LEGO Mindstorms NXT

- sensors and electronics

in NXT robots
Pavel Ripka, (modified by Vojtěch Petrucha)
Department of Measurement, CTU in Prague
[Link]
 Sensors ?
„A sensor is a device that measures a
physical quantity and converts it into a
signal which can be read by an
observer or by an instrument.“ (Wiki)a

„Interface“ between a real world and

your control algorithms and artificial
intelligence (robots)
What’s this?
1.5 – 2 billions US$ burning..
 B2 Spirit

Moisture in three of the 24 sensors that

feed information into the bomber’s
computer system caused the sensors to
send bad information about the plane’s
speed and altitude, and how far up or
down the bomber’s nose was pointed.
 NXT brick

[Link]
[Link]

Main processor: Atmel® 32-bit ARM®

processor, AT91SAM7S256
- 256 KB FLASH
- 64 KB RAM
- 48 MHz
Co-processor: Atmel® 8-bit AVR
processor, ATmega48
- 4 KB FLASH
- 512 Byte RAM
- 8 MHz
 4 input ports
• 1: analog input 10-bit ADC 0..5 V
+ current generator (back compatibility with RCX)

• 2, 3: GND
• 4: + 4,3 V
• 5,6: digital I-O, I2C bus (Inter-Integrated Circuit)
(only the ultrasonic sensor uses it from the basic set..)
I2C – half-duplex communication,
START, ADDRESS, ACKNOWLEDGE, DATA , STOP
 3 „output ports“
• 1-2 PWM outputs for motors (or programmable voltage 0..5 V)
• 3 GND
• 4 power supply 4,3 V
• 5,6 Schmitt inputs (e.g. for IRC sensor - „encoder“)
Touch sensor
 Microphone

measures level of sound

magnitude – acoustic pressure
0 dB you can here it..
120 (130) dB level of pain 20 dB = one order increase

dBa .... physiological correction

it shows percents [%] of 90 dB

• 4-5% silent room
• 5-10% far conversation
• 10-30% normal conversation
• 30-100% screaming or noisy music A5M02AKA Akustické aplikace
 Ultrasonic range-meter

measures distance 0 (?) to 255 centimeters with a resolution

+/- 3 cm.
principle: „time of flight“
piezoelectric transmitter and receiver
(separated)
speed of sound 346 m/s (changing with
temperature, pressure)
good reflection is needed…
 Motor and IRC sensor

If you use the Move block in the LEGO

MINDSTORMS NXT software to program your
motors, the two motors will automatically
synchronize, so that your robot will move in a
straight line.
Rotation Sensor measures motor rotations in
degrees or full rotations [accuracy of +/- one
degree].
motor characteristics

[Link]
 How you can
measure the
torque

[Link]
 Motor efficiency

A3B14EPR Elektrické pohony pro automatizaci a robotiku

 Overload protection of NXT motor
• current through braked motor: 2 A,
momentum [Link]
• in-build PTC thermistor
• over-voltage diode (D4) .. both polarities 15 V

[Link]
Motor control – H bridge
 IRC sensor

- like in a computer mouse

 counts on rising and falling edges… (direction and resolution)

Non-magnetic platform, also contains IRCs. Code-wheel made of PCB, no

ferromagnetic components..
Simple I2C interface
 Connection of DAC
and VCO for RC servo

[Link]
A3M38ZDS Zpracování a digitalizace analogových signálů
 Communication
• Bluetooth wireless communication
CSR BlueCoreTM 4 v2.0 +EDR System
1 master + max. 3 slave
• USB 2.0 communication Full speed port
12 Mbit/s
 USB connection
• Control Transfer • Interrupt Transfer
• Isochronous Transfer • Bulk Transfer
Bluetooth
Bluetooth wireless
communication CSR
BlueCoreTM 4 v2.0
+EDR System
-Supporting the Serial
Port Profile (SPP)
- Internal 47 KByte RAM
- External 8 MBit FLASH
- 26 MHz
LCD display control
Sound output channel with 8-bit resolution
- Supporting a sample rate of 2-16 KHz
 Battery
6 AA cells or Li-Ion accu
reversible fuse 1,85 A (disconnects at about 3,3 A
5 V stab. 3,3 V stab. for ARM7 a Bluecore
 Other sensors for NXT
[Link]

+y -y
c íl y=0
Infrared range-meter (triangulation) y
20 – 150 cm, resolution mm
Connection I2C o 

Sharp GP2Y0A02YK sensor

[Link] la s e r o v á
d io d a

x0 xs

A
Ú h e l t y p ic k y
i
-i n a s ta v e n n a 3 0 °  5 0 °
i= 0 xi

+i C
d e te k to r
 Compass
z
y

Roll
adjustement

Non magnetic
theodolite x
Pitch
adjustement

Azimuth
adjustement

Our work..
 Digital Camera

Where we teach it..: A3M38VBM L

Videometrie a bezkontaktní měření
Our work…
 Accelerometer

hitechnic

2 5 3

U A N O
m
4 a
1
mindsensors U
U B
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U B N S
R SD Z

0V R EF
U A
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 Gyro

[Link]
video [Link]
Prezentace NTXway-G
 Gyroscope
(iMEMS by Analog Devices)
Real operation
Pressure
mindsensors

[Link]
 Other applications
• RFID reader [Link]
Microprocesor communicates with NXT using I2C

 HiTechnic Products [Link]

 Codatex RFID sensor [Link]