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)

Timmyton – Interactive Robotic Shark

Next, we will be building the Timmyton, an interactive robotic shark that features a myriad of cool functions and has a unique personality. This robot has become a popular MINDSTORMS icon because it can be built using only the parts from one EV3 retail set (31313), making it accessible to young robotics enthusiasts. It was among the first robots to feature a custom GUI, which streamlines five different operating modes within one program.

In this chapter, we will take a look at how the Timmyton manages to have so many mechanical features and such a compact footprint. We will examine each of the simple machines that work together to animate the Timmyton.

The Timmyton's sophisticated programming makes it a great example of a smart robot. We will program the Timmyton's custom GUI, which will give you the knowledge you need to make...