The Constructopedia™ is a building guide for the …8-tooth gear Robo 1 6 PROJECT IDEAS SPECIAL FEATURES4 26 To get started on Robo 1, follow these ﬁve steps. For this step, you

2

To master a Challenge, you must follow three basic steps:

1. Construct – To start, review the Design Brief. Then gather the piecesyou need to meet the Challenge and start building. (Don’t hesitate to customize your robot with additional parts and pieces.)

2. Program – Once your robot is built, you can program it using the simple, but powerful, programming language included on the CD-ROM. Your program will determine how your model reacts to its environment.

3. Test – Now it’s time to test your program and design. Once you havedownloaded your program from your PC to your RCX using the infraredtransmitter, your robot can run independent of your computer. Now let itloose and watch what happens!

The Constructopedia™ is a building guide for the Robotics Invention System™ that offers suggestions, hints, and tips to get you started onthe CD-ROM Challenges and robotic inventions of your own design.

PROJECT IDEAS 4

ROBO 1 6

ROBO 2 9

PATHFINDER 1 13

PATHFINDER 2 15

ACROBOT 1 17

ACROBOT 2 20

SPECIAL FEATURES

Movement 26

Sensors 28

TIPS & TRICKS 32

TOP SECRET PLANS 39

PARTS IDENTIFICATION 47

CONTENTS PAGE

3

© 1998 The LEGO Group.

®, ™, LEGO, MINDSTORMS, Constructopedia, RCX and the LEGO and MINDSTORMSlogos are exclusive trademarks of the LEGO Group.

ISBN 1-57056-050-1

ROBO 2

Project Ideas

PROJECT IDEAS SPECIAL FEATURES4 4 26

ROBO 1

PATHFINDER 1

6

9

13

• Slowly moves back and forth. • Requires one motor.

• Slowly rotates in one direction. • Requires one motor.

• Quickly turns left and right. • Requires two motors.

What follows are basic instructions forbuilding the six subassemblies associatedwith the CD-ROM Challenges. The sameinstructions can be used for building yourown robotic inventions.

TIPS & TRICKS TOP SECRET PLANS32 39 5

PATHFINDER 2

ACROBOT 1

15

17

• Slowly turns left and right. • Requires two motors.

• Quickly turns left and right.Even does “wheelies.”

• Requires two motors.

ACROBOT 2

20• Moves fast and flipsupside down.

• Requires two motors.

�

��

Robo 1


To get started on Robo 1, follow these five steps.

For this step, you need:

Put the 8-tooth gear

on the motor.

Put thebushings

here.


To measure an axle,see page 37.

Bushing 24-tooth crown gear

Push the 24-toothcrown gear onto the axle.

8-tooth gear

Motor

2 x 6 platewith holes

Put the motor onthe 2 x 6 platewith holes.

Attach this to the previous step.

Push the wire intothe groove.

4x means youneed 4 of these.

!BEFORE YOU GET STARTED...Make sure there are batteries in your RCX. For help installing batteries, turn to page 38.




Dark gray connector peg

�

� Put the beams on the RCX using the dark grayconnector pegs.

Do this first!Put the 2 x 6 plate

with holes here.

Connector peg with axle

Put the connector pegwith axle here.



Attach the end of the wire to port “A”.

HINT: Trythis wheel.


IF YOU NEED HELP COMPLETING YOUR ROBOT...• Check out “Special Features” on page 26.• Turn to “Tips and Tricks” on page 32.

TO PROGRAM YOUR INVENTION...• Go to the MoboRobo challenge or the Robo Bumperchallenge on the CD-ROM.

Robo 2


Build the foundation for Robo 2 by following these eight steps.


For this step, you need:��

Put the 1 x 2 plates here.

1 x 2 plate


��This is the gray connector peg.

Gray connector peg

MotorPut the motoronto the 2 x 6plate with holes.

8-tooth gear

Put the 8-tooth gearon the motor.






��To measure an

axle, see page 37.

Push the wire intothe groove.

��Put the bevel gear in place and push the axle into it.

Do this first!Put the bevel gear on the differential.

Differential

Bevel gear



Put the beams on the RCX usingthe dark gray connector pegs.

�Dark gray connector peg


��

Do this first!Put the beam here.

1 x 6 plate

Put the 1 x 6plate here.




Put the 2 x 8plate with holes here.

Make sure thebeam touches

the gear.

��


Bushing

Put the bushing on the axle.

Put the beam onto thegray connector peg.

� 24-tooth gear

Put the 24-tooth gear here.




TO PROGRAM YOUR INVENTION...• Go to the Robobeeper challenge or the Robioptic chal-lenge on the CD-ROM.

Pathfinder 1


To start building Pathfinder 1, follow these four steps.


For this step, you need:��

Skid plate

Put the skid plates here.

��

Inverted roof brick

Put the inverted roof bricks here.

2 x 4 plate with holes

Put the 2 x 4plate withholes here.

2x meansyou need 2 of these.


��




�� Put themotoron here.

Put the ends of the wires here.

Motor

Put the RCXon top.


RCX


TO PROGRAM YOUR INVENTION...• Go to the Outback Tracker challenge or the Light Tracker challenge on the CD-ROM.

��Pathfinder 2




To measurean axle, seepage 37.

��

Put the 1 x 2 bricks here.

1 x 2 brick

Bushing

Put the bushings here.

4x meansyou need 4 of these.

To get started on Pathfinder 2, follow these four steps.


��



��

Put the 1 x 16 beams on the RCXusing the dark gray connector pegs.

Large pulleyPut the large pulleysonto the axles.



1 x 16 beamAttach this to theprevious step.

Motor

Attach one end to the motor,the other to port A. Attach one end to the motor,

the other to port C.


HINT: Try this skid plate.


TO PROGRAM YOUR INVENTION...• Go to the Trail Tracker challenge or the Track Talkerchallenge on the CD-ROM.

Acrobot 1


For this step, you need:��For this step, you need:

��

Black connector peg

Put the black connector pegs here.

To measure an axle,see page 37.

Put the axlesthrough the holes.

Put the 1 x 8 beams here.


1 x 8 beam

To get started on Acrobot 1, follow these five steps.





��

��



Put the beams on the RCX using the dark gray connector pegs.

Put this on the bottom of the RCX.

Do this first!Make this piecefor each side and attach to the black connector pegs.

RCX



�2 x 8 platewith holes

Do this first!Put the 2 x 8 plateswith holes here.

Use this to make sureyour motors are in thecorrect location.

HINT: Try this wheel

HINT: Trythis wheel


TO PROGRAM YOUR INVENTION...• Go to one of the Robo challenges on the CD-ROM.

�

Acrobot 2


Do this first!Attach the beams usingthe black connector pegs.


Black connector peg


For a jump start on Acrobot 2, follow these six steps.


��

Attach the beamto the RCX.

Attach this to the previous step.


RCX



��

1 x 6 beam

Put the 1 x 6beams here.



��


Axle with stop

1/2 bushing

Long black connector peg

Put the axle with stop through the beam. Then add the 1/2 bushings. Slide the piece

in along sidethe motor.

The long black connector peg must be put in like this.

Make two of these.



�� The long black connector

peg must be put in like this.Make two of these.

Slide the piecein along sidethe motor.



�2 x 10 plate Put the 2 x 10 plate here.

HINT: Try this wheel


TO PROGRAM YOUR INVENTION...• Go to one of the Robo challenges on the CD-ROM.

Special Features

MOVEMENTThere’s more than one way to get thingsmoving. Here are a few ideas to getyour mind in gear.


Push the hub into the tire. Large and small tires can beused on the same model.

Even gears can be used as wheels!For more details on how to build this,see Tips & Tricks on page 34.

1 2

3 4

5 6

Put a 16-tooth gear here.

There are two ways to make your wheels swivel. Big wheels lift your robot higher off the ground. (This is especially useful on Acrobot 2. See page 25).

NATURAL


MECHANICAL

Front view

Back view 7

8

9 10This wheel can be attacheddirectly to the motor.

This wheel requires some buildingbefore you attach it to the motor.

A Walking Mechanism

Look closely at the photograph to make sureyou build it correctly.

For help, turn to Tips &Tricks on page 36.

Put an 8-toothgear onto themotor.

Special Features

SENSORS


Touch Sensor

Use a light sensor “facing” downto locate a line.

Make a bumper with a touch sensor.

Light Sensor

Connect this endto the gray portson the RCX.

1 2

3 4

Connect this endto one of the grayports on the RCX.

The sensor “reads”the light here.

Push the touchsensor here.

Sensors make it possible for a robotic invention torespond to its environment. Here are a few ideas onhow to use light sensors and touch sensors.

NATURAL

MECHANICAL


Here is how you can builda hand-held controllerusing two touch sensors.

Attach the two wires from the hand-heldcontroller to the RCX on ports 1 and 3.

When you turn the steeringwheel it will press the touchsensor, causing the motor tostop and your robot to turn.

6

5

Hand-Held Controller

1 x 2 beam

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Steering wheel

Special Features

Here are more examples of how you can use sensors.There are also ideas for decorations such as “eyes” and “noses.”


SENSORS

1

4

7

2

5

3

6

8

A light sensor that looks down

A bumper that usestwo touch sensors

A light sensor that looks upA light sensor that looks down

A bumper that uses one touch sensor

A face for decorationEyes for decoration

A bumper that usesone touch sensor

NATURAL


MECHANICAL

These eyes are justfor decoration.

A touch sensor in themiddle of a hand

This eye is the one that really “sees.” 9

11

13

10

12

14

Arms for decoration

A light sensorfacing down

An eye for decoration

A touch sensor addedto the end of an arm


Tips & TricksIf you want to make your invention bigger, stronger, faster, or work evenbetter, try using these tips and tricks.

Don’t forget... you can alwaysadd pieces to the bottom ofyour RCX.

Attach pieces usingthe angle piece.

To attach one or more pieces,place a dark gray connectorpeg into the hole.

Attach a beam byusing two dark grayconnector pegs.

1

2

Attaching different pieces

When you add a turntable,the items you put on top of it will rotate.

Add bricks or special featuresdirectly to the top of your RCX.

Adding features to your RCX


Making anglesThis one spins.

This one doesn’t spin.

3 4 5

6

7

8 9

Adding height

Extending an axle

Adding length using a beamand connector pegs

Adding length using plates

Adding platesto a beam

Adding axles


Push these fourpieces together tomake a hand.

Push the cone intothe hole of the beam.

10 11

12

Adding hubs for caterpillar treads

Adding pieces to a beamMaking a hand

Tips & Tricks


Use a special connector tolengthen the motor shaft.

The black connector pegshold pieces more tightly thanthe gray connector pegs.

A tire can be added.

13 14

15

Lengthening the motor shaft

Building a frame around a motorUsing connector pegs


16 17

18

Tips & Tricks

You can use this set-up tomake a walking mechanism.See page 27, #7.

Use this gear combinationto make the axle spin faster.

Using one motor to drive two gears

Using gears to speedthings up

You can use this set-upto make Pathfinder 2.See page 15.

Creating a more powerfulmotor using a belt drive



19

This gear combination willmove slowly but provide a lotof power. This makes it possi-ble for your robot to do thingsthat require greater strength.

Changing speed using different-sized gears

How to measurean axleUse this chart to measure the length of an axle.


Remove the bottom of the RCX.

Insert 6 AA (LR6) batteries. Put the bottomback on the RCX.

Slide the cover back.

Insert the 9V battery. Close the cover.��

Battery installationfor the RCX

Battery installation forthe Infrared Transmitter


��6x

1x

AA batteries

Tips & Tricks

9V battery

Instructions for use of battery boxNever mix different types of batteries or old and newbatteries in one battery box. Always remove the batteriesfrom the battery box for long-term storage or if they havereached the end of their life. Liquid leaking from deadbatteries will damage the battery box. Rechargeablebatteries can be used but power may be reduced. Do notrecharge the batteries in the battery box. Rechargeablebatteries are only to be charged under adult supervision.

Top Secret Plans


��

The Torbot is a robot that gets around on caterpillar treads and is able totravel on top of a table with no risk of falling. Its secret lies in the strategicplacement of its touch sensors. To build the Torbot, follow these 12 steps.



Black connector peg. Put the black connector pegs here.

To measure an axle see page 37


Put the 2 x 8 plateswith holes here.



Top Secret Plans



��

��For this step, you need:

Dark grayconnector peg.

Put the dark gray connector pegs here.

24-tooth gear

Put the 24-tooth gearonto the motor.

motor





1 x 2 plate

1 x 8 plate


Put the 1 x 2 plates here.

Put the 1 x 8 plate here.

Top Secret Plans


�For this step, you need:

�For this step, you need:

Touch Sensor

Put the touch sensor here.

Long black connector peg

Put the long black connector peg here.

Be sure to put your longconnector peg in this way.



Put the 1 x 12 beam here.

Attach the piecesover here.

1 x 12 beam

1 x 4 plate

1 x 4 plate

Top Secret Plans



Put the 24-toothgears here.



Put a bushing here.

Put another bushingon the axle over here.


32 40

Caterpillar tread


Rubber band

Put the rubberbands here.

Put the 16-tooth gear here.

Assemble the caterpillartread the same way onthis side.

16-tooth gear

Top Secret Plans


TIPS & TRICKS 32 39 47

Parts Identification

TOP SECRET PLANS

4122

118

Documents

The Constructopedia™ is a building guide for the …8-tooth gear Robo 1 6 PROJECT IDEAS SPECIAL FEATURES4 26 To get started on Robo 1, follow these ﬁve steps. For this step, you