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Building the Alpha Rex
For almost two months part-time, I built the Alpha Rex, using the NXT LEGO Mindstorms kit and the NXT software. I also used my Kodak camera, my Toshiba computer, and my HP printer.
The first part of the robot was building the two legs, the bottommost part of the Alpha Rex. They were the most difficult part of the robot to build because they required me to attach two motors together using a multitude of parts. After finally building them, I programmed the legs to walk forwards while an animated heart appeared on the NXT screen. (I had to hold the NXT in my hands as I wasn’t ready to attach it to the robot yet.) The program ran smoothly, so I decided to go onto the next step.
The first program
Then, I built and attached the ‘body’ onto the robot. Alpha Rex’s body consisted of the third and final motor and the NXT. The body was not as complicated as the legs, and building it went pretty well. Next, I programmed the robot to walk forwards, turn around, and walk back to its starting point (animated heart beating).
The second program
The next and smallest step was attaching the Ultrasonic sensor, which would allow the robot to see. After adding the new pieces, I programmed the Alpha Rex to sense when my hand (or another object) was in front of it or no longer in front of it. Using the sound file system, I told it to say “Hello” when my hand (or another object) was in front of it and to say “Goodbye” when it no longer sensed anything immediately in front it.
The third program
Next, I built the ‘arms’ of the robot, attaching the Touch sensor to the left arm and the Sound sensor to the other. I then created the most interesting program which told the almost completed Alpha Rex to say “Play music” and begin to rock from side to side when I pressed the Touch sensor, and dance when I turned on music.
The fourth program
The final step of the Alpha Rex was to build on the Light sensor and program it to say “Goodnight” and display “Zzz” on the screen when I turned off the lights and to say “Good morning” and display a smiley-face on the screen.
The fifth program
In conclusion, I believe I learned much from this wonderful experience with the LEGO Mindstorms software and hardware.