SimLearn

Steve Hassenplug’s NXT site has a feature comparison table of NXT programming environments and off-blick controller software.

Lego has published a list of bluetooth devices that work best with the NXT brick.  Hopefully we can get our computers to connect.  If not, maybe we can use one of the “compatible” bluetooth adapters on the list. 

This camera connects directly to NXT and supports tracking of upto 8 objects.

NXTBrowser is a bluetooth file browser for the NXT. It is a Universal application and works on Intel Macs.

Nice article in MacTech magazine by Rich Warren on how to control an NXT over bluetooth using iCommand and ruby-nxt.

Tony Buser who is a project admin for ruby-nxt has instructions on how to connect to an NXT from OSX over a bluetooth RS-232 connection.

According to Tony Buser, connecting to the NXT via Bluetooth from NXT-G running on Intel Macs is a non-starter. It is very disappointing that LEGO hasn’t developed an Intel native NXT-G universal application (Apple is at fault here as well I’m sure). However, the bottom line is that Bluetooth is not available for apps running under the Rosetta emulator on OSX. The 1.1 update to NXT-G is due to ship on Nov. 23rd (from the LEGO shop). However, it looks like NXT# and NXT.pm will be viable options.

Very cool totally autonomous robotic bulldozer. It uses the new Power Function (PF) motors, which are controlled by the NXT via infrared signals through the new HiTechnic ‘Infrared Link’ (or IR-Link) sensor. Read more about it at nxtasy.org.

Wow! two modules to control an NXT robot via bluetooth using C# and Perl. We are on the bleeding edge (drip), but things look very promising.

• NXT#
• NXT.pm

We may be able to use the stock mindstorms firmware and use one of these modules to control it via bluetooth. Less painful than swapping out NXT firmware with leJOS NXJ or NXC. Besides C# and Perl are easier to interface with web servers.

I just finished reading an interesting article on Communicating with LEGO NXT via Bluetooth in C# written by Pierre Poliakoff. There was a very useful hint in there that may explain our difficulties with communicating with the NXT via bluetooth from Windows. Pierre states…

I confirm what many other people have reported: Bluetooth communication with Lego NXT is very sensitive to the Bluetooth drivers used. Most of the time, it is strongly recommended to NOT install — or if they are already installed, to uninstall — the drivers provided by the Bluetooth adapter manufacturer and to use the Microsoft Bluetooth default drivers instead. 

This article will help immensely if we have to resort to low level (byte-by-byte) bluetooth communication with the NXT. I’m hoping that we can find a library or high-level framework for bluetooth communication.