National Instruments has officially introduced NXT 2.0 software for LEGO MINDSTORMS, powered by LabVIEW. Find out more about how it works, NI's relationship with LEGO Education, and how you can join their social community!
http://www.ni.com/academic/mindstorms/
Recent reports indicate that rare instances of TETRIX Battery Pack burn-out have occurred in which battery packs overheated and produced smoke. In even fewer cases, the battery pack has emitted sparks.
It has been determined the largest contributing factor to battery pack burn-out is the puncturing or damage of the battery pack casing, typically caused by improper robot construction. Customers are encouraged to reference the TETRIX Getting Started guide for important safety guidelines and building best practices.
LEGO Education and Pitsco Education will continue to investigate this issue that has currently occurred in less than .2% of all battery packs shipped to date.
If you experience battery burn-out, unplug the battery immediately and contact LEGO Education Technical Support at 800-362-4308. Defective battery packs will be replaced free of charge and should be sent to LEGO Education for tracking purposes.
All LEGO® Education and Pitsco Education products are manufactured, packaged, and sold with the utmost regard for the safety of our users. We regret any inconvenience caused by this issue and welcome all comments and questions.
Care and Safety Tips:
The following are some basic battery pack care and safety tips that will help preserve the life of your battery pack.
-Never leave battery on charger unattended for extended periods of time.
-Pay close attention to not mount battery pack on robot where it may come into contact with sharp
edges or protruding screws.
-To increase battery life and performance, we recommend charging your TETRIX battery pack on the
slower charger setting of 0.9 amp.
Celebrating the discovery of the Hudson River is for... robots?
As part of the 400th Anniversary of the river, teachers, scientists, and environmentalists are getting a hands-on lesson in science and math using LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robotics.
How? Click here to check it out... http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/newyorkteacher_13628.htm
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) has announced that their World Championship held in April each year will be moving after this competition season!
The 2011, 2012, and 2013 Championships will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, according to recent reports from FIRST.
To learn more about the move and the FIRST organization, check out this press release. http://www.usfirst.org/aboutus/content.aspx?id=15777
Recently there has been some talk of the latest project created by Dean Kamen, the founder of FIRST Robotics. Kamen and his team have created and are testing a robotic arm that would work as a prosthetic for amputees. The arm, named the Luke Arm, is a breakthrough in robotic science. It moves and performs just like a human arm and is controlled by any array of sensors.
Check out this recent podcast with Kamen about his new invention and his passion for FIRST. http://www.robotspodcast.com/
The following link provides basic programming examples for the 12 basic activities that are included in the LEGO Education WeDo Robotics Construction Set. The downloadable examples offer a starting point for students and teachers to bring life to their builds. For more information about the WeDo Robotics system, visit the Robotics section online or contact your local education consultant.
http://community.legoeducation.us/media/g/lme_user_guide/default.aspx