LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT-G 2.0 - Installing the Software

Over the next few weeks, I will provide a few starting points for using the new features in NXT-G 2.0 (The software package that comes with the NXT 2.0 kit) To begin with, we will install the software onto a computer.

If you are familier with installing software, and/or the NXT in general, skip this guide.

Extra notes and troubleshooting advice can be found at the end of this guide - and will be added to if problems arise.

Preliminary Actions

First things first, NXT-G 2.0 is a software package that, once installed on your computer, will allow you to program your NXT brick. NXT 2.0 is the robotics kit you probably just purchased ;-), and the NXT is the white brick that came in your kit which controls your creations.

We will install the software by following the on-screen installation popups.

To keep things simple, check that your computer has the minimum specifications required by right-clicking the "My Computer" icon on your desktop and selecting "Properties" from the drop down menu. The minimum requirements the software needs to run can be found on the front side of the NXT 2.0 box and on the back of the CD wallet your software came packaged in.

If your computer meets the minimum requirements, insert the MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 CD that came with your NXT-2.0 kit into your computer's CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive.

For this guide I will be using a Windows XP Home Edition operating system.

Installing the Software

To begin the installation, the software should auto-run once the CD has been inserted into the drive. If it does not auto-run, open "My Computer", right-click the "LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0" drive, and select "Autorun" from the menu options.

IF a popup appears asking for a password, you may not have administrator privilages on your account. Ask the administrator to enter the password to continue the installation.

All going well, an installation window will appear asking you to select one of the following languages; German, English, French, or Danish. Select your language and the install window will disappear.

Another installation window will appear. This one will have a loading bar near the bottom 'initializing' the setup of the NXT-G 2.0 software. Then, a "Features" window will appear. In general, install both the software and the NXT device driver. Below this is the area where you can change the install directory.

Click 'next' once you have decided on your settings.

Now the License agreement appears. Change the selection to 'Yes I accept the License agreement(s)' when you are satisfied.

After accepting, the "Start Installation" window will appear. This window will tell you what the installer will do. If you are upgrading from NXT-G 1, you will be told it is upgrading. If you have already installed NXT-G 2.0 and forgot, it will say no actions will be taken!

When you click 'Next', the software will install onto your computer. This may take anything between under 5 minutes to 10 minutes depending on your settings and computer specs. Finally, click the 'Finish' button to complete the installation!

Now open NXT-G 2.0. A shortcut should have been placed in your "Start/Programs/LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0" folder, and on your desktop.

The loading screen will appear and...

You have successfully installed NXT-G 2.0!

Notes:

Preliminary Actions:

* The software will not prevent you from installing it on a PC that does not meet the minimum specs, however your experience with the software will be effected - it will probably be VERY slow.
* The NXT-G 2.0 software is packaged as a CD
* I have also successfully installed NXT-G 2.0 on Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition and Windows 7 Evaluation Edition (Build 7000) - but LEGO will probably not offer support if your installation messes your computer up if you are using these operating systems.
* NXT-G 2.0 will upgrade over an existing NXT-G installation if you have installed it, if you would like to keep your existing NXT-G install, choose a different install folder by "Browsing" for it in the "Features" installation window.
* You may need to restart your computer once your installation is complete.

Installing the Software
* Registration is not compulsary, and all features of NXT-G 2.0 will be active upon install.
* Registration can also be completed through the NXT-G 2.0 software's 'Help' menu.

Troubleshoot

* If the 'Browse' option on the "Features" install window is grayed out, you have already installed NXT-G 2.0 on your computer

FLL in New Zealand!

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is quite a well known robotics competition held in the U.S, and many international teams compete every year. However, if you live in New Zealand, an alternative has arrived -Kiwi FIRST!

Kiwi FIRST FLL has started a pilot year for the popular U.S FLL competiton in New Zealand, and registrations will begin to be taken from the 10th July. A 24 team pilot tournament will be taking place on the 12th December at ACG Strathallan.

The challenge, Smart Move, has been introduced with the question "Can FIRST LEGO League teams transform the way we look at transportation?"

For more information, regularly check: http://kiwifirst.org/

Updates...

I'm back after a few months of exam preparation and complettion, and while I have been inactive a few events have occured...

NXTLog

1) The NXTLog Climate Connections Challenge winners have been announced! Have a look here at some of the amazing creations that will inspire your FLL team. This is a great resource for inspiration - check out NatoNX's entry - he made his own challenge mat from scratch! All winners of this challenge can be found on this page

2) The NXTLog People's Choice Building Challenge is out! This challenge is unique - as you create it! The prize? The winning projects will be used as 'official' NXTLog challenges! All projects must be tagged with "peopleschoice", and all entries need to be submitted by the 20th June. Have a look at all the challenge details here

MINDTORMS NXT 2.0

As we all know (and anticipate!), the MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 kit is soon to be released. The NXTStep is probably the best source for new information on the kit, have a look here for past and present articles

HiTechnic

The HiTechnic IR Seeker V2 is out, but currently not available on the LEGO online. It includes a few new features that can be viewed here. This sensor will be required for the Robocup Soccer challenge... see below.

Robocup Junior New Zealand

The Robocup Junior New Zealand competition is open for registration! Hopefully, my to-be-created team will enter this year's challenge, and I will update our status on this blog before and after the competition (5th September for our region, Auckland). Find out more about the challenge here

LA's NXT Guitar

Are you ready to Rock!? Well now you can play all of those amazing or just plain cool guitar riffs with LinearActuator's NXT Guitar!

The guitar can play up to 12 tones, or can be configured to play a mixture of tones and chords thanks to it's neck slider.

One of the two NXT bricks controls the 4 touch sensors, the other brick controls the rest, and both bricks communicate with each other via Bluetooth to produce MINDSTORMS Music!
LA's NXT Guitar consists of:
- 4 Touch Sensors
- 1 Light Sensor
- 1 US Sensor
- 2 NXT bricks
- Lots of TECHNIC pieces!

Further details are available on NXTLog here

Use more than one motor per port on the NXT!!

While playing around with a few #8528 Converter cables for the NXT, I realised that the cables might have another application other than allowing you to use RCX sensors and motors in your creations. After finding a few NXT Servo motors, I began my experiment:



First of all, I connected two servo motors together using two of the converter cables, with the brick-like plugs connected in the middle. By spinning one motor, the other also turned - so creating a simple generator. This is fairly simple physics, and was only the beginning.

I tried out the different orientations that each plug could have with one another, and discovered a useful piece of information - by connecting the RCX style plugs in opposite directions you reverse the ploarity of the motors - so one motor will spin clockwise, and one anti-clockwise. See the Table below:

Note: The direction of the cable is the opposite of where the cable conects to the RCX plug

This is still fairly simple, but can be quite interesting for beginners to the NXT.

Next (pun intended ;-)), I connected a third converter cable to the other two, so that I could plug the two motors into the NXT but use only one port. Then I wrote a simple program using the standard on-brick programmer on the NXT brick to power motor port A. This was a success, and both motors were powered.

The downside to this?  The built-in rotation sensor in the NXT servo motors will no longer work while using a combination of these converter cables - so all measurements must be in seconds (e.g. power motor port A for 10 seconds). Also, I wouldn't recommend using more than 4 motors on one port,  but I am not too sure as to what would happen if you did, as I don't want to risk my NXT brick just yet!

But there you have it - it is possible, and fairly easy, to have more than one motor per port on the NXT, without having to make homebrew cables. And as you get 3 of these cables in the NXT Education kit, it is also quite practical.

LEGO TECHNIC Design School

While looking through some old files, I found a link to the LEGO TECHNIC Design School, which can no longer be accessed via the LEGO TECHNIC website. However, the Design School is still up and running, with 3 lessons on TECHNIC basics, which are quite useful to read when constructing a MINDSTORMS robot.

The 3 lessons available are:

TECHNIC 101 - The basics - quite literally. Talks about the LEGO measurement of 1M, etc, and goes over each of the TECHNIC pieces available and what they are used for

Gears 101 - More interesting and definately worth a read if you are still fairly new to gears and how they work. Can also teach an old dog new tricks ;-)

Stability with LEGO TECHNIC - Shows you how to make stable structures for your creations

Each lesson also has a quick quiz at the end for users who are logged in.

The TECHNIC Design School can be found here, and it can be found by searching for it using Google.

New Temperature Sensor!

Now available via LEGO Education is the NXT Temperature Sensor!

Quoted from the LEGO Education Website:

"This digital temperature sensor can be calibrated to measure both Celsius and Fahrenheit using the NXT Intelligent Brick and the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education Software v.2.0"

The sensor currently costs $40 USD, and I would recommend getting both the sensor and NXT-G 2.0 at the same time, because as well as saving on postage and packaing costs, you also require NXT-G 2.0 to use the sensor (according to above quote)