NXT Turing Machine

In 1948 Alan Turing described a Logical Computing Machine with the following definition:

"An infinite memory capacity obtained in the form of an infinite tape marked out into squares on each of which a symbol could be printed. At any moment there is one symbol in the machine; it is called the scanned symbol. The machine can alter the scanned symbol and its behavior is in part determined by that symbol, but the symbols on the tape elsewhere do not affect the behavior of the machine. However, the tape can be moved back and forth through the machine, this being one of the elementary operations of the machine. Any symbol on the tape may therefore eventually have an innings."

This concept is known today as the Turing Machine. Enter the NXT Turing Machine:



The NXT Turing Machine was made as a computer science project at Aarhus University. The NXT robot travels along a track which is the memory. Bricks are shifted up or down to represent their logic states. The whole system is run using the PC in a Java based GUI. Commands such as read, write, and move are sent to the NXT using bluetooth.

The guys at Lego of Doom have an absolutely MASSIVE writeup of their project and I would very highly recomend that you check it out! You can find their project at: http://legoofdoom.blogspot.com/

WALL-E

Just a cool little tidbit I picked up on while surfing around, someone has come up with a Mindstorms NXT version of the robot WALL-E from the new upcoming Pixar movie! I can't wait to see the flick and this only makes me want to see it even more!



Check it out here.

Top Five NXT Videos on Youtube

WiigoBot



Lego Mindstorms NXT Segway



SPC (Self Parking Car)



NXT Rubik's cube solver - Final version


Danny's Mindstorms NXT Rubik Cube Solver

NXT Warehouse

Here is a cool project I ran across while browsing YouTube. A group of software creators used the NXT system to create a fully functioning warehouse environment.

Mindstorms Building Instructions

I've seen some really cool robots created over the past few years. Alot of times I try to emulate their creations and make them myself. The problem however is that I just can't seem to nail down exactly how the robot was put together.

Recently I stumbled upon a website that has a pretty creative idea of showcasing robots and giving users the exact instructions on how to build them. The website is called "Mindstorms Building Instructions."

Each creation that is featured is listed with a title, description, and full set of building instructions via Brickshelf. Furthermore, it is listed if that robot can be made with the usual 8527 kit. Then each set of instructions is rated in bricks on it's dificulty with one stud being the lowest and three the highest. Finally, there is a catagory for a NXT-Gprogram, if provided by the creator.

You can find the Mindstorms Building Instructions website at: http://ricquin.net/lego/instructions/