<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>matsu &#187; mindstorms</title>
	<atom:link href="http://mat.su/category/mindstorms/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://mat.su</link>
	<description>matsu (n): japanese for pine tree</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:36:58 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1</generator>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>matsuRobotV3</title>
		<link>http://mat.su/matsurobotv3/</link>
		<comments>http://mat.su/matsurobotv3/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Mar 2007 23:10:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Pedro Pinheiro</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[mindstorms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mat.su/?p=357</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My latest Lego Mindstorms robot and program, matsuRobotV3.  This robot was also &#8220;not planned&#8221; like the previous one as the build process was simultaneously the design process.  The main thing I wanted to implement was some way to auto-center the sensor platform, which I accomplished by placing a bump switch that would be [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My latest Lego Mindstorms robot and program, matsuRobotV3.  This robot was also &#8220;not planned&#8221; like the previous one as the build process was simultaneously the design process.  The main thing I wanted to implement was some way to auto-center the sensor platform, which I accomplished by placing a bump switch that would be pressed if the platform rotated more than &#8220;x&#8221; degrees to the left, from which point I could rotate it &#8220;x&#8221; degrees to the right to get it centered (&#8220;x&#8221; being found by trial and error).</p>
<p>From a programming standpoint, I wanted the program to evaluate two sensors at the same time &#8211; which was done by running a loop conditioned to end by a logical value, in which I ran two readings passed on to an OR logic block.  This creates a relatively fluid obstacle avoidance routine, as you can see on the video.  Hope you enjoy it!</p>
<ul>
<li>matsuRobotV3 from several different angles: <a href="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_v3.jpg" title="matsuRobotV3"><img src="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_v3.thumbnail.jpg" alt="matsuRobotV3" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_v3_program.png" title="matsuRobotV3 program">matsuRobotV3 Program</a></li>
<li><a href="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_v3.mov" title="matsuRobotV3 quicktime video">matsuRobotV3 Quicktime video</a></li>
<li><a href="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_v3.wmv" title="matsuRobotV3 Windows Media video">matsuRobotV3 Windows Media video</a></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mat.su/matsurobotv3/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
<enclosure url="http://matsu.blogdns.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_v3.mov" length="890096" type="video/quicktime" />
<enclosure url="http://matsu.blogdns.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_v3.wmv" length="1172675" type="video/x-ms-wmv" />
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lego Mindstorms</title>
		<link>http://mat.su/lego-mindstorms/</link>
		<comments>http://mat.su/lego-mindstorms/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:56:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Pedro Pinheiro</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[mindstorms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mat.su/?p=338</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Fulfilling a long time dream, last week I ordered a Lego Mindstorms NXT kit.  It&#8217;s a great way to get my lets-build-things neurons working again, and to return a little into programming, with the difference that your &#8220;programs&#8221; roam around your living room!  
Here are the results of this first week, this is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Fulfilling a long time dream, last week I ordered a <a href="http://www.mindstorms.com" title="Lego Mindstorms" target="_blank">Lego Mindstorms</a> NXT kit.  It&#8217;s a great way to get my <em>lets-build-things</em> neurons working again, and to return a little into programming, with the difference that your &#8220;programs&#8221; roam around your living room! <img src='http://mat.su/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':-D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Here are the results of this first week, this is my second robot &#8220;designed&#8221; by me (if you call &#8220;lets see where this is going while I&#8217;m building it&#8221; approach anything resembling the act of designing something), and the software I &#8220;wrote&#8221; in NXT-G. The program is basically:</p>
<ol>
<li>make the robot go forward until it stops if</li>
<li>the distance as measured by the ultrasonic sensor in front is less than a certain distance</li>
<li>backs the robot up a bit</li>
<li>turns the sensor platform 90º to the right</li>
<li>captures the distance into variable R90</li>
<li>turns the sensor platform 180º to the left</li>
<li>captures the distance into variable L90</li>
<li>turns the sensor platform 90º to the right (to reposition it forward)</li>
<li>compares the distances stored on variables L90 and R90</li>
<li>makes the robot turn 90º left or right depending on which side has the furthest distance available</li>
<li>loop to the beginning</li>
</ol>
<p>The robot: <a href="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_2.jpg" title="Robot 2"><img src="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_2.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Robot 2" /></a></p>
<p>The program:  <a href="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/avoidobstacles4.jpg" title="Avoid Obstacles - 4"><img src="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/avoidobstacles4.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Avoid Obstacles - 4" /></a></p>
<p>The robot in action &#8211; <a href="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_2.wmv" title="Robot 2 - Windows Media">Windows Media</a> or <a href="http://mat.su/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_2.mov" title="Robot 2 - Quicktime">Quicktime</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mat.su/lego-mindstorms/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
<enclosure url="http://matsu.blogdns.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_2.wmv" length="1312333" type="video/x-ms-wmv" />
<enclosure url="http://matsu.blogdns.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/robot_2.mov" length="1255874" type="video/quicktime" />
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

