MAKE subscriber Clinton Blackmore of Alberta wrote in to share a project he’s working on: NXT I2C Devices for Arduino, which aims to let you control Lego actuators and sensors using a Mindsensors motor multiplexer (NXTMMX) controlled by an Arduino — no NXT brick required.
Oh man. I love the NXT, but I really like the possibilities that this affords. The NXTMMX allows you to connect two LEGO motors to a device that issues I2C commands, and gives you one more port to plug in another NXT device. There is a good tech spec documenting the commands, so there is no reason it wouldn’t work with your microcontroller of choice, by merely connecting four wires and supplying power with a battery pack.
2 thoughts on “Controlling a Lego robot with an Arduino”
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Here are a couple of examples of really nifty things you can do when you combine a Lego NXT with an Arduino:
– first a Lego truck: http://trandi.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/nxt-arduino-i2c-ir/
– and then an autonomous tank http://trandi.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/tiger-1-bb-airsoft-rc-tank-%E2%80%93-v3/
The second project also incorporates a WiiMote IR camera which allows it to track and lock on its targets (IR LEDs).
Dan