The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book: A Beginner's Guide to Building and Programming Robots - Softcover

Valk, Laurens

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1593275323 ISBN 13: 9781593275327

Publisher: No Starch Press, 2014

Synopsis

LEGO MINDSTORMS has changed the way we think about robotics by making it possible for anyone to build real, working robots. The latest MINDSTORMS set, EV3, is more powerful than ever, and The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book is the complete, beginner-friendly guide you need to get started.

Begin with the basics as you build and program a simple robot to experiment with motors, sensors, and EV3 programming. Then you'll move on to a series of increasingly sophisticated robots that will show you how to work with advanced programming techniques like data wires, variables, and custom-made programming blocks. You'll also learn essential building techniques like how to use beams, gears, and connector blocks effectively in your own designs.

Master the possibilities of the EV3 set as you build and program:

• The EXPLOR3R, a wheeled vehicle that uses sensors to navigate around a room and follow lines
• The FORMULA EV3 RACE CAR, a streamlined remote-controlled race car
• ANTY, a six-legged walking creature that adapts its behavior to its surroundings
• SK3TCHBOT, a robot that lets you play games on the EV3 screen
• The SNATCH3R, a robotic arm that can autonomously find, grab, lift, and move the infrared beacon
• LAVA R3X, a humanoid robot that walks and talks

More than 150 building and programming challenges throughout encourage you to think creatively and apply what you've learned to invent your own robots. With The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book as your guide, you'll be building your own out-of-this-world creations in no time!

Requirements: One LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 set (LEGO SET #31313)

About this title

Review

Why this book?

The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 robotics set offers unlimited possibilities to build and program robots, but exploring beyond the instructions included in the set can be a bit overwhelming when you’re just getting started. The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book is designed to help you discover the power of LEGO MINDSTORMS as you learn to invent, build, and program your very own robots.

How does this book work?

This book assumes no previous experience with either building or programming LEGO MINDSTORMS, and each chapter presents a mix of robot building, programming theory, and challenges to help you really understand the concepts. You’ll learn basic programming techniques at the same time that you make your first robot move, and you’ll learn about more advanced programming as you build increasingly sophisticated robots. The challenges, called Discoveries, encourage you to expand the example programs, modify the mechanical design, or even invent completely new robots!

A Guided Tour

The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book is divided into six parts:

• Part I: Getting Started takes you through the contents of the EV3 robotics set and shows you how to build your first robot. You’ll meet the EV3 software and basic programming blocks that you’ll use to make your robot move. You'll also learn essential programming techniques, such as making your robot repeat actions and do more than one thing at the same time.
• Part II: Programming Robots with Sensors teaches you all about sensors, which are essential components of MINDSTORMS robots. You’ll add the Touch Sensor to the robot you built earlier, and you’ll explore the functions of the Color Sensor, the Infrared Sensor and the infrared beacon, and the Rotation Sensors inside each of the motors.
• Part III: Robot Building Techniques covers the LEGO Technic building elements that come with your EV3 set. You’ll learn to use beams, axles, connector blocks, and gears effectively in your own robots.
• Part IV: Vehicle and Animal Robots puts your skills with motors and sensors to the test as you build two new robots—the Formula EV3 Race Car and ANTY, a robotic ant.
• Part V: Creating Advanced Programs is devoted to advanced programming concepts. You’ll learn about data wires, how to process sensor values and do math on the EV3, and how to make the robot remember things with variables. Finally, you'll combine all of these programming techniques to create a robot that lets you play games on the EV3 screen.
• Part VI: Machine and Humanoid Robots combines everything you’ve learned to guide you through creating two complex robots. You’ll build and program the SNATCH3R, an autonomous robotic arm that can find, grab, lift, and move the infrared beacon autonomously, and the LAVA R3X, the walking, talking humanoid shown on the front cover.

About the Author

Laurens Valk is a member of the MINDSTORMS Community Partners, a select group of MINDSTORMS enthusiasts who help test and develop new MINDSTORMS products. One of his robot designs is featured on the EV3 packaging as a bonus project. His previous work, the best-selling LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book, introduced tens of thousands of beginners worldwide to the powerful world of LEGO MINDSTORMS robotics. He blogs about robots at robotsquare.com.

Edition details

• Publisher: No Starch Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1593275323
• ISBN 13: 9781593275327
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 396