Lego mindstorm EV3!!!

ShadowHearth

My "to buy list" this list became bigger again! :mad:

this looks great!!! Controlling with iphone/android app too. upgraded motor too.

some photos:
http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=77892

some video:

http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/06/lego-mindstorms-ev3-the-better-faster-stronger-generation-of-robotic-programming/

Derek93

Thats handy, was holding off on buying them until this year, looks like i'll wait until the new version.

ShadowHearth

Derek93 wrote: »

Thats handy, was holding off on buying them until this year, looks like i'll wait until the new version.

aye, ill be honest, i was not that taken away buy 1.0 and 2.0, but this looks like a freaking awesome thing!!!

the ability to control with your phone is just plain awesome. They needed that ages ago. Hopefully they will have upgraded their software on pc too.

one thing that scares me - price. 350$ will most likely be 400eu here in ireland. :rolleyes: looks like i need to start saving now! :pac:

syklops

ShadowHearth wrote: »

aye, ill be honest, i was not that taken away buy 1.0 and 2.0, but this looks like a freaking awesome thing!!!

To be honest, im not blown away by this. Aside from the depth perception there is not much of an upgrade. Instead of spending 350 USD, why can i not just buy the depth perception sensor and add it to my existing set? Presumably the smart brick will have been upgraded in terms of specs but it doesnt mention that.

The article basically says it now supports Apple products and thats it.

ShadowHearth wrote: »

the ability to control with your phone is just plain awesome. They needed that ages ago. Hopefully they will have upgraded their software on pc too.

I've been controlling it with my phone for years. I had an app on my old symbian that let me control the motors and run programs, and then I got an android phone and was able to use MindDroid.

syklops

Lego at the CES.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAQ3g-iW-Ow

Apparently the new smart brick runs Linux. Now I'm a little more impressed.

ShadowHearth

Yup. Linux is a lovely addition.

I am thinking about it a bit. Old ons had like 600+++ parts and is 250eu now. New one 500 parts and 350eu ( by the time it comes over here )

That is very very pricy for a toy. Even for such cool one.

unklerosco

Got to play with this last year and it's pretty sweet... I guess I'd agree it's not a massive update from the current Mindstorms (suppose if they completely changed it it'd prob be incompatible with the current version). I really wanted to see the ability to program from a tablet etc. but it's deffo a worthwhile update. Much more powerfull, nice new updates to the motors, sensors and brick and backwards compatible (to an extent) Hoping to get my hands on one soon...

unklerosco

EV3 Robot I saw yesterday, was talking to the designer from LEGO that built it.. Took him a solid month to design and build it. It's savage!

shedweller

My oldest kid is 8. Do any of you think he is ready for mindstorms?
Pleasesayyes pleasesayyes pleasesayyes!!!

syklops

shedweller wrote: »

My oldest kid is 8. Do any of you think he is ready for mindstorms?
Pleasesayyes pleasesayyes pleasesayyes!!!

Get him one of the technic sets and see how he copes with it, and or if he enjoys it.

Better to spend 25 euro to discover he is not ready for it than 350 euro.

unklerosco

syklops wrote: »

Get him one of the technic sets and see how he copes with it, and or if he enjoys it.

Better to spend 25 euro to discover he is not ready for it than 350 euro.

Exactly.. In saying that, I've seen a 4 year old working with Mindstorms.. My nephew that's 7 spent two hours with me yesterday learning how to program with Mindstorms.. Problem I see with it is that parents buy it for their kids and thats it, they do nothing to encourage the kids to work with it etc. so once they build the included projects it gets put away n thats that....

unklerosco

Few more (badly taken) pics..

New software..


New Tracks...


EV3 Elephant...

shedweller

That software looks a lot like the WeDo software.

unklerosco

shedweller wrote: »

That software looks a lot like the WeDo software.

Yep, tis the idea.. From an educational point of view it's a godsend as kids can move from WeDo - Mindstorms and feel familiar with the software. And sure they're both essentially the same software (labview), just different from ends..

It's deffo far easier to use and pick up than the current software..

unklerosco

Better look at the software

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVA12_o3uP8&list=UUvwSMQbOYUa7-FosfmrEUCw

syklops

What are those blue things on the back of the tank? Are they a sensor of some kind or just lights?

I'm disappointed they never integrated or made mindstorms compatible with the power functions. Even if it was just a case of on or off, it would vastly expand the use cases. Every power function model could get mindstorm control.

I wonder is there any way to interact with the linux embedded system. I'd love a bash shell on my Lego smart brick.

unklerosco

syklops wrote: »

What are those blue things on the back of the tank? Are they a sensor of some kind or just lights?

99% sure they're just lights if not just clear bricks..

The WeDo software works with the powerfunctions, have you tried that?

I'm not certain but I'm pretty sure it'll be possible to tinker with the linux system on the smart brick, I'm sure once it's released they're be custom versions coming out..

syklops

unklerosco wrote: »

99% sure they're just lights if not just clear bricks..

The WeDo software works with the powerfunctions, have you tried that?

I'm not certain but I'm pretty sure it'll be possible to tinker with the linux system on the smart brick, I'm sure once it's released they're be custom versions coming out..

Id be very surprised if its not possible to tinker with the smart brick. If only I can figure out a way to expense one.

unklerosco

syklops wrote: »

Id be very surprised if its not possible to tinker with the smart brick. If only I can figure out a way to expense one.

I'm getting mine in April... Can't wait! Off to LEGO next week for 2 days for software/hardware training on it so will have more info then if anyone wants to know anything...

unklerosco

If anyone has any questions about EV3 I'm with LEGO Education doing training today/tomorrow so can put questions to them etc..