ROBOTMAK3RS Blog

The PLAN3 by Ahmad Sahar

This Robot Remix is a combination of

the LEGO MINDSTORMS Set 31313 &

LEGO Technic 42076

The Design Phase:

When I saw the announcement, I immediately checked out the Technic set that was going to be used. Set 42076 is a LEGO Technic Hovercraft, carrying a small truck with interesting mechanisms such as a ramp, a crane, and engines.

I used these elements as my inspiration for the design of my aeroplane. The engines and propellers, and the abundance of flat panels could be used to make wings and control surfaces, and made me think that an aeroplane would be a suitable design. In addition, I thought there may be a way to use the linear actuators to make working cargo doors and undercarriage.

Accordingly, I thought of a twin engine transport plane, similar to a Short Skyvan.

In my initial proposal, I thought I could use one motor to power both propellers, one motor to handle undercarriage retraction and one motor to open and close the cargo doors. I thought it would be cool to have the undercarriage retract automatically as the plane was lifted off the ground, and use the touch sensor to open and close the cargo door. And the bulky and angular shape of the Short Skyvan seemed well suited to the large and angular EV3 brick and motors.

Inspiration from Technic Sets:

I started searching online for details of both the Short Skyvan and the LEGO Technic 42025 set. Based on the three images I found online, the Short Skyvan has a fixed undercarriage, but I decided to make the undercarriage of my model retractable anyway. I also downloaded the building instructions for the 42025 set to get an idea how the main functions were implemented. Straightaway, I realised that I would need to implement the undercarriage in a different way, as 42025 used 3 linear actuators for the undercarriage, and only two came in the set. I also studied the control surface mechanism of 42025, which I thought would be cool to implement.

When I received the Robot Remix sets, the first thing I did was to build the Hovercraft to get a feel for the parts in the set. It was a pretty nice build with a reasonable number of functions. I especially liked the drive/steer mechanism which turned the engine mountings as the model was turned and the rotating props. Then I took apart all the parts and prepared for the remix build.

Creating the Remix:

I decided to start by building the tailplane, using the 42025 instructions as a rough guide. Using the rack found in the Hovercraft set, it was possible to make movable rudders, and I was also able to duplicate the functionality of the elevators. Here's a picture of the first sketch model.

Initially I had to use a gear wheel to move the rudders while the elevators worked the same way as 42025.

I already had an idea of using the EV3 brick to form the cockpit of the plane, and have the display show a graphic of the plane's pilots, so the next step was to construct a frame to hold the EV3 brick. I also managed to connect both rudder and elevators to the joystick so the gear wheel was no longer necessary.

Next I built the wings and ailerons. The wings tended to sag but since I didn't have enough long beams to support them, I had to live with that. Aileron mechanism was similar to that used in another LEGO Technic set, no 42041.

Using the parts in the set, I incorporated two friction clutches so the position of the rudders and ailerons could be adjusted as needed.

Then, I attached an EV3 large motor to the top of the fuselage adjacent to the wings and used axles and gears to transmit the rotation to the two engines, each engine being driven from one side of the large motor. The propellers were are little small, but I thought it was good enough.

The toughest challenge was creating the undercarriage. The nose gear was based on the 42025's design, but since I had only two linear actuators (with one being reserved for the cargo door) I had to build an original solution to retract the main landing gear. This consisted of an EV3 large motor driving the main landing gear mechanism on one side and the nose landing gear mechanism on the other side. I took inspiration from EV3RSTORM's elbow mechanism, which used worm gears to move the forearms up and down, for the main landing gear. While that worked, I found that the retraction/lowering rate of the main landing gear and nose landing gear was different, so I had to add an additional large gear wheel to the nose landing gear mechanism to make the rates match.

How it Works:

The PLAN3 features an undercarriage that can support the plane's weight. It features a rear cargo door similar to the one in Technic 42025. There is a display stand so that you can easily operate all the features of the model.

Several sensors offer additional interactive functionalities. An IR sensor and the touch sensors are on the model's nose, and a color sensor is located just behind the wings. Since the model is now on a display stand, I scrapped my original idea of making the undercarriage retract when the model was lifted off the ground and programmed it to retract if you wave your hand in front of the touch sensor. The engines are programmed to start when to pressed the touch sensor, and the cargo door to open and closed when you touch the color sensor.

Watch the video below to see how PLAN3 works.

Building Instructions:

Ready to build one too? You can download the building instructions here. The code can be downloaded here.

This project is dedicated to Vassilis Chryssanthakopoulos, who sadly passed away in February 2018. He is featured as one of the two pilots on the EV3's screen.

Thank you to Asha Seshan for the help editing and creating this article.

One Set, Infinite Possibilities: Meet Coder Shah

A LEGO MINDSTORMS set brings with it infinite possibilities. There are five robots featured on the box: EV3RSTORM, TRACK3R, SPIK3R, R3PTAR, and GRIPP3R. When you are done with those you can start to build the twelve bonus models, ranging from a printer to a silly robot named, KRAZ3.

LEGO is a building block, meant to be built, taken apart and built again. The LEGO MINDSTORMS 31313 set is no different. STEM trainer, Ahmad Sahar (aka Coder Shah), from Malaysia, maximizes the potential of the 31313 set. He is a prolific builder, with seemingly no end of ideas for how to make something new using just one set. He takes the 31313 set and transforms it from an imperial walker one week, to a race car the next, to an animal the week after.

Initially, Ahmad began building with one set because that is all he had. He wanted to share a different model with his classes each week. As time passed, it became a fun challenge for him to only use the parts from one set. A limited number of parts forces the creator to become more creative and also come up with solutions to having limited parts. His work is imaginative and clever.

One of his best known creations is ROOST3R (PDF). It was featured at LEGO House in Billund, Denmark for the 20^th anniversary of MINDSTORMS in September 2018.

A few months earlier, the same set was transformed into a Halloween WYTCH3 riding a broom (PDF). Ahmad is able to take the same set of parts and with just a little bit of imagination build something new. Imagine what you can do with just one set!

We asked Ahmad if he had any tips for builders who also want to build with just one set. He said, "You are never going to be able to create a 100% perfect replica of anything. It's okay." The hardest part of building with just one set is the limited use of parts. Ahmad's advice is: "Be creative with how you use parts. Gears have become wheels on the TUMBL3r model, swords have become tail features on ROOST3R and WYTCH3 models, mudguards and panels have become an EAST3R BUNNY's (PDF) head and ears, and wheels are used as eyes on several models."

To see Ahmad's one-set models and get building instructions for them all, visit the Coder Shah YouTube Channel. If you are in Malaysia, you might be lucky enough to attend one of his classes too.

Chinese New Year falls on the 5th of February this year. Are you ready to celebrate with good food, good friends...and of course, some MINDSTORMS robots?

In the Chinese calendar, each year is associated in an animal from the Chinese Zodiac, and this year is the Year of the Pig.

Celebrate Year of the Pig with MINDSTORMS:

So let's get started with a MINDSTORMS pig by Coder Shah, calledPORK3R. This fun creation can walk forward and backward, and its head bobs up and down when it walks! You can build this model just using the parts from the LEGO MINDSTORMS 31313 set. This video shows you the building instructions.

If you have the 42050 Drag Racerset as well as the 31313 set, you can an alternative version called TROTT3R, also designed by Coder Shah. TROTT3R is a more complex model that can walk and turn. It also has a massive eight cylinder engine at the back with working pistons.

Other Animals from the Chinese Zodiac:

If you have more time, you might like to build some of the other animals in the Chinese Zodiac.

Zodiac Image by the Chinese Embassy of Norway

How about building a sneaky snake called RAPT3R, or a friendly EV3 PUPPY? Coder Shah also has a ROOST3R, BUNNY, and MONKEY models available to you through his YouTube Channel. And of course, you can even build a majestic dragon calledSAPHIROby AntonVanhoucke.

Chinese Lion Dance

The Lion Dance is a common entertainment during Chinese New Year. Two performers don a Chinese Lion costume with the one in front puppeteering a large lion head. Now you can recreate the Lion Dance with MINDSTORMS.

Once again, Coder Shah has designed a Lion Dance MINDSTORMS model for both the retail and education sets. The lions can open their mouths and walk around.

I hope all of you have a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year, and have fun building all these cool models. If you make any cool models on your own, related to Chinese New Year, feel free to share them at the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Facebook Group. We would love to see them and try to build them too.

Until the next time, be well and take care.

Guest blog by Ahmad Sahar. Edited by Asha Seshan.

Food Truck by Young-jun YI

Robot Remixes offer new possibilities for your MINDSTORMS set. The Food Truck Robot Remix is a combination of the LEGO MINDSTORMS 31313 set and LEGO Technic 42076 set. It was created by Young-jun YI, a ROBOTMAKER from Korea.

Using MINDSTORMS, the Technic Hovercraft set is brought to life.

The Design Phase:

Young-jun came up with the idea to create a MINDSTORMS food truck when he saw the two sets. He was inspired by the propellers and linear actuators in the Technic 42076 set. The propeller parts looked like the exhausts of a food truck to him. The linear actuators could be used to open and close a door on the side of the truck just like in a real food truck.

A food truck is a common sight in all major cities around the world. The side of the truck lifts up to reveal a vendor who prepares and serves the food from inside the truck itself. The elements in the Technic set gave Young-jun the inspiration to create a truck with a side that lifts up. He started with the following detailed sketch which included the two key LEGO elements and explained how the mechanization might work.

How it Works:

Young-jun's final model remains very close to his original sketch. The mechanism for this model is simple. The side door is activated using the touch sensor. The same sensor is used to both lift open and close the door. In addition, the vendor inside the truck serves food when activated using the infrared sensor. When you wave your hand in front of the infrared sensor, the vendor raises his arms and serves two options. When you pick one of the options, the vendor says, "Thank you!"

For additional playability, you can manipulate the wheels of the food truck and spin the large propeller blades by hand. You can watch the video below to see the model in action.

Build Instructions and Code:

You can build a Food Truck yourself using these build instructions and this code.

Acknowledgements:

A special thank you Chung Su Yeon for assisting with translations.

Robot Remix #5 - Hungry Hippo
By Joe Meno

Are you hungry for a brand new game?

Hungry Hippo is a cross between LEGO MINDSTORMS 31313 and LEGO Technic 42076. The two sets are combined to recreate an electronic version of the very popular children's game called "Hungry Hungry Hippos." The goal of the game is to see which player "eats" the most balls.

In this MINDSTORMS version, a single player plays against the EV3.

Design Idea:

Joe came up with the idea while looking at a McDonald's Happy Meal version of a Hungry Hungry Hippos toy his niece was playing with. He also wanted his remix idea to be interactive game with a a user. Looking at the parts in the two sets, he was knew he could create "hippos" in different colors and the use the flat panels for the bottom of the game board.

Joe started with a sketch of his design. He did have to alter the design from a 4-player to a 2-player game (one user and one computer player). He also moved the ball lift to the edge. As a result, the EV3 moved to the front and the touch sensor was used as a controller.

How it Works:

There are two players - the EV3 and the user. Each controls a "hippo". The EV3 continually runs the white hippo. The red "hippo" player hits the touch sensor to make the mouth move. By having a rail beam where the head rests, the motor mechanically raises and lowers the head with each revolution. A ball lift is run by a medium motor that is activated by the score sensors (infrared and color).

At the beginning of the game, the score to win is set by using the EV3 buttons to go higher or lower than the default number of 5. After that, the balls are lifted and released on to the game board.

When the EV3 (white hippo) eats a ball, it falls down a slope and is detected by the IR sensor (set to proximity). When the sensor is tripped, there is a delay and then a ball lift command sent to the lift motor. After the ball lift is activated and the score is recorded. When the user (red hippo) eats a ball, it falls down a slope and is detected by the color sensor (set to red to match the ball color). When tripped, the program cycles just like it does for the white hippo. The ball feed can be activated by the user during the game by pressing the center EV3 button - this is done to keep all the balls in play.

The biggest challenge in this design was the dimpled balls in the 31313 set. Building the lift took some trial and error, but Joe was able to make a single ball feed. However, the red balls in the MINDSTOMRS set are not truly round - there is a dimple that is large enough to stop the ball's motion. The result was that the balls would get trapped under the game board from time to time. This was fixed by manually pushing the ball to the ball feed.

Building Instructions and Code:

If you want to build one too, building instructions and code are available for download.

LEGO World Copenhagen 2019

LEGO World was held in Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark between February 14-17. Many creators from the ROBOTMAK3RS community were featured at the event. One of the highlights was a visit by the owner of the LEGO Group, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen.

Marc-André Bazergui brought with him his newest creation, FLAG5. Visitors to the booth were able to select a flag using a dial and the MINDSTORMS arm moved to the correct flag and waved it. David Lechner brought a music box. Visitors were able to compose their own music by coloring back squares with a pen. Next a MINDSTORMS machine played the notes back. Classics such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Start and other Danish songs were played at the event.

Menno Gorter brought with him a series of walkers. Some of the walkers can be built with just one 31313 or 45544 set. These walkers mesmerized the crowds with their intricate movements. You can read more about his walkers here.

In the center of the booth were the three mighty dragons by Lee Magpili. With their moving eyelids and graceful movements, they captured the imaginations of young and old who passed by.

Anton Vanhoucke brought with him his Robot Remix 5 featured on this blog site and two brand new Robot Remix 6 models - a Lizard and a Mech Suit which will be featured in future posts.

Anika Vuurzoon had a new Robot Remix called Caterpillar as well as her Hedgehog. The youngest of MINDSTORMS users had a great time taking care of their hedgehog pets as they moved from area to area. For example, when in the yellow area, the hedgehog liked to play with a yellow ball. When she was in the blue area, she wanted to be washed. Little girls and boys enjoyed interacting with the hedgehog.

Sanjay and Arvind Seshan brought a newly updated Color Catch3r game programmed in python. The controllers used ultrasonic sensors, allowing visitors to control their players using their hands. They were inspired by their mentor, Vassilis Chrysanthakopoulos to create these controllers. Anika, Sanjay and Arvind decided to demonstrate the power of collaboration and added new players to Color Catch3r. Anika's hedgehog and Bazmarc's KRAZ3 soon joined in on the fun. You can watch a video here.

Martyn Boogarts had a novel sumo robot challenge where players could customize their robots using a collection of elements and then control the robots using magic wand. The magic wand featured different colors at the ends. When placed over the color sensor on the sumo robot, the robot took different actions. Hundreds of children and adults enjoyed playing this version of MINDSTORMS sumo.

Eric Steenstra drew in the crowds with his giant MINDSTORMS ball and cabinet filled with the twelve EV3 bonus models. He entertained young and old by pulling wheelchairs over the four days.

Finally, the MINDSTORMS entire team paid tribute to Vassilis Chrysanthakopoulos by wearing bracelets made with his signature elements.

Robot Remix #6

Since 2015, the ROBOTMAK3R community has been challenged to use their imagination and come up with a new model combining the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® 31313 set and a single Technic set. This gave rise to the very first #ROBOTREMIX.

Today, I am proud to announce that we are on our sixth remix series. The makers were challenged to combine LEGO® MINDSTORMS 31313 with LEGO® Technic Forest Machine (42080). Many amazing ideas were proposed, and based on their design submissions, four were selected to become a reality.

The first four Robot Remixes for 2019 are: CAT3RPILLAR by Anika and Nard, LIZARD by Anton, STREET CLEAN3R by Arvind and Sanjay, and AFRICAN SNAIL by Emmanuel.

During the next several months, we will share the story behind each creation, including preliminary sketches, behind-the-scences insights and of course, building instructions and code so that you can build one too.

Do you have an idea for how to combine MINDSTORMS with the Technic Forest Machine? Let us know in the comments.

Have you ever remixed MINDSTORMS and Technic sets before? Let us know so that we can feature your remix in a future post.

The Cat3rpillar by Anika Vuurzoon and Nard Strijbosch

The Caterpillar is a unique combination of the LEGO Technic Forest Machine (42080) and LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 31313 set.

Design Idea:

Anika and Nard have a background in building LEGO animals. Therefore, when given the opportunity come up with their own remix design, their first thought was to construct an animal. The Technic Forest Machine set comes with pneumatic elements and this gave them the idea to create an animal that would crawl. The green panels in the Technic set were a perfect fit for this project. The idea of a caterpillar was born!

They started with an initial design sketch. The most challenge part of the construction was making the caterpillar crawl as fast as possible. To do this, they had to gear up the pneumatic pump to make it pump fast enough to ensure that there was sufficient air pressure.

Although the final design has all the functions in the original sketch, Anika and Nard did have to redesign their model a few times given that they were limited to the elements available in the two sets. For example, given the limited number of green panels, they had to come up with a few different designs for the body of the caterpillar. The end result is a very friendly, crawling, green Cat3rpillar powered by MINDSTORMS and pneumatics.

How it Works:

The touch sensor is used to activate the crawling mechanism on the Cat3pillar. The pneumatic cylinders make the caterpillar move forward. The pneumatic switch is controlled by the EV3 brick. When an obstacle is confronted by the insect, the caterpillar stops moving. The Infrared sensor is used to detect the obstacle. The color sensor is used for an additional interactive feature. When the Cat3rpillar sees green, the head will move. When it sees red, the head will stop.

Watch the video to see how it all works.

Build Instructions and Code:

You can create your own Cat3rpillar using the following instructions.

The second of 4 models designed by the community for Robot Remix #6 is called LIZARD by Anton Vanhoucke.

We asked him to tell us a bit more about how this idea came to be, his design process and challenges he faced building the LIZARD.

Because of the green parts in the Forest Machine I looked for green animals. There weren't many. Mostly crocodiles, dinosaurs and lizards. I figured I'd make the LEGO model curve while walking like a real lizard. I was lucky to find that the forest machine includes two turn tables! These would make for nice body joints. To be sure it would work I did a rough model in Studio and sketched over it on my iPad.

When I got the sets and started building I discovered that my Studio model didn't work. The legs needed a better mechanism and the torso twisted the wrong way. That was a bit of a set-back. I also hoped at first that it would walk with only it's legs and the tail for balance, but I had to put wheels under the belly eventually. In the end I wanted the movement to look cool and realistic, more than that it was a real walker.

The legs were the part that I redid the most. Even with the wheels under the belly they take a lot of stress, especially when the lizard walks real fast. After the stress test of LEGO World Copenhagen I took the lizard apart one last time to build the sturdiest version I could think. Now it can walk quite fast without breaking. -Anton.

The building instructions do not yet include the stand for the lizard. It was built that with the remix part too, and I will make some building instructions later. Get the full story here: https://antonsmindstorms.com/2019/03/31/liz4rd-robot-remix-6/

The model contains 711 parts, took 2 hours to design, 40 hours to build and 8 hours to program.

Building instructions are here:

https://antonsmindstorms.com/2019/03/31/liz4rd-robot-remix-6/#building-instructions

Programming instructions are here:

https://antonsmindstorms.com/2019/03/31/liz4rd-robot-remix-6/#programming-instructions

MINDSTORMS is a versatile platform that allows for infinite creativity. Many users have great fun incorporating MINDSTORMS into holiday traditions. You can use your MINDSTORMS set to decorate eggs, serve candy, play songs, and even write holiday cards.

With Easter holidays coming, here are a few ideas for Easter-related builds and several more to inspire you for the rest of the year too!

Decorate with Ease

JK Brickworks uses the MINDSTORMS set as an egg decorating tool. Pick your design and you are ready to go! This is a great addition to your Easter celebration. Build Instructions are available here.

Spring into some Fun!

How about serving candy to guests with this BOOST bunny for Easter?

Create Holiday Decoration

Ahmad Sahar re-imagines the MINDSTORMS 31313 set into a witch for Halloween. Imagine surprising trick-or-treaters who come to your door with this witch riding a broom!

Play Music

You can use multiple MINDSTORMS sets to create generate music and entertain guests for Christmas. In this video Damien Kee uses three MINDSTORMS sets to play a Christmas carol. He uses Bluetooth to communicate between the bricks. You can adapt this design to celebrate any holiday!

Automate Holiday Cards

Sanjay and Arvind Seshan use multiple MINDSTORMS sets to automate the process of creating Holiday Cards. Watch the video to see a helpful machine that even Santa could use!

If you create a holiday-themed robot, be sure to share it with us on the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Group.

STREET CLEAN3R

By Arvind and Sanjay Seshan

Are you ready to have Street Clean3r clean up your LEGO messes?

Now you can have a table top LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 helper. Street Clean3r is a re-imagination of the LEGO Technic Forest Machine (42080) and LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 31313 set.

Design Concept and Evolution:

Original hand-drawn idea

The initial design was inspired by the green panels in the logger set. Combined with the yellow 2X2 circles with spikes and all the extra wheels, it had the potential of becoming a street cleaning truck. The goal was to incorporate some of the unique elements in the 42080 set, including the pneumatics and Power Functions elements.

Adding the Operator

Compact Street Cleaner

Once the sets were received, the creators realized that there were not so many green panels in the Technic set to cover up all the sides of a large truck. Therefore, a more compact design would be needed.

Their inspiration came from the Tennant Green Machine 525 Outdoor Sweeper (see image) which is a smaller compact street cleaner model with green, black, and white elements as well as two brushes in the front.

They decided that this was the form factor and look that they would aim for. The creators began by constructing the chassis and determining the location of the drive motors. They next added the EV3 brick to the back. They created the front sweeper brushes using rotating gears.

Ride on Sweeper

As the original design idea included operating the machine using the Infrared beacon in the 31313 set, they added the Infrared sensor to the new compact model. When adding the sensor, it resembled a human’s eyes and gave them the idea to create a driver for his Street Clean3r. The Large Motor could be made to look like a control panel for the operator and the medium motor could be concealed as the body of the driver. With a few added elements of arms and legs, the Clean3r was converted into having a human rider operating the machine.

The next step was to add the mechanics for the pneumatics in the back. The LEGO Power Functions motor and battery were added in the back to enable the trunk to open and close. This would be hand-operated to give the impression of the driver activating the switch. This is paying homage to the original interactive features of the Technic set that allows the child to manually operate some of the levers in their LEGO set.

There were several Technic liftarms left over, so they decided that the Street Clean3r could be converted into a game: collect the trash on the street and deposit them into the dumpster. The end result is a fun one-player Street Clean3r game.

How it Works:

The Large Motor is used to drive the robot forward and backwards. The Medium Motor allows the robot to steer. The second Large Motor is used to operate the brushes of the sweeper in the front. When on, these brushes ingest the the trash and store them under the machine. When the player drives to the dumpster, he/she can reverse the motors and eject all the trash. Want to build one too. Check back for a link to the build instructions and code!

LEGO® MINDSTORMS and Amazon Alexa roll-out voice-based robotics challenge

The LEGO Group and Amazon join forces to introduce the LEGO® MINDSTORMS Voice Challenge: Powered by Alexa – an opportunity for Alexa developers, LEGO MINDSTORMS enthusiasts, and creators around the world to explore and build the future of voice-based experiences through construction and robotics play.

Billund, September 24: The LEGO® MINDSTORMS Voice Challenge: Powered by Alexa announced today allows fans to enter for a chance to win from hundreds of prizes, including one grand prize winner who will take home $20,000 in Amazon Gift Cards, a powerful package of LEGO sets, and a trip to LEGO Headquarters in Denmark — where they will have an opportunity to tour the LEGO House and meet with LEGO designers. In addition, the winner’s creation will be displayed at the annual LEGO World event in Copenhagen.

Since the introduction of the very first LEGO brick, people of all ages have been able to build anything they can imagine. The LEGO product line-up has continued to evolve over the years, including the introduction of branded products and others which introduced new technological capabilities. Recently, the introduction of LEGO MINDSTORMS has delivered a fundamental step-change in the ability of builders to create advanced robotics, including prosthetic arms and a life-sized pinball machine. All of these LEGO products work together to create a universal system, which now has the opportunity to go one step further through the power of Alexa.

“Since its launch in 2013, LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 has delighted its customers by delivering powerful technology in an accessible way, allowing them to learn and build an endless array of imaginative projects,” said Tom Donaldson, Senior Vice President, LEGO Creative Play Lab. “We feel voice is a natural way to interface with technology, and believe it will be a large part of the world of play in the future. We are excited to collaborate with Amazon and provide our creators with the tools needed to create a whole new set of experiences with our iconic products.”

Using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit, fans can now connect LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 to Alexa, in order to unlock a new world of voice-powered experiences. Through this contest, you have the chance to activate your LEGO bin, and think outside the box with a new input — your own voice. Create voice-powered experiences such as an elephant that dances to music, an Ev3Storm robot that defends its territory from invaders, or an immersive skill-based world where your R3Ptar snake responds to voice commands and sensor-based triggers. The possibilities are endless.

“It’s still Day One, and we are just scratching the surface when it comes to the delightful experiences developers can create using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit,” said Miriam Daniel, VP of Alexa and Echo Devices, Amazon. “We feel LEGO and their powerful MINDSTORMS products will allow creators to build interactive experiences that delight, entertain, and inspire us all. We can’t wait to see what is possible with voice in the world of construction and robotics.”

For inspiration, check out this video:

How Does the Challenge Work?

Participants will build a LEGO MINDSTORMS creation that interacts with Alexa via voice using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit. Creations will be judged on voice interaction, innovative LEGO Build, and development process. The accompanying submission package must include a video demonstration and code snippets. With parental consent, 13- to 17-year-old creators can also participate in this challenge. See Official Rules for additional details.

Come for the Fun, Build for the Prizes

All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes:

· Grand Prize — Best Creation Overall (1 Winner): All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes:

One grand prize winner who will take home $20,000 in Amazon Gift Cards, a powerful package of LEGO sets, and a trip to LEGO Headquarters in Denmark — where they will have an opportunity to tour the LEGO House and meet with LEGO designers. In addition, the winner’s creation will be displayed at the annual LEGO World event in Copenhagen.

· Finalists — Top Creations (5 Winners): All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes: Five winners will each receive $10,000 in Amazon.com Gift Cards and $700 in LEGO models.

· Bonus Prize — Best Creation by 13-17-Year Old Creator (1 Winner): All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes: One winner will receive $5,000 in Amazon.com Gift Cards and $700 in LEGO models. To be eligible, you must be 13-17 years old, and your project submission must be accompanied by a parental consent form.

· First 100 Submissions (100 Winners): Each of the first 100 participants to submit a project that meets our requirements will receive a $150 Amazon.com Gift Card. See Submission Checklist for more details.

Participants will have until December 31, 2019 to build their creations and submit the required supporting materials. For a complete list of requirements, see the Official Rules and Submission Checklist.

Start Today!

Excited to start building? Follow these steps today to enter the LEGO MINDSTORMS Voice Challenge: Powered by Alexa.

1. Make sure you have a LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Kit and a compatible Echo device.

2. Register for the contest here.

3. Follow the instructional series to learn how to get your EV3 Brick working with Alexa.

4. Share your creation for a chance to win! Be sure to use these hashtags to share your progress! #legovoicechallenge #poweredbyAlexa

The contest submission window will close on December 31, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and we will announce the winners on January 17, 2020. We look forward to seeing what you create with Alexa and LEGO MINDSTORMS — the possibilities are endless!

LEGO, the LEGO logo, MINDSTORMS and the MINDSTORMS logo are trademarks of the/sont des marques de commerce de/son marcas registradas de LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved/Tous droits réservés/Todos los derechos reservados.

About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.
The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”.
Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more than 140 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com

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Jason Alleman is well known for his LEGO kinetic sculptures and unique MINDSTORMS models. He has a degree in Engineering, and enjoy building models that have some kind of interesting motion. He is an inspiration to other LEGO builders, not only in terms of his amazing creations, but also in how he shares his creative process. His YouTube channel has over 500,000 subscribers. Most recently, he won the grand prize for the Alexa-MINDSTORMS contest.

He is an avid rock climber, and can often be found at the top of a mountain. Jason once spent a year and a half traveling through North America living out of a car, camping, rock climbing, and hiking.

How did you get started building with LEGO bricks?

I’ve been building on and off since I was a child. I didn’t have a large collection growing up – a few Technic sets, some basic brick and a couple of Classic Space sets – but I was hooked from the start. I was especially fascinated by the mechanical capabilities of the Technic system, and I guess I still am today.

Which project (or projects) are you the most proud of? Why?

Probably the kinetic sculptures I’ve built. Sisyphus, the galloping horse, clockwork heart, etc. Most LEGO Technic sets have a very distinctive look, but I really enjoy the challenge of combining the engineering aspects of Technic building with brick built style sculpture.

Where do you find inspiration for new projects?

Inspiration comes from everywhere. Watching videos of cool mechanisms, observing the environment around me, seeing other models people have built, etc. I just try to be open to new ideas when they come.

I never know when inspiration will hit and it it often comes out of nowhere, completely by surprise.

How many iterations do you typically go through when you create your projects?

Many. I usually start with a simple prototype capturing the basic motion / functionality / shaping that I want to achieve, then progressively refine it through subsequent models before ending up with the final result. Typically I’ll build between 3 to 5 different prototypes for a model, each more elaborate than the last.

Prototype, prototype, prototype seems to be my modus operandi.

Do you document your creative process? If so, how and why?

I usually don’t do much documentation while I’m building. I have learned never to take apart one prototype before building the next one though.

There is nothing worse than getting something to work the way I want, then taking it apart to build the next version and forgetting how it went together!

I do occasionally photograph the different stages of a model for the same reason. I often make instructions of my models once they are finished though, so I can share them with others, and also so I can rebuild them if I ever have to take them apart.

What role does failure have in your creative process?

When things don’t work as planned, it’s an opportunity to try different approaches and be more creative. I find this is often when the real magic happens, and is also a great opportunity for learning. I’ve encountered many problems while designing models, and abandoned several projects altogether because they just haven’t worked out. I don’t consider any of these ‘failures’ though, because in each case I learned a lot about different mechanisms, building techniques, and what is possible within the LEGO system.

How do you evaluate your success?

I’m very much internally motivated, so I usually count a model as successful if it achieves my initial goals, often before I’ve even finished the final model. Usually, by the final prototype all of the major technical problems have been solved, and all that’s left to do are the finishing touches. At that point I often find it difficult to actually focus on finishing a model. I’m easily distracted by new projects with new problems to solve.

For students who are ready to go beyond the basics, what project would you recommend to get them motivated, without overwhelming them?

I would say, find a subject matter that you are really excited about and try to build something related to that. I always find it’s an interesting and useful exercise to try and reproduce some real-life mechanism using LEGO components.

Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone. There is so much to be learned by pushing your limits.

Which projects and/or builders have most inspired you?

I’m sure I’m not the first to say, Yoshihito Isogawa is a master of mechanical design.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to build that you haven’t got around to yet?

It’s been on my list for a long time to try and build an automated tower-building MINDSTORMS robot. Someday I’ll get around to it.

How do you store all your pieces?

Mostly in drawer units of different sizes, with most of my pieces sorted by type. I also have bins for extra parts and parts I don’t use very frequently.

To see more of Jason’s work, visit his website and YouTube channel.

[The original version of this article was published on LEGO Engineering. It has been updated and reposted here with the author's permission.]

Anika Vurzoon is a graduate student undertaking Mechanical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. She is well-known for her robotic animals as well as for bringing LEGO Friends and LEGO Elves sets to life with the incorporation of LEGO MINDSTORMS. Anika shares her creations all around the world including at the World Robot Olympiad. Anika’s entire family enjoys building with LEGO. They have a strong passion for nature & technology. Most recently, Anika was one of the top prize winners of the Alexa-MINDSTORMS contest.

How did you get started building with LEGO bricks?I started building with LEGO bricks as a child, and simply never stopped with it. My entire family (Mom, Dad, Ganddad, Sister) build with LEGO, and we build a lot together.

Which project or projects are you the most proud of? Why?
The Elves Treasure Chest. With this project kids have to solve a small puzzle, but it’s also a nice robot to just watch in case there are more kids than puzzles. The project also contains a lot of details which refer to the story of the LEGO elves. The LEGO designers loved my chest so much that they asked me to make a copy of it which is now in Billund.

Where do you find inspiration for new projects?Everywhere! New LEGO sets, games, animals, kids playing with my robots at events…

How many iterations do you typically go through when you create your projects?I start with an idea and a brainstorm session, for this I discuss a lot with my Dad who also builds with LEGO. After that, I look for more details to the subject, in case of the treasure chest I had to read the story behind the LEGO Elves. When building the Shark or the Duck I looked on the Internet for information about the look and behavior of these animals.

The next step is to make a prototype. Often I don’t have enough bricks to build the entire project, so I make a prototype with the bricks I have, which results in a multicolor duck for example. When the prototype is finished I order the right bricks, to make the duck white instead of all kind different colors. When the brick arrive I finish the project.

“Often I don’t have enough bricks to build the entire project, so I make a prototype with the bricks I have…”

Do you document your creative process? If so, how and why?I don’t document the process of my project, only the end result. For every project I make a YouTube video which you can find on my channel.

What role does failure have in your creative process?
Failure happens with every project and can be really annoying. But it makes you think longer about the project, which often results in a better solution for the problem.

How do you evaluate your success?I often do an evaluation of my project with my Dad, mostly when I’m still working on the project. Someone else’s opinion really helps you to keep thinking about solutions, which makes the robot work better and look nicer. When a robot is finished I show them at events to kids and their parents. Their opinions show me how nice it is to play with the robot and how good the robot looks.

For students who are ready to go beyond the basics, what project would you recommend to get them motivated, without overwhelming them?
Try to make a robot that behaves like an animal. Start with a robot that avoid obstacles. And then add functions as random speed, making turns/sounds at random moments. Let the robot react on people, for instance with the touch sensor.

What’s your favourite building technique?I like to combine Technic bricks with normal LEGO bricks. I use the Technic bricks for the movements and use the regular LEGO bricks for making the robot look nice.

You can view Anika’s creations on her family’s YouTube channel.

[Original article written in LEGO Engineering. Reposted here with author's permission.]

Yoshihito Isogawa is the author of the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Idea Book and the LEGO Power Functions Idea Book series, as well as other LEGO titles. In addition to creating LEGO moving models and conducting educational workshops and events using LEGO bricks, he is a judge for World Robot Olympiad (WRO) and for FIRST LEGO League (FLL) in Japan.

How did you get started building with LEGO bricks?

When I was about four or five years old, my parents bought me a LEGO set. Before then, I loved playing with blocks that were not LEGO bricks. A couple of years later, having saved my allowance, I bought an early version of the LEGO Technic series. I have enjoyed building with LEGO bricks ever since.

Which project (or projects) are you the most proud of? Why?

It is difficult to choose. More than that, I feel pride and joy when I look at the creations of children inspired by my projects and books.

Where do you find inspiration for new projects?

Suddenly an idea comes into my mind. It happens often when I am walking, when I am relaxing in the bath, or when I am in a comfortable morning doze. I grab hold on to this fleeting idea that is in my head for just a moment.

How many iterations do you typically go through when you create your projects?

I iterate as many times as possible from the nearly completed state to the perfect one. I spend the most time finishing the project.

Do you document your creative process? If so, how and why?

I don’t document the process of my project, because there is a possibility that I could be bound to it by doing that. The process of creation is always in flux and continues to change. I enjoy having this flexibility.

What role does failure have in your creative process?

A failure (the movement which is different from the goal) becomes the source of the primitive idea for another project. In other words, the more failures I have, the more ideas I will have.

“In other words, the more failures I have, the more ideas I will have.”

How do you evaluate your success?

When children play with my machines and robots at hands-on exhibitions, I can see the weak points of my projects. So, they are updated after the exhibition. Hence, my creations evolve into stronger and better ones.

Also, kids sometimes find new ways of playing that are unexpected and surprise me. Anyway, it is very important for me to let kids (and adults who are kids at heart) play with my models.

For students who are ready to go beyond the basics, what project would you recommend to get them motivated, without overwhelming them?

Some students grow with the motivation “to compete with others”. Others grow with the motivation “to create something they like”. I think that it is necessary for teachers/coaches to understand this and provide students appropriate challenges.

As for myself, I really like to let students build their own models freely by giving them a big theme, such as “a robot that surprises people” or “a robot that does something with a card”.

What’s your favourite building technique?

My concept of building models is to create “amazing creations” in almost the same conditions that the kids have. Therefore, I don’t make huge models with a large numbers of parts, and I try not to use hard-to-obtain parts. Furthermore, I try to not use programs except the programming application for LEGO kits.

My models are created with these conditions in mind. As a result, I hope kids get inspired by them.

To see more of Yoshihito Isogawa’s work, visit his YouTube Channel and follow him on Facebook.

[Original article written in LEGO Engineering. Reposted here with author's permission.]

Exciting news for LEGO robotics fans! Today, LEGO announced the newest member of the MINDSTORMS family. LEGO 51515 MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor set is a 5-in-1 set for ages ten and up. Get ready to build, code, play, and rebuild as many times as you want!

The new MINDSTORMS set features five unique designs you construct using the 949 elements available in the set. Robot Inventor even features a remote control that allows you to use your own controller using Bluetooth. There are more than 50 built-in coding challenges and activities using a drag-and-drop coding language based on Scratch. In addition, more advanced users can now program in Python. This allows MINDSTORMS to grow with your child and opens up many new possibilities for adult fans as well.

The five main models are:

Blast – an action hero model that stands over 36cm tall

Charlie – a playful sidekick

Tricky – an athlete who enjoys playing sports

Gelo – a four-legged robot that can perform tricks

M.V.P – a Modular Vehicle Platform that transforms into a buggy, crane, shooter turret or brick-eating truck

Robot Inventor’s new Hub features a 5X5 light matrix, a 6-axis gyro sensor (3-axis gyro and 3-axis accelerometer), a micro USB port, a speaker and a rechargeable battery. Connectivity is via Bluetooth.

The set will come with four medium motors, a color sensor, and a distance sensor. These new motors have an integrated rotation sensor with absolute positioning. The color sensor recognizes eight colors and measures both reflected and ambient light. Finally, the distance sensor has programmable LED lights surrounding it and has an integrated 6-pin adapter for third-party sensors, boards and DIY hardware. This feature is likely to open up some great new opportunities for building, programming, and learning with MINDSTORMS.

You can learn more by visiting the LEGO website and reading the official press release. The 51515 Robot Inventor is expected to be available for purchase in Autumn 2020.

The ROBOTMAK3RS community hopes that the new LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor 51515 inspires even more children and adults to explore the world of LEGO robotics. We are excited to see what you will create with this newest generation of MINDSTORMS.

Please share your ideas and creations in our newest group LEGO Robot Inventor Community.

The ROBOTMAK3RS sponsored a community Smart Boat Contest. Participants were challenged with the task of creating a smart boat that includes MINDSTORMS, BOOST, Powered UP, CONTROL+, WeDO or SPIKE Prime. The boat did not have to float on water. The winner of the contest was Hector Fernando Palomino Gutierrez from Lima, Peru.

Hector has been building with LEGO robots since 2012. He took a course called "Introduction to Mechatronics Engineering" at his university. One of the tasks in the course was to build a robot with an NXT core set to complete a challenge. That experience made him fall in love with LEGO MINDSTORMS. In 2015, he got a job as a high school teacher in educational robotics and now he continues working with MINDSTORMS.

To come up with this design, Hector started by looking for inspiration on Google and YouTube. When none of the models were to his liking, he started thinking about the WRO robots his students have made. He remembered that every robot has some type of clamping or collection mechanism. He found a robotic arm design on LEGO Education's website. He felt the arm would be perfect for his ship as it would resemble a real-life rescue ship with a crane. He had to make several modifications to the design, but that robotic arm was the source of his inspiration.

For his submission, Hector created a Rescue Ship powered by an EV3. The main feature of the design is robotic arm designed to rescue anyone lost at sea. The design features four motors. One motor is use to control the direction of the shop and for rotating the arm. One motor is used to used to control the movement of the boat and is connected to the propeller. A third motor is used to raise and lower the arm. Finally, a medium motor is used to open and close the claw. An ultrasonic sensor is used to measure the distance to the target and a gyro sensor is used to intelligently control the arm and the ship's position.

The most challenging aspect of the construction was meeting the deadline since he only discovered the contest two weeks prior. He works until 8PM each night. Therefore he had only 8PM till 2AM every day to build the ship. He was exhausted by the end of the contest, but found it worthwhile.

Another challenging aspect was incorporating the ultrasonic sensor into the design. He had almost completed the build when he realized that he had forgotten to add the sensor to the ship. It was a unique challenge of find space and also ensuring that the ship stayed balanced. It took another two nights of work to finish this aspect.

See the Rescue Boat in action here:

We also want to recognize the following finalists for their outstanding creations:

Moz Malej created a unique smart boat using LEGO Boost and LEGO City bricks. His idea was to create a stable platform for the Captain of the boat so that even when waves hit, the platform at the top of the boat remains horizontal, allowing the Captain to pilot his ship safely. Link

Katherine and Daniel worked together to create an elaborate scene involving a floating coastguard ship powered by an NXT and an island full of pirates. They programmed their smart boat to automatically aim and attack color-coded targets to rescue a stranded Pizza Man. Link

CR8 Alor Setar designed an EV3-based colorful catamaran. He used elements from 42077, 45444 and a few additional Technic panels. Although not tested on water, this design is sure to catch the eye. Link

Dicky Laban created an all-terrain crawler that can even float with Powered UP. His clever design of paddles allows the smart boat to navigate through the water. Link

For your inspiration, we would also like to highlight a few projects created by the ROBOTMAK3RS themselves.

Anton Vanhoucke used an EV3 and wind to power his land yacht. The sail was constructed from the the play mat included in the 31313 set. His clever construction is sure to provide hours of entertainment on a windy day.

Ahmad Sahar recreated the iconic Mickey Mouse Steam Boat Willie scene using an EV3.

Dimitri Dekyvere created an entire port using the LEGO MINDSTORMS 45544 and 42064 Ocean Explorer sets.

We hope these ideas inspire you. You can learn more about the ROBOTMAK3RS here.

LEGO robotics is a great way to develop creativity and STEM skills in children. In this blog post, we highlight some children who are learning by building and programming robots.

The ROBOTMAK3RS are committed to inspiring and fostering the next generation of inventors, engineers and programmers through our events, workshops and competitions.

Every quarter, we run a community build contest with a theme. Children are permitted to enter. In this article, we highlight the work of some entrants in our last contest as well as work we have seen posted by children across our six ROBOTMAK3R Facebook Groups.

Siddarth Agarwala from Houston, TX started out on a FIRST LEGO League team. Having aged out of the program now, he not only mentors other teams, but is taking his building and programming skills to the next level. Siddarth built this amazing model that combines LEGO MINDSTORMS with Raspberry Pi to play Rock-Paper-Scissors. His project made the top 6 in the ROBOTMAK3RS Game Design Competition in September 2020. Judges were very impressed with the sophistication of his project and how he incorporated multiple platforms into his design.

How it Works: The MINDSTORMS brick randomly chooses between Rock, Paper or Scissors and sends that information to the Raspberry Pi. The Pi uses a speaker to tell the use what the brick chose. The microphone on the Pi records whatever the user says. Since the model uses voice control, the user has to verbalize his or her next move. However, they may chose to physically show their move for fun as well. The Raspberry Pi then compares the input from the user and the output from the MINDSTORMS to determine who wins the round. The results are announced via the speaker. After this, the robot asks the player for a fist bump. The robot returns to its starting position and starts pumping the pneumatics again for the next round.

Diego Barreda, an eight-year old from Mexico, is developing his STEM skills using SPIKE Prime. Recently, he built the Labyrinth. It is a maze game controlled by the built-in gyro sensor in the SPIKE Prime Hub. Diego's entry also made top six in the ROBOTMAK3RS Game Design Challenge. The judges were very impressed with Diego's creativity, coding skills and explanations. Here is a link to Diego's work.

Two young brothers on YouTube are also creating robotics lessons for Spanish-speaking children. These boys are inspiring future engineers with their content on MINDSTORMS. We love their energy and enthusiasm.

Sai Pranav is a ten-year-old student in Goa, India, using LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 to learn math and science. You can watch his Ted talk on the impact of using LEGO robots here.

Follow our Facebook Groups and look out for our quarterly contests.

Edward Young is a 19-year old mathematics student in the Czech Republic. He has been building with MINDSTORMS and Technic ever since he received the NXT 2.0 set in 2009. He has been creating machines of various types since then. LEGO MINDSTORMS played a part in developing his interest in math and science.

Recently, Edward won the grand prize in the ROBOTMAK3RS Community Challenge for his RoBoxers design. Participants were asked to design a game using any LEGO robotics platform of their choice. Edward designed a boxing game made up of two robots.

What inspired you to create this project?

Three years ago there was a “battle bot” competition held by another AFOL website. I entered a video of a spinning robot with some ridiculous durability tests. I didn’t have any success then, but I really liked the idea of two LEGO robots competing with their strength and durability. So this idea stayed with me, though I never got around to it. Then I saw the ROBOTMAK3RS Game Contest and it was obvious what I had to do. I decided against a fight to the death, because I’ve come to care for my bricks since that earlier video and the game would have to be reusable, too. I tried to make robots that would fall apart on purpose when hit in a certain spot, but they were unstable and the game didn’t work very well. So I arrived at the final design — an artificial fighter that can’t be beaten, but can be hit in a few tender areas and a weaker, but resilient opponent controlled by a human.

How long did it take you to design and build your robot?

It took just under a week to complete the first viable prototypes and their programming. I came back to the models a few times over the course of another week, tweaking and perfecting the design.

How does the model work?

ROCK3Y’s legs are a reinforced version of the ones on the Alpha Rex model from my beloved Mindstorms NXT 2.0 set. They use one touch sensor each to keep track of the position of the legs. There is a third touch sensor attached to the back of the robot. Two targets on the robot’s chest are connected by a liftarm that presses the touch sensor when either of the targets is hit. These targets are worth 50 points. The EV3 brick buttons also serve as targets, they are much harder to press down and are therefore worth 100 points. The EV3 brick counts this score and keeps a file with the high score.

The large EV3 motors that power the arms double as the robot’s fists. Their weight makes for some very hard punches. The arms are attached at such an angle that, when ROCK3Y throws a punch, the extended arm shields the chest targets, making it extra hard to score.

Finally, we arrive at the head. The design is an homage to EV3RSTORM from the MINDSTORMS EV3 retail set. ROCK3Y uses the beacon tracking function of the IR sensor to search for his opponent. The program simply works to keep the opponents facing each other and makes ROCK3Y approach when he is facing the opponent. Once he gets within arm’s reach he braces his legs in a stable position and then chooses randomly between a left hook, a right hook and a shove (both arms punch at the same time). This decision is repeated every 0.5 seconds. The IR sensor also allows another human to control ROCK3Y in Person vs Person play.

Hubby’s legs are a reinforced version of my earlier work (a walking LEGO robot pictured below). One Technic L motor moves both legs to make the robot walk forward. An axle is fed through each leg and powers a pair of wheels in the feet which spin in opposite directions and make the robot turn. It’s almost like how humans turn when walking by twisting their ankle.

The XL motors that power the arms again double as the robot’s fists. Hubby’s punches are much faster than ROCK3Y’s, but he can’t push with as much strength.

The Technic HUB is attached to Hubby’s back. It’s protected by a pair of axles that protrude from the back. These axles are attached in such a way that you have to overcome a lot of friction to push them in, which breaks the impact when the robot falls on its back. The hub’s internal gyro detects falls and Hubby’s programming then stops responding for five seconds as penalty.

Hubby’s head is built around the EV3 IR beacon, which allows ROCK3Y to see him.

Here is a high-level look at the code for each of the robots:

What was something you found most challenging about this design?

I don’t own an EV3 gyro sensor so ROCK3Y could never be able to detect his falls. I decided that, therefore, he could never even be allowed to fall over. The most challenging part of the design was to make ROCK3Y’s legs and their programming strong enough to achieve this.

The legs used on Hubby were much more work, I spent a month or two making them work well. But that was for an earlier robot of mine so I had them in my repertoire, so to speak.

What is your one piece of advice to a young robot maker about creating such robots?

The best thing about LEGO is there is no wasting material — you can rebuild as many times as you wish. My advice for building LEGO robots is prototyping. Put together a simple version of what you want to achieve, test it, learn from it and improve upon it. And don’t give up when the prototype is “good enough” — finish when you are happy with the result.

Have you made anything else?

My favourites are a Lamp that tracks what you do on your desk because the programming uses some nice maths, a Santa Claus that delivers presents in his sleigh because it came together so well with so many moving functions and a Transforming Monster Truck. I am currently working on a mechanical calculator that will perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division!

You can follow Edward's YouTube Channel.

STORM-LEV3L

by Mike Dobson and David Gilday

STORM-LEV3L is a fully playable, physical realisation of a classic arcade platform-style game, brought to life through LEGO. This unique idea was inspired by the #robotremix4 challenge to create a design using only the elements from a LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 set, 31313, and a LEGO TECHNIC Air Race Jet set number 42066.

The Storyline:

In the game, astronaut Stev3, is trapped in a cavern on an alien planet after an asteroid storm forced down his spaceship. He was hurled from his craft on impact, and became disorientated and lost. You get to control Stev3 as he tries to escape the cavern. It is up to you to help him through the physical and mental challenges that must be overcome along the way. You must draw on all your ingenuity to find the way back to the spaceship as quickly as possible to escape from the hostile planet and return safely home.

Game Features:

There are a number of interesting features in the final design. The character is connected to a two-dimensional delta-style mechanism driven by two large EV3 servo motors. This can move him anywhere within the game area. Swinging platforms and a gate are driven by the EV3 medium servo motor which is also used to switch the Power Functions motor from the Technic set on and off. This motor, in turn, drives a collection of gears, conveyer belts and turbines which fully integrate with the game play. There are also several passive mechanical elements including a drawbridge and a ball contraption with which the player must interact. The game is played using a traditional-style hand-held joypad built around the EV3 infrared remote control.

The EV3 intelligent brick contains a digital map of the level allowing seamless player control and interaction with the play area objects. In-game sound effects, musical demo mode and scoring system also add to the fun.

Are you ready to face the challenge and excitement? Can you achieve the perfect score of one million points? Build instructions and code can be downloaded here.

The PLAN3 by Ahmad Sahar

The Design Phase:

Inspiration from Technic Sets:

Creating the Remix:

How it Works:

Building Instructions:

One Set, Infinite Possibilities: Meet Coder Shah

Celebrate Year of the Pig with MINDSTORMS:

Other Animals from the Chinese Zodiac:

Chinese Lion Dance

Food Truck by Young-jun YI

The Design Phase:

How it Works:

Build Instructions and Code:

Acknowledgements:

Robot Remix #5 - Hungry HippoBy Joe Meno

Design Idea:

How it Works:

LEGO World Copenhagen 2019

Robot Remix #6

The Cat3rpillar by Anika Vuurzoon and Nard Strijbosch

Design Idea:

How it Works:

Build Instructions and Code:

The second of 4 models designed by the community for Robot Remix #6 is called LIZARD by Anton Vanhoucke.

Decorate with Ease

JK Brickworks uses the MINDSTORMS set as an egg decorating tool. Pick your design and you are ready to go! This is a great addition to your Easter celebration. Build Instructions are available here.

Spring into some Fun!

Create Holiday Decoration

Ahmad Sahar re-imagines the MINDSTORMS 31313 set into a witch for Halloween. Imagine surprising trick-or-treaters who come to your door with this witch riding a broom!

Play Music

Automate Holiday Cards

STREET CLEAN3R

By Arvind and Sanjay Seshan

Design Concept and Evolution:

How it Works:

How Does the Challenge Work?

Come for the Fun, Build for the Prizes

Start Today!

We also want to recognize the following finalists for their outstanding creations:

What inspired you to create this project?

How long did it take you to design and build your robot?

How does the model work?

STORM-LEV3L

by Mike Dobson and David Gilday

The Storyline:

Game Features:

Robot Remix #5 - Hungry Hippo
By Joe Meno