Tutorial on Building a Thermostatic Sensor for your NXT

In this video, I take you step-by-step through the process of creating a thermostatic sensor for your NXT. Enjoy!

The NXT as a Home Thersomstat using the HiTechnic Experimenter's Kit

In my next blog entry, I'll show you how to use the NXT with the HitTechnic Experimenter's Kit to construct a household thermostat.  I am currently making the video.  I'll have code and a circuit diagram to show you.  Stay tuned!!!

Monte Carlo Localization and Code Tutorial

I have been asked to explain how the MCL class works. Rather than giving a long written explanation, I've chosen to give a video tutorial. Remember that the source code that I am referring in the video is available for download.

Enjoy!

Build your own Sound Meter with Lights

Using the HiTechnic Experimenter's Kit, you can easily create a sound meter with lights.  Here is my YouTube video illustrating how this can be done!  Download the source code.

Robot Building Instructions

I have been asked what robot design I use.  Actually, I use the Robot Educator Model courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University's Robot Academy.  It's a simple design and it can be constructed quite easily and rapidly.

Lejos and the HiTechnic Experiment Kit

I recently purchased the HiTechnic Experiment Kit.  I'm having a lot of fun with it.  Even though the code for the eight experiments is written in NXT-G and NXTC, I have found that the kit is perfectly suitable for use with Lejos.  You can download my example code for Experiments 1 and 2 as shown in the book that comes with the kit.

Also, please view my video tutorial, which explains Experiment 2 in detail, including the code that supports it.  The experiment deals with having the NXT control 6 LEDs based upon the setting of a potentiometer.

It's a product certainly worth purchasing!

Customizing the GUI

I have been asked how to change the GUI’s connect panel to change the name and Bluetooth address of the NXT or NXTs you want to connect to.

In the ConnectPanel.java file, you need to change these two lines of code:

private static final String[] _robotNames = {"MONTE", "Wayfinder"};

private static final String[] _robotAddresses = {"00:16:53:00:57:37","00:16:53:08:82:3a"};

In my particular case, my NXTs are called MONTE and Wayfinder; their Bluetooth addresses are 00:16:53:00:57:37 and 00:16:53:08:82:3a respectively.

For example, if your NXT is called Delta with a Bluetooth address of 00:16:53:00:00:00, then the two lines of java code should read:

private static final String[] _robotNames = {"Delta"};

private static final String[] _robotAddresses = {"00:16:53:00:00:00"};

Thank you for your feedback.

In my next posts, I’ll show you how to change the NXT’s map, and how to build the robot in Lego.

Video Tutorial

My video tutorial can be found below.  Enjoy!

Download My Code

You can download my full project code here.

A tutorial video will become available once it's uploaded to YouTube.

Let me know what you think of my project.

Finding a New Place to Post my Code

I know that some of you have been sending me emails requesting my project code.  I am currently looking for a place where the code could be hosted, ideally for free.  Unfortunately, apart for images, this blogging service does not permit the posting of documents.


Once I figure out where I can post my project code, I'll let everyone know.


Best regards,