Book Image

Building Smart LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Robots

By : Kyle Markland
Book Image

Building Smart LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Robots

By: Kyle Markland

Overview of this book

Smart robots are an ever-increasing part of our daily lives. With LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3, you can now prototype your very own small-scale smart robot that uses specialized programming and hardware to complete a mission. EV3 is a robotics platform for enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels that makes prototyping robots accessible to all. This book will walk you through six different projects that range from intermediate to advanced level. The projects will show you building and programming techniques that are used by engineers in the real world, which will help you build your own smart robot. You'll see how to make the most of the EV3 robotics platform and build some awesome smart robots. The book starts by introducing some real-world examples of smart robots. Then, we'll walk you through six different projects and explain the features that allow these robots to make intelligent decisions. The book will guide you as you build your own object-tracking tank, a box-climbing robot, an interactive robotic shark, a quirky bipedal robot, a speedy remote control race car, and a GPS-navigating robot. By the end of this book, you'll have the skills necessary to build and program your own smart robots with EV3.
Table of Contents (9 chapters)

Grunt – Quirky Bipedal Robot

We have made three robots so far. By now, your library of robotics knowledge is becoming fairly deep. Now, it is time to try something more ambitious. Meet Grunt, an interactive robot that walks on two legs and has his own quirky personality! Grunt is a fictional alien character from a distant planet, with arms and legs like a human's, but with a dinosaur-like head and mouth.

When we build Grunt, we will be taking the mechanical design in a completely new direction. All of the robots we have made so far have used a tank-style drivetrain with either tracks or wheels to move around. Grunt does not rely on wheels to carry him around! Instead, he has a simple walking mechanism that allows him to shuffle around on two feet.

Like the Timmyton from the previous chapter, Grunt has several different operating modes that use his motors and sensors...