MINDCUB3R (English version)

It's been a while since the last robot shared here on the blog, but we come back with the spectacular MINDCUB3R, which solves the famous Rubik's cubes! The robot is designed by David Gilday.

This robot has four "feets" with a base that supports the rest of the robot. Placed on this same base it is another one which allows the large motor to rotate the cube; the smart brick that controls the entire process, the small motor that allows the movement of the color sensor (read the colors of each face to be analyzed by the program, I'll explain that later) and a kind of an arm that allows the turning the cube and even up and down plays.

BASK3TBALL (English version)

Here it is another robot ... A bit different than usual, and you will see why. This robot is a mixture of normal Lego pieces, with the Lego Technic parts, that are used on the set Mindstorms EV3. As you can notice by the name I gave him, this is a kind of basket of basketball where the goal is to get the balls pass through the tire that is serving as a basket! Unfortunately, the design is not the best compared with many similar games like bowling or pimball, but with the pieces that I have, is what I can do ...

Mr. BEAM (English version)

Today's robot is a robot able to identify the Lego Technic pieces (beams) both by size and by color. It is a very interesting robot to explore and to understand its functions, thanks to the beautiful design and instructions provided by Kenneth R. Madsen! 

Although this robot can only identify beams, after analyzing its structure, it is easy to know how to make it into something more complex, like a sorter. Unfortunately, I could not do that due to the low number of pieces that were left over, after building it; but those who have more pieces than those that come on the set may well try to reach that goal! 

MIX3R (English version)

This week I decided to make a robot different than the usual ... The choice of the name for this robot was fairly easy, since it has a very simple but funny function! This robot is actually a mere mixer ... No idea how I remembered to do this, but at the time it seemed a good idea! Hopefully yes.

I started to build the upper part, which is basically composed by the two large motors and two plates to maintain the cohesion of them. Next, the intelligent brick was used to serve as a support, vertically, for the top part. For the intelligent brick, not to be directly supported on the ground, and to give it some more stability, I used two other plates to give it height.

Braga BRInCKa 2014 - Lego Fan Event (English version)

It was this weekend that took place, in the Exhibition Park of Braga, the largest exhibition of LEGO constructions of the Iberian Peninsula, recognized and supported by the LEGO Group. This exhibition was organized by Plug and InvestBraga. 

An exhibition that lasted three days, constituted by about 7 million pieces spread over some of the most fascinating buildings, from classic sets sold by LEGO, to personal constructions by collectors!

ROBODOZ3R (English version)

It is day of another robot, and this week I chose to build one of the bonus models provided by Lego. The chosen  robot is called ROBODOZ3R and it was created by Mark Crosbie. As the name says, this robot is like a bulldozer, that we will already be able to see the details. The instructions for building this robot can be found in the software for programming the robots  (which can be downloaded from the Lego website).
It's a robot with many details similar to a real Bulldozer, with caterpillars forming a triangle, its giant "shovel", its bonnet and even a cabin with a small chair!

FOLLOW3R (English version)

Continuing reading the book "The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory", it has arrived the turn of another very interesting robot based on ROV3R from the book by Daniele  Benedettelli. 

This is a very simple to assemble and to program robot (although it's program is a little more complex than previous robot's), but it is a very interesting robot to have a good time after it has been assembled. 

The purpose of this robot is to reach the infrared beacon, measuring distances and heading. Depending on their relative distance, its speed will also be changing. As we shall see below.

BODY BUILD3R (English version)

Have you ever seen a bodybuilder robot? Well I hadn't seen one, until I remembered to build one! Is it the first candidate to "Mr. Robot-Lympia"? 

This robot is a 100% original, just based on the real gym machine! 

Jokes aside, I will explain how this simple robot works. It has a small, but sturdy and spacious base! At the back, the weights of the machine are represented by black pulleys. Just ahead is the small chair where Mr. Robot is sitting with his arms on the handles. With a large motor under the chair, it moves the handles of the machine, and with the articulated arms of Mr. Robot it seems that are them that are making the machine to move. In association with this motor, there is another one under the weights (on the back of the base) which makes lifting and lowering of them, respectively. Since the weights are attached to the handles of the machine, the movement seems the same! 

Thanks to the readers (English version)

This is not a message about robots, but a thanks message! Thanks to all who have visited this blog, and made ​​it possible to reach 2000  views, yesterday in almost two months. 

These almost two months since the blog is online, in just a month, the blog got 12 subscribers and 5 subscribers on our Youtube channel ! 

It is with this message that I come to thank all who have given me their opinions and helped to improve in every way ... Not only on the blog level, but also at assembling and programming the robots! 

I intend also, to appeal to those who frequently visit the blog, to subscribe to the feeds or to our newsletter! If you also like our videos, you can always take a look at the Youtube channel (click here) and subscribe to it! 

HAND WRIT3R (English version)

Continuing our sharing of robots, it's time for another one! Today's robot, is a very interesting robot that gave me some work ... I chose to call him HAND WRIT3R and you will see why!
This is a robot known by many, from the set Mindstorms EV3 Education, but as you may have noticed, I have the retail set. As you can also see, some parts are different from one set to another, wich gave me some work to adapt the assembly to the pieces I have!

FLOOR CLEAN3R (English version)

Today's robot is called FLOOR CLEAN3R. It is very similar to CLEAN3R, a robot from "The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory" by Daniele Benedettelli, but it has a base for a camera, a bumper the closest possible to the edge of the cloth, and also a program more efficient at cleaning a floor! 

It is, again, composed by the two large motors, and a base for the intelligent brick and sensors! In this case, instead of a sensor to be connected to the base, it is the cleaning accessory, which ends with the touch sensor associated to "bumper". This allows the robot to know when it hits an obstacle or not.

LINE FOLLOW3R (English version)

We've reached the end of the week and it has arrived another robot ... FOLLOW3R! It's based on ROV3R, a robot, of the book "The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory" by Daniele Benedettelli. 

This is a very simple robot, with the two large motors associated each one with a wheel (front wheels) and the rear wheels act as wheels of shopping carts. They are "loose" wheels that only serve to balance and follow the movement. Just above the motors is a support base for the intelligent brick and sensors! 

LABYRINTH3R (English version)

Say "Hello" to today's robot! This is a robot based on ROV3R, a robot from the book "The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory", but with some slight changes in structure, a program refurbished and different functions!

It is constituted only by the two large motors which are each associated with a tread, respectively! Furthermore has only a support for the intelligent brick and for the sensors, the color sensor and the infrared sensor!

GRIPP3R (English version)

And today is day of one more robot, ending on the blog, the robots provided by LEGO, the famous robots of the box. 

As you can see, today I will talk about GRIPP3R, the famous robot that can pick objects and transport them! 

This is perhaps the robot with more steps during assembly, but no doubt that it is an easy to assemble and simple robot to perceive how it works ... When we look at it, our attention is captured by the robust body and the long arms, but after, we realize that the body is only constituted by the "intelligent brick" and the other "outside" parts just to give it shape! 

Braga BRInCKa 2014 - LEGO Fan Event (English version)

The InvestBraga, EM and PLUG (Portuguese Association of LEGO® Users) intend to hold the largest exhibition of LEGO® constructions of the Iberian Peninsula, recognized and supported by the LEGO® Group, on 17th, 18th and 19th October 2014, in the big room of exhibitions of Braga Exhibition Park (Parque de Exposições de Braga). 

Parque de Exposições de Braga  will receive  in their exhibition area of 5,000 m² the largest exhibition of the Iberian Peninsula, officially supported by the Danish LEGO® brand. 

Will attend at this exhibition all Lego themes, including a town with about 100m² full of motion (trains, skyscrapers, gardens, etc ...) 

R3PTAR (English version)

A few more days, one more robot robot ... And today is the famous and long snake ​​made by Lego!

It is a very well thought out, organized and ingenious... In my opinion it's the best of the robots available by Lego....  Simply spectacular!

First let's start with the tail section. The tail is articulated and it cane move in a very realistic way! R3PTAR moves forward and backward through a single large motor. Through the medium motor we have the feeling that the robot is meandering, since this (the medium motor) is integrated in a system, where it can only make a relatively small angle, and change its direction within a very short time.

EV3RSTORM (English version)

Hi, today's robot is the tremendous EV3RSTORM, with about 40 cm tall! 

It is perhaps the most emblematic of the 5 available from Lego, not only because it is the "cover" of the box! 

Despite having more sensors the robot of the previous message (SPICK3R), I found this much easier to assemble ... Only one or another dilemma with the wires, but otherwise is a "nice" robot to see and relatively simple to assemble. All sensors are used, therefore, we experience for the first time the touch sensor and the color sensor. 

It is undoubtedly a complex robot, with the interesting system to move, like roller skating and not the two legs moving up equally, almost like tank!

SPIK3R (English version)

Today's robot  is SPIK3R, which is provided by Lego. Unlike TRACK3R, the instructions are only available in the software that you can download on the Lego site, and that is the same where you program the robots!

This one is definitely a more complex robot than TRACK3R, both for those who are building and for those who only see once built! What I found most "difficult" was to assemble the legs, it has an interesting mechanism for this to move forward, backward, and still feel that are these that make it walk! (all this is visible in the video below) Despite that, Lego continues with the good work of making clear and simple instructions, which made ​ this part the best and where I learned more assembling techniques to apply in my constructions!

TRACK3R (English version)

Today, I will talk for the first time about a robot, here on the blog, and that robot is TRACK3R. 

It is the only robot that brings physical instructions to build it ... It is usually the first to be built, because it's a robot in the form of a very simple tank and with several interchangeable parts, which gives him the ability to play multiple roles!

TRACK3R measures over 3″ (9cm) high, 10″ (27cm) long and 8″ (21cm) wide.

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 - REVIEW (English version)

MIND STORMiDEAS is a blog created to promote the theme of LEGO MINDSTORMS in Portugal, since this is a rare theme to see here! Nevertheless, I think lots of people would love it! 

I had the opportunity to buy this set recently, and honestly it was a purchase that exceeded my expectations! 

With this blog, I intend to give my opinion about the set and share all buildings, including models made by LEGO, some interesting models that I found in the internet and even original creations. 

This is a set that includes nearly 600 Technic pieces, an infrared sensor, 3 servo motors (two large and one medium), a touch sensor, a color/brightness sensor  , a remote control that allows you to control the different robots if you wish to, and the most important of all, the programmable "brick" improved over the previous version! Also included is a practice mat to the varied functions of TRACK3R. (Batteries are not included).