NXT TECHNOLOGY CONNECTING YOUR NXT TO A COMPUTER Before you try to set up a wireless Bluetooth connection, make sure that your computer has Bluetooth capability. If your computer does not have built-in Bluetooth capability, you must use a Bluetooth USB dongle. Make sure that you use the right type of Bluetooth USB dongle. Read more about the different types of Bluetooth USB dongles to use at www.MINDSTORMS.com/bluetooth MAKING THE CONNECTION TO A PC 2 1 Make sure that your NXT is turned on.
NXT TECHNOLOGY 3 4 5 30 Click Scan. Your computer will automatically search for Bluetooth devices. After a short interval, a list of available Bluetooth devices will appear in the window on the computer screen. Select the device you want to connect to and click the Connect button. When you connect to a device for the first time, the Enter Passkey window will pop up. Enter the passkey to use with this device (the default passkey is 1234) and click OK.
NXT TECHNOLOGY Enter the passkey on your NXT and confirm the connection by pushing the orange (Enter) button. If you have chosen the default passkey, just click the orange (Enter) button. 6 In the NXT window, the status of your NXT has now changed from Available to Connected. Your NXT and computer are now connected and can share data. 7 MAKING THE CONNECTION TO A MACINTOSH 2 1 Make sure that your NXT is turned on.
NXT TECHNOLOGY 3 4 5 32 Click Scan. The Bluetooth device window will pop up on the screen. A list of Bluetooth devices will appear in the Select Bluetooth Device window on the screen. Select the device you want to connect to and click the Select button. The NXT that you want to connect to appears in the NXT window as available. Click the Connect button.
NXT TECHNOLOGY 6 7 The Pair with a Bluetooth Device window pops up. Select the NXT. Click Pair. When you connect to a device for the first time, a Passkey window will pop up. Enter the passkey to use with this device (the default passkey is 1234) and click OK. 9 8 Enter the passkey on your NXT and confirm the connection by pushing the orange (Enter) button. If you have chosen the default passkey, just click the orange (Enter) button. Your Macintosh and NXT are now connected and can share data.
NXT TECHNOLOGY BLUETOOTH SUBMENU ON NXT Bluetooth Select the Bluetooth submenu on the NXT display. Search Search for other Bluetooth devices. After you have chosen the Search icon, your NXT will automatically start to search for other Bluetooth devices that it can connect to. My Contacts You can see all of your trusted Bluetooth contacts in My Contacts. These contacts can automatically connect and send data to your NXT without using a passkey.
NXT TECHNOLOGY You can also view the connection status in the NXT window in the software. There you can change the name of your NXT, check battery and memory levels, and delete programs on your NXT. Check the connection status in the icon bar at the top of the NXT’s display. If there is no Bluetooth icon shown, Bluetooth is OFF. Bluetooth is ON but your NXT is not visible to other Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth is ON and your NXT is visible to other Bluetooth devices.
NXT TECHNOLOGY CONNECTING YOUR NXT TO ANOTHER NXT 1 2 Select the Bluetooth submenu on the NXT’s display. Select the Search icon to search for other Bluetooth devices. Your NXT will automatically search for Bluetooth devices. 4 5 Select the device you want to connect to. Remember that you can give each NXT a unique name – see Naming the NXT on page 11. 7 3 Depending on how many devices are detected in the area, a list will pop up on the NXT’s display after a few seconds.
NXT TECHNOLOGY Connecting to more than one NXT You can connect up to three NXTs or other Bluetooth devices to your NXT at the same time. However, you can only communicate with one device at a time. Sending files from NXT to NXT It’s easy to send programs from your NXT to another NXT: 1 Make sure that your NXT is connected to the NXT to which you want to send the program (see page 36, Connecting your NXT to another NXT).
SOFTWARE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Before installing the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Software, you must make sure that your computer meets the following minimum system requirements: Windows ® Macintosh ® • Intel Pentium processor or compatible, 800 MHz minimum • Windows XP Professional or Home Edition with Service Pack 2 • 256MB of RAM minimum • Up to 300MB of available hard disk space • XGA display (1024x768) • 1 available USB port • CD-ROM drive • Compatible Bluetooth adapter (optional)* • • • • • • • • PowerPC
SOFTWARE Select your preferred language. Follow the on-screen instructions. 2 1 Apple Macintosh Exit all open programs. Insert the CD-ROM. Open the “LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT” CD-ROM and double-click Install. Select your preferred language. Follow the on-screen instructions. When the installation procedure is complete, click Finish. You are now ready to use the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software and create programs for cool robotic inventions.
SOFTWARE YOUR FIRST PROGRAM 1 40 This simple program will make the NXT play a sound file. It will help you understand how to connect your computer to the NXT. Start the software on your PC or Macintosh by double-clicking the program icon. 2 Type in the name of your first program, or just click on Go! 3 First, click on the Sound block icon in the programming palette.
SOFTWARE 4 Drag a Sound block and drop it to the right of the Starting point in the work area. Your program is now ready to download and run. Make sure you turn on your NXT and connect the USB cable to both your computer and the NXT (see page 8, Connecting the NXT technology). 5 6 Locate the Controller in the lower right corner of the work area. Click Download and run (the central button) and listen to what happens.
SOFTWARE SOFTWARE USER INTERFACE A quick overview 1. Robo Center 2. My Portal 3. Tool bar 4. Work area 5. Little help window 6. Work area map 7. Programming palette 8. Configuration panel 9. Controller 10.
SOFTWARE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Robo Center window Here you can find building and programming instructions for four cool models. My Portal Here you can access www.MINDSTORMS.com while programming your robots. You can get more robotic challenges and download programs, sound effects and other cool stuff. The tool bar The tool bar includes the most frequently used commands from the menu bar in an easy-to-reach location. The work area This is the space on the screen where programming takes place.
SOFTWARE THE ROBO CENTER 1 2 3 44 In the Robo Center you will find different robot models that you can build and program to do what you want. Start by selecting a robot model to build and program. We recommend that you start with the TriBot as it is a continuation of the Quick Start model included in the box. Follow the on-screen building and programming instructions − or solve the challenge on your own.
SOFTWARE Test your robot using the challenges provided. 4 THE PROGRAMMING PALETTE The programming palette contains all of the programming blocks you will need to create your programs. Each programming block determines how your robot acts or reacts. By combining blocks in sequence, you can create programs that will make your robot come to life. When you have finished creating your program, download it to the NXT and run it. Remember to turn on and connect your NXT before downloading a program.
SOFTWARE Common palette To simplify its use, the programming palette has been divided into three palette groupings: the common palette (containing the most used blocks), the complete palette (containing all of the programming blocks), and the custom palette (containing blocks you download or create yourself). We recommend that you to start with the blocks in the common palette. You should be able to finish all of the starter challenges in the Robo Center with just these blocks.
SOFTWARE THE CONFIGURATION PANEL Each programming block has a configuration panel that lets you adjust the settings of the block for the specific actions that you want. When a block is selected in the work area, its configuration panel will be visible at the bottom of the screen. By changing the parameters on each configuration panel, you can change how a particular block will behave. For example, to make your robot move faster, you can change the Power property on the Move block’s configuration panel.
LEGO® BRICKS ELEMENT OVERVIEW These are the LEGO® bricks in the MINDSTORMS® NXT set #8527.
