. None are beyond the capabilities of an even moderately experienced LEGO builder. Rhodes also includes a few sidebars showing alternative parts that can be used for some of the harder to source pieces, a nice touch and one that encouraged my daughter to work around a couple of unavailable parts when building Strutter.

All the model programming uses LEGO's visual programming environment rather than any of the third party languages and tools. A good choice given the book's likely readers. The model programming is a little harder to do from the instructions, though this is more due to the black and white printing and a click together programming environment than any fault by author or publisher. While I had a little difficulty my daughter's eyes were able to cope and so I don't see this as a significant flaw in the book. Rhodes encourages the reader/builder to use the programming environment's ability to chunk code as a block and to develop using a bottom up approach.

For the target market the book is almost perfect, with a good tenor and an excellent choice of models to build. It would be an ideal book to buy for someone who has just gone through building the models included by LEGO in the kit. While the book is aimed at the younger end of LEGO's suggested age range for Mindstorms don't let that put you off purchasing a copy - it's the perfect second book for almost any NXT builder and the "Kid-" could be easily dropped from the subtitle.

Hi everyone,

I received this book last week Monday. When I bought this book, I was very sceptical about this book because a peacock on wheels on the cover was a little strange. But I also build a Giraffe with a fifth middle leg based on the book from Benjamin Erwin "Creative Projects with Lego Mindstorms (RIS kit)" which seems also unusual at that time. Also the book of Benjamin Erwin is also an excellent book. So this is of no surprise that I bought this book also.

My skepticism melted as snow for the sun when I saw the creatures and the building instructions inside the book. This book is clearly written with its audience in mind, ie Children. The building instructions are very clear and detailled. The explanations are also easy to follow.

What could be improved, is the explanation of the NXT-G programming language. In my opinion they go not deep enough. An in depth coverage of the NXT motors, touch, ultrasonic, light sensors is missing. Expecially the "Why" and "What for" questions are not answered. But that is already written in Jim Kelly's book "Lego Mindstorms NXT-G Programming Guide". Both books are complementary to each other. So if you buy the NXT Zoo, I think it is a good idea to by the NXT-G programming language also.

I build "Spiderbot" without any problem (I am an adult, I love robotics and bought my first RIS set in august 2005). I found it easy to build, despite the fact those images are not in color. Using color should have added an extra "touch" to this fine book but it would make it also much more expensive. Nevertheless all those images give a very clear and detailled view how to construct the animals.

Also the detailled inventory at the beginning of each design and the part substitution prevent of becoming frustrating when you need a piece of which you just ran out or do no have. You can clearly see what pieces you need and how much before you start building. When you have already bought other Lego Technic sets, you probably will have all the pieces you need. Only the canon seems to be a big problem because this piece seems very hard to find (I am living in Belgium and probably therefore I cannot find a place where I can buy the particular set). But when you live in the USA, there should be no problem at all. Also there are other types of Lego cannons (in the Excoforce sets) which can be substitution for this canon but I did not try it yet.

What I really regret about this book is that it is written in English only. So when your native language is English, your child can start building without problems. But when you like me living in a world with a different language (mine is Dutch), it makes it almost impossible for your child to follow the instructions on its own. I decided to translate the book into my Dutch language for my nephew and when it is allowed by the publisher of this book, I am more than willing to share the Dutch translation with others inside the Lego community. But I think because of copyright matters that this is not allowed. Nevertheless I can understand the reason why it is impossible to produce such books for other languages; English is a main language used in almost every part of the world. When this book should be written in Dutch for example, theya are only selling less than thousand copies because our language and many others are rarely used and only in very small parts of the world.

As my final conclusion. This book is a must have for children with in interest in animals and robotics. In a playfull way, they obtain technic insights and improve their skills. Also this book stimulates creativity because while building you get your own ideas on what could be added. On Spiderbot I would add a second "Ultrasonic" sensor pointed to the ground. So when Spiderbot is on a table, it should detect the end of the table and backup and start walking on another angle. Nevertheless when you add a second Ultrasonic sensor, you have to make sure you are using those Ultrasonic sensor in an intermitting frequency (the front off when your program is using the floor sensor and so fort) otherwise you do not get excact results. If an ultrasonic sensor is too difficult, you can use a light or Hi-Technic color sensor to scan the surface Spiderbot is walking. When the surface changes color, spiderbot backoff. For this kind of approach, your spiderbot can walk only on egally colored surfaces. And when you add a Compass sensor ... You see a lot of extra creativity can add a personal touch to these designs.

So lets start building and experimenting. This book is worth the price which is very reasonable in my opinion.

And about the author Fay Rhodes, very good work indeed! If we had an "intergalactic" Lego Hall of Fame you would have definatelly "First place". Hopefully we will see much more of your work in the future. Also a big "thank you" for your work inside the Lego Community.

Friendly greetings,

Bad_Wolf

Daniel H Wilson has a very unique style of writing. His first two books How To Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion and Where's My Jetpack?: A Guide to the Amazing Science Fiction Future that Never Arrived were absolutely brilliant, masterpieces in fact. How to Build a Robot Army although still good, when compared to those other two books doesn't come anywhere near to jumping over the extremely benchmark. The other books have a lot more humour and spend a little less time on the technical side and explain it in a lot more entertaining way than this. If you haven't read Wilson's previous two books I would suggest reading them first.

Richard Horne (the illustrator) has done another magnificent job with this volume though. I can't fault him at all.

How to Build a Robot Army is basically using your everyday robot companions to combat the Hollywood threat scenarios of aliens, vampires, Jaws and other unwanted visitors.

Although Wilson stumbled to maintain his high benchmark with his third effort, Wilson's fourth book Mad Scientist Hall of Fame: Muwahahahaha! will be worth checking out.

Daniel Wilson, robotics PhD, presents us with his third book regarding technology. He originally taught us how to survive when the robots eventually rise up against us in How To Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion. Now that we know how to defeat the robots, we can use them to defend us as we must be aware of other dangers such as zombies, ninjas, aliens, Godzilla, pirates, and great white sharks to name a few. Wilson's ideas are scientifically sound and completely viable as he uses his knowledgeable background in robotics for his writing. He mixes in humorous scenarios based on cliched Hollywood movies to give the reader a light spirited trip through a robotics debriefing lesson and where the world stands in robotic advancements. Not quite as funny as the first book but just as informative. The book itself is made of foil-edged glossy pages and filled with silhouetted artwork that stands out on its own. It's entertaining, educational, and amusing to read. Also check out Where's My Jetpack?: A Guide to the Amazing Science Fiction Future that Never Arrived to round out his writing collection.

Wilson reviews the latest robotics technology and creatively tackles how we might best use it to conquer some of our most-feared enemies: Zombies, aliens, etc. While the read is light and hilarious, the advice is good and the science is sound. A someone who doesn't read anything like Popular Mechanics, this was also a neat update on real military robotics progress. I never knew that I might need to trick out my roomba to kill alien home invaders, but now I know how!

heard this guy, Dr. Daniel Wilson on AfterDark. I had to listen to the full program. his tech knowledge is unbelievable and his mind is like an encyclopedia of cyber-geek-robot info. Can't wait to get the book....ordering another for my techno-son. can't believe I've never heard of him!

The reader of this book will be someone looking for more detailed information on the NXT-G programming language used to program the LEGO Mindstorms NXT robotics kit.

LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT-G Programming Guide is suitable for young programmers, age 10 and up, as well as parents and teachers who want to learn the new language for themselves or be able to assist students/children with learning to properly program their robots.

• Includes easy-to-follow examples for each and every programming block
• Provides programming techniques simple enough to be understood by young programmers, age 10 and up.
• Provides a test robot (with instructions) in the appendix for running the programs

What youll learn

• Understand the basics of computer programming.
• Easily program your robot with the NXT-G visual programming language.
• See how to implement basic, intermediate, and advanced programs.
• Learn how to program for
  • Moving
  • Waiting
  • Recording
  • Stopping
  • Displaying messages
  • Sending messages
  • Defining the duration of an activity
  • Creating random behavior
• Practice with a free sample program.

Who is this book for?

This book is for people new to programming (10 years old and up) or for experienced programmers new to the NXT-G programming language.

I was hoping to learn more about NXT-G. I didn't. There is nothing in this book that is not in the online help files that come with the software. There are a number of errors. The X/Y coordinate system on page 188 in wrong, half of the time in the discussion of the logic block he calls it the compare block. It expected much more from this book. In the discussion of the logic block he shows how to evaluate 2 things. That is very simple and covered in the on-line notes. He doesn't explain how to compare 3 things or 4 things. This is actually tricky to figure out. I did but an example in the book would have saved me a lot of time. As you know my now, telling the bot to turn 90 degrees will not turn the bot 90 degrees. He notes that--in the appendix--but doesn't tell you how to get accurate results. That would have been useful. It would have been useful if the author had shown how add to the number in a variable block. This is useful if you want your bot to keep a running tally of something, like keeping score. There are many more examples I could site but this will do. I did, however, discover some very useful tips in The Lego Mindsotrms NXT Idea Book. That book too has its flaws but is worth the money unlike this book.

This book covers a lot of ground on NXT-G programming and is a must have resource for anyone serious about programming in NXT-G as the on line help included with the NXT set is not adequate.
As a professional programmer and a robotics hobbyist, I would recommend that anyone wanting to bring out the full potential of their NXT creations move to a text based language like Robot-C instead. While NXT-G is good for simple programs, it is just to difficult to create anything of any complexity as the graphical elements and all those connecting lines distract you from what you are trying to accomplish.
I am giving this book 5 stars because it does well at what it is, a reference / guide to the NXT-G programming language. It is NXT-G itself that I would only give 2 stars.

We bought this book for our nine year old son who had recently received the Mindstorms NXT for Christmas. He could not put the book down - read it from cover to cover and thinks it is a great book. Highly recommend.

When it comes to wanting to do Lego Mindstorm NXT-G, this is the first book you should get. The book shows the reader what different blocks are and how they work. The book also reads in terms that middle school students can understand and follow. Programming is the most difficult item that you have to do with a roboit. This book shows is a great resource for people that are in to lego roboits.

There's no other book out there that covers the NXT-G programming language. Jim Kelly covers the subject thoroughly, in a clear, friendly and encouraging style.

The book not only covers NXT-G, it's also a primer on what programming is and how it works. With this book, teachers, students and beginners will have everything they need to understand how NXT-G works and how to use it. Advanced users will learn a thing or two as well, particularly with respect to some of the lesser known blocks within the NXT-G program.

The Ultimate Tool for MINDSTORMS�� Maniacs
The new MINDSTORMS kit has been updated to include a programming brick, USB cable, RJ11-like cables, motors, and sensors. This book updates the robotics information to be compatible with the new set and to show how sound, sight, touch, and distance issues are now dealt with.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT and its predecessor, the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System (RIS), have been called "the most creative play system ever developed." This book unleashes the full power and potential of the tools, sensors, and components that make up LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT. It also provides a unique insight on newer studless building techniques as well as interfacing with the traditional studded beams. Some of the world's leading LEGO MINDSTORMS inventors share their knowledge and development secrets. You will discover an incredible range of ideas to inspire your next invention. This is the ultimate insider's look at LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT system and is the perfect book whether you build world-class competitive robots or just like to mess around for the fun of it.

Featuring an introduction by astronaut Dan Barry and written by Dave Astolfo, Invited Member of the MINDSTORMS Developer Program and MINDSTORMS Community Partners (MCP) groups, and Mario and Guilio Ferrari, authors of the bestselling Building Robots with LEGO Mindstorms, this book covers:

Understanding LEGO Geometry
Playing with Gears
Controlling Motors
Reading Sensors
What's New with the NXT?
Building Strategies
Programming the NXT
Playing Sounds and Music
Becoming Mobile
Getting Pumped: Pneumatics
Finding and Grabbing Objects
Doing the Math
Knowing Where You Are
Classic Projects
Building Robots That Walk
Robotic Animals
Solving a Maze
Drawing and Writing
Racing Against Time
Hand-to-Hand Combat
Searching for Precision

*Complete coverage of the new Mindstorms NXT kit
*Brought to you by the DaVinci's of LEGO
*Updated edition of a bestseller

Great book with lots of ideas on NXT robot building. The author, Mario Ferrari, does an excellent job of describing each and bringing unique ideas to the table.

A good book with clear explanations and a non-intimidating style for beginners.

A more detailed look at the NXT-G programming language would have been helpful, as this is the program that comes with the NXT retail kit.

This book is just fantastic. Starts out with the basics for building strong stable robots, and moves on to more complex ideas. Great examples of robots throughout the book which will provide ideas for building your own masterpiece.
It doesn't have step by step instructions, and is more of an ideas book for NXT enthusiasts.
I'd recommend this for your home or Robotics club library.

It is a excellent book to construct a robot. The book provide more phyiscal knowledge. You can unstand the NXT well by this book. I recommand and like this book strongly!

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is an international program for kids ages 9 to 14 that combines a hands-on, interactive robotics program and research presentation with a sports-like atmosphere. Authors James Floyd Kelly and Jonathan Daudelin-both participants in numerous FIRST LEGO League competitions-have teamed up to bring coaches, teachers, parents, and students an all-in-one guide to FLL.

Written for both rookie and experienced teams, FIRST LEGO League: The Unofficial Guide includes in-depth coverage of topics like team formation and organization, robot building and programming, and the basics of getting involved with FLL. Before the authors delve into the specifics of robot and team building, they reveal the fascinating history of the FIRST organization and the sometimes puzzling structure of the FLL competition. Using a combination of real-life stories and candid commentary from actual FLL teams, as well as recollections of their own experiences, they offer an abundance of helpful guidance and dependable building and programming examples.

FIRST LEGO League: The Unofficial Guide explores the complex workings and structure of the FLL competition, including its four key components: Robot Game, Technical Interview, Project, and Teamwork. You'll learn how to:

• Organize, recruit, and manage a team
• Find equipment, mentors, and funding
• Design, build, and program winning robots
• Tackle each of the four FLL components-from Robot Game to Teamwork
• Use strategies and techniques from FLL masters to increase your scores

No matter what your role in the FLL competition, FIRST LEGO League: The Unofficial Guide will make you a better competitor, builder, designer, and team member. The only ingredient you need to add is your competitive spirit!

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE is an international program for kids ages 9-14 which blends an interactive robotics program with a sports atmosphere. All levels of Lego users from novices to experienced gamers will find this an excellent survey of the history, objectives and structure of the FLL competition, surveying the basics of organizing a team, building winning robots, and more.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

There is something for all FLL teams, both rookie and veterans in this book. Also, if you are checking out FLL and trying to decide if you want to begin a team, this is the place to get the information necessary to make that decision. I have been involved in FLL for over 6 years and I found helpful information as I read through FIRST LEGO League: The Unofficial Guide.

All new FLL teams need this book. The whole program is laid out clearly, with not only necessary information, but also with much helpful additional information. There is so much to learn in FLL and this book will guide you from how to start a team, how to do fundraising, how to handle team meetings, how to do basic robot buidling and programming, how to tackle the research project and much more, then onto what to expect at a tournament and beyond.

The format of this book is easy to read and understand. Additionally, it is laid out in such a way, that you can easily find the topic you need or you can choose to start at the beginning and read all the way through.

You will not be dissapointed by this book.

Being new to FLL, this book gave me the structure to start my own FLL team and gave great NXT robot ideas.

I've reviewed a copule of these LEGO books by No Starch and I think they are all well written and have great content but until I see one of these in color I cannot give 5 stars. Publishers these books simply NEED color. LEGOs are a dynamic topic and just throwing together a B&W book is not the right solution to creating the best book you can.

Having said that, this book is another great release content-wise. You'll discover everything you need to have the best FL League you can.

Chapter Listing:

01. First LEGO League Basics
02. How FLL Works
03. Rules
04. Equipment, Mentors, Funding
05. Starting a Team
06. Managing the Team
07. Team Experience
08. Coaching a Team
09. NXT vs RIS
10. Basic Building
11. Building Techniques
12. Sensors
13. Getting Organized
14. NXT-G Programming Concepts
15. The Project
16. Tournaments

Good book but could be better, still worth a purchase though

**** RECOMMENDED

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a program for middle-school age children to explore robotics and a global theme that has grown to be a worldwide phenomenon involving thousands of children and adults. While that sounds very impressive, it's also very intimidating. With so many people already involved, how can a new person start a team? Is there a right way? How can a team grow and succeed?

FIRST LEGO League: The Unofficial Guide, by James Floyd Kelly and Jonathan Daudelin, is an excellent introduction to FLL for those wanting to start a team. Going through a step-by-step formula, the book explains everything about FLL from information about the program itself to starting a team and competing.

Every step is almost exhaustively documented - I say almost because the writing style is far from exhausting. The books voice is a very relaxed one, much like a tour guide that really enjoys talking about his tour route. Such points as fundraising and team management are covered in the book, which are very important yet not really mentioned anywhere else.

Building the team is a large component of the book, but so is building with the MINDSTORMS system, and a majority of the book is devoted to building and programming robots. Again, the text is engaging and step-by-step, showing how and more importantly, why a process or build method is advantageous. One inadvertent side effect of reading this is realizing what a successful team has to know - while my respect for FLL competitors is high, the Unofficial Guide gave me a much higher appreciation of the work needed to make a quality team.

And I guess that's the best way to describe this book - it's a quality book that I strongly recommend. For a group wanting to form a new team, this will be an invaluable resource to guide the kids (and adults) to competition. For those who have been in FLL, this book is also good because it has some nice tips and advice - the sidebar about test driving a robot on page 170 is a great piece of advice to both new and experienced teams!

And it has me wishing I could start a team...

This is an excellent book written by someone who was involved in-depth with NXT programming as the NXT product evolved. Lots of good examples of C code will speed your learning curve.

If you are interested in programming your NXT beyond what NXT-G can do (the environment that comes with the retail kit) this is the book for you. You don't have to change out the firmware as you do for other text based programming languages, so you can continue to use NXT-G. In fact both types of programs can reside on the NXT at the same time.

There is a great chapter giving details on the Bricx integrated development environment and all the tools that come with it. It is very complete.

The versa bot that is detailed in the book is a great platform to add to and make your own modifications to. I have already made several of my own modules for it and wrote programs to take advantage of them with NXC.
There are several other bots to be built in the book that I have yet to get built, as I am still adding to the versa bot, but I definitely will though. The etch a sketch one looks really cool and I am sure programming it will teach me a lot.

Thanks should go out to John Hansen (the author) for all the contributions he has made, and continues to make to the Mindstorms Robotic community. The Mindstorms is a great platform to aid the young in learning and teaching the old to stay young.

Summary: An excellent 'next step' for getting the most from this powerful computer system

Mindstorms NXT is robot building tool from Lego. The centrepiece is a large "brick" containing a 32-bit ARM7 computer - the kind of computer you might find in a PDA or a Smartphone. The kit includes a graphical programming environment capable of quite complex programs as well as being accessible to beginners and youngsters. The kit also includes motors and sensors, wheels, gears, and a whole lot of technic-style Lego to hold them together.

John Hansen's book takes all of these components and organises them in a coherent and easily understandable fashion. He describes how to use the various components and explains the sensors (that range from a simple contact switch to a sophisticated ultrasonic distance sensor). However, the real strength of the book is in its approach to programming of the system.

Power Programming describes how to maximise the capability of the kit by programming it using a conventional, textual programming language that is close to standard C. This is both more natural to anyone who already has a smattering of programming knowledge and, ultimately, capable of more complex and much faster programs for the NXT. Best of all, the system that Hansen describes is a free, open-source toolkit usable on Mac, PC and Linux; just download it from the WWW and you're ready to roll.

NXC (Not eXactly C) and the complementary assembler, NBC (NeXT Byte Code) are explained in a clear and authoritative way (Hansen is the author of the compilers too) before the book explores the rest of the system. Each item is introduced in the context of a real robot (you can build these from the step by step instructions) but in a style that explains how it actually works; so the reader is left understanding how to apply each item in their own programs. Later chapters dig deeply into advanced programming of the sensors and communication between several robots without ever becoming inaccessible. And, lest I have made it all sound too dry and worthy, there are detours to examine such things as playing Space Invaders on the NXT and producing a Bedroom security system and remote controlled car.

This is a well-written, clearly presented and very well produced book from an acknowledged expert. It's not for young children but anyone with a little programming knowledge and an interest in computers and robots will find it entirely indispensable. Just beware that, while the tools it describes are free, it could well convince non-owners that they need to buy a NXT!

While the official NXT-G programming language included in the LEGO Mindstorms NXT set works well for many people, what if you want to increase your programming potential or simply prefer a text-based language rather than a graphical one? John C. Hansen's book provides the answer to both of these questions by teaching you how to program the NXT in NeXT Byte Codes (NBC) and Not eXactly C (NXC).

The book begins with an introduction to some basic programming concepts and then shows you how to set up NBC/NXC. Since these unofficial languages are based on the standard firmware, you don't have to download custom firmware to your microcomputer, making setup a breeze. Chapters 2 through 4 discuss the NXT hardware, NXT firmware, and basic construction concepts, respectively. If you're new to the NXT set, you'll find these chapters helpful.

Chapter 5 covers the BricxCC IDE, which supports NBC, NXC, and a number of other languages. This is definitely one of my favorite chapters. BricxCC is an incredibly powerful but user-friendly program, and this chapter shows how to effectively use and customize BricxCC. Perhaps the most interesting chapter in the book is Chapter 6, which discusses free NXT utilities that perform miscellaneous functions.

The real power programming begins in Chapters 7 and 8, which cover NXC and NBC. If, like me, you've programmed the RCX microcomputer in Not Quite C (NQC), you'll be glad to see that Hansen created NXC with a lot of the same features and same "feel." Naturally, these chapters are most easily understood if you have a background in C or programming in general, but such knowledge is not required. The book assumes you are a beginner and explains fundamental programming concepts. If you need more information about a basic concept that the book doesn't discuss in great detail (for example, using arrays), you could easily consult an online resource.

Chapters 9 through 16 teach you how to build a basic robot (Versa), program basic and advanced NXT outputs, program basic and advanced NXT inputs, create an intruder alert robot, explore "games that people play" on the NXT, and control an NXT robot remotely. It is through these chapters that you get practical experience in using NBC/NXC.

In conclusion, if you're looking for an effective and user-friendly text-based programming language for the NXT, then this book is for you. NBC, NXC, and the BricxCC IDE are outstanding resources, and this book teaches not only the basics but also quite advanced concepts (which will be of interest to expert users out there). Bear in mind, however, that this isn't primarily a book of building instructions. Its purpose is to teach you how to effectively program robots--and it accomplishes that purpose very well.

Build and program MINDSTORM NXT robots with Daniele Benedettelli, one of the world�fs most respected NXT robot builders. He shows you how to build and program them from scratch, starting with the simplest robots and progressing in difficulty to a total of seven award�|winning robots! You can download all the code, along with low�|resolution videos that show how your robot works when it�fs finished. You don�ft need to be a programmer to develop these cool robots because all the code is provided, but advanced developers will enjoy seeing the secrets of Benedettelli�fs code and techniques revealed.

What you�fll learn

• How to create award�|winning robots from scratch to final programming.
• How to build each robot and which materials to use.
• Why certain features have specific designs.
• How to program your robot�|all code is available for free download.
• Inspiration and tips and tricks on robotics, a particularly valuable resource for teachers and students.

Who is this book for?

Anyone interested in building robots or seeing how it is done. Programmers interested in learning how robots are programmed.

I bought this book for my grandson's 11th birthday. He is thrilled with the book and is trying to learn the code. We thought the program for each robot was available to just download from the internet, but we couldn't find such an easy method. He will have to type in the code from the book himself which will help in the learning process. At this point in time, though, this programming may be a bit too complex for him.

If you're searching for some exciting NXT projects and ideas--or would simply like to build JohnNXT, a replica of the famous Johnny 5 robot--you will enjoy Daniele Benedettelli's book Creating Cool MINDSTORMS NXT Robots. The book presents helpful ideas that you can use in your own inventions and carefully integrates them in a variety of robots with detailed building instructions. In fact, these very features are why I've given the book five stars: challenging robot projects, excellent discussions of useful concepts and ideas, and exceptional building instructions.

Most of the robots seem intended for more advanced users looking for a challenge; in other words, these are generally more complex robots. For example, there are several walking robots--including three bipeds (two-legged robots), one of the most difficult types of robots to create. And with the exception of the massive, multi-NXT robot "JohnNXT" (chapter 8) and a remote control (chapter 9), you can build all the robots from the parts in a single retail LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set. All the programming in the book is done in NXC (Not eXactly C), an unofficial text-based language with a C-like syntax.

Along the way you'll find in-depth explanations of robotics concepts and helpful descriptions of the robots. Besides an entire "theory chapter" on building biped robots (chapter 1) and another such chapter on finite state machines (chapter 3), the robot chapters themselves include explanations of concepts such as hysteresis, writing a multitask program, and quadruped (four-legged) walking as well as information on the robots' functionality and history. The author also does a good job of presenting and explaining the programming. Although prior NXC experience is helpful, such experience is not required.

The BIs (building instructions) are outstanding, which is important since they are a major part of the book. The author used advanced BI techniques, including complete electrical cables and callouts, and Ldglite to render the images, creating BIs that are remarkably "LEGO-like." I found that the BIs were generally very easy to follow even though many of the steps were complex. Such clarity is invaluable for a book that is filled with building instructions.

I admit that I didn't build the famed JohnNXT robot. Why? For starters, I don't have all the necessary pieces! All the same, I'm glad to see that the author included the robot because a number of readers will want tackle this enormous project.

In conclusion, this book is ideal for you if you're a more experienced NXT user looking to broaden your robotic horizons--while having lots of fun. Nevertheless, even if you're new to the NXT set, you would still enjoy the book. Either way, after working through the projects and grasping the concepts, you should be well-equipped to create your very own cool NXT robots.

I've been waiting for more than 2 months to get this book. Finally I got it from amazon a few days after the book released.

I have 8 NXT book, nothing is as details as Daniele's Book. The best NXT book so far.

There are 6 robots describes in this book. From the concept and then step-by-step assembly it and even the guide line to program it. So you not only able to build the robot, but also teach you how it works.

The cream-of-the-soup of this book of course is the JohnNXT ...... About 1/3 of the book focus on this great Robot. If you plan to build JohnNXT, this is the only book you need.

I'm really impressed with Daniele, I cant wait to the next book "Lego Rubik Utopy (LRU)".

Hi,

One of the better books at this moment for the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotic set. This book is clearly written and despite the black and white images, the building instructions are also very clearly written.

This book is obviously written by people who know what they are doing and motivated to reach the highest standards.

After a short program in the Nxt-G programming language, they started to use the NXC programming language for the rest of the book. What makes this book so outstanding, everything is very well documented and everything is explained in great detail.

This is also an easy and pleasant to read book. And many times you find here what is missing in other books. For me, esspecially the introduction of NXC was very usefull. I wanted to use C for a long time, but I did not found the answers I was searching. This book takes its time to show you the mechanics behind th programming language. It teaches you clearly how to construct event tables and how you can visualise the design process, structuring your thaughts.

Also the walking models are very interesting. It gives you a clearly understanding about the problems of let a robot succesfully walk.

What I do missing is coverage of the acceleration, gyroscopic and compass sensors. It should be nice if those sensors also where covered in this book. But it is almost impossible to cover everything and an author has to draw a line.

The projects are well choosen and all very interesting. Personally Quasimodo I find the less interesting robot. While NXT AT-ST is in my opinion a very nice project to understand a walking robot. But I have to be honest, at this moment I am building the AT-ST robot. I did not have the time to build the other robots. Nevertheless, I took a quick look and i found the other projects also very impressive.

This book is a must have for every serious Lego Mindstorms NXT builder. You definatelly will refer back when building your own creations. I gave it five stars because it is well deserved.

Congratulations for the author and everybody worked behind the scenes of this book. A job very well done!

I wish you all very much reading and building pleasure. This book will surely touch your creativity and imagination.

Friendly greetings,

Bad_Wolf

I have been waiting for this book even before it was wrtitten because I have wanted to build JohnNXT5 ever since I saw it posted on the Internet. This book is probably the best book so far for the Mindstorms NXT robotic system. I have purchased most of the books available for the NXT. I like Jim Kelly's books too, but this one has moved from wheels to robots that use tracks to get around and walk. It is well written and well illustrated even though the building instructions aren't in color. The author has a sense of humor as well as being well versed in the NXT system. I like the fact that he continues to refine and redevelop his creations and try to make them the best they can be. I hope to see more books from him, especially one covering the Rubic Cube solver. I congratulate the author for a job well done and highly recommend the book to all robotic nthusiasts.