Mindstorms NXT 2.0 (8547)

I first encountered the MINDSTORMS series in 2001 when I bought the Robotics Invention System 1.5 out of curiosity. Since then, I've purchased and used numerous MINDSTORMS sets, written two MINDSTORMS books, developed and taught a LEGO robotics course, and given LEGO presentations. So when I heard that LEGO was releasing the NXT 2.0 set in summer/fall 2009, I was curious to discover how LEGO would improve its flagship product. After finally getting my hands on a 2.0 set, I've been busy building, programming, and analyzing the kit's features. And I think this is the best MINDSTORMS set to date. The original NXT set released in 2006 (I'll call it the "1.0 set") enjoyed enormous success but still had some shortcomings. The NXT 2.0 set addresses some of those flaws and really is everything the 1.0 set should have been. As a robotics kit, the NXT 2.0 set mainly involves building and programming, so I'll take a look at how the kit performs in each of these areas. First, the building experience is fun and challenging while offering some exciting new additions. For the electronic elements, the NXT microcomputer and servo motors remain the same in both design and quantity; however, the selection of sensors has changed. There are now two touch sensors, an ultrasonic (distance) sensor, and the color sensor. The new color sensor boasts three functionalities. It can detect colors (6 basic colors), measure light intensity, and act as a lamp (emitting a red, blue, or green light). Unlike the 1.0 set, there is no light sensor or sound sensor: the new color sensor can function as a light sensor, and LEGO apparently thought that having two touch sensors would be more useful than having one touch sensor and one sound sensor as in the 1.0 set. I agree. The building elements are, once again, studless LEGO TECHINC pieces rather than traditional bricks. The 1.0 set included a few TECHNIC bricks, but these are gone in the 2.0 set, which focuses entirely on studless construction. Overall, there is still a good selection of beams, pegs, and axles (including a new #9 length axle) as well as the addition of two small rubber bands. Also fun is the special ball shooter equipment along with 12 small, brightly colored balls. There are only a few gears included, though. Whereas the 1.0 set included a fairly good variety and quantity of gears, the 2.0 set includes only a handful of double bevel gears and a single 12t bevel gear. This is a bit disappointing but also understandable. People like to add lots of gears to their robots to make them look cool, but lots of gears introduce lots of friction. The 2.0 kit's sample robot designs demonstrate how to connect pieces directly to motors rather than using gears to transmit the motion. This works fine and takes a little bit of getting used to, but I would still encourage new LEGO users to expand their collection of gears after purchasing the 2.0 set. As for the programming, the 2.0 version of the included NXT-G software offers some welcome new features. A remote control, sound editor, image editor, new programming blocks, improved performance, and other features make programming a more enjoyable experience. Performance is noticeably better than in the 1.0 version but can still be sluggish. The software includes a number of fun challenges spread across four robot designs: Shooterbot, Robogator, Color Sorter, and Alpha Rex. The sample robots are durable and work well, although some of the instructions for using Color Sorter were a bit confusing. The new version of Alpha-Rex is a truly fascinating robot: in addition to being a fun "advanced" model to build, new users can learn a lot from its incredibly compact and elegant design. The NXT 2.0 set is leading the MINDSTORMS series in the right direction. I like what I see in this set, and I believe LEGO has a winner on its hands. The 2.0 set is more expensive than the 1.0 set--by $30--but I believe the improvements and added functionality justify the extra cost. In sum, the NXT 2.0 set is a great toolset for any robotics enthusiast and a must-have for MINDSTORMS fans.

I was a huge Lego fan growing up, and played a lot with the Expert Builder (now Technic) series. I purchased this set for my 11-year old and I have been amazed at all the incredibly advanced things you can do with this set. Including, building robots that actually solve Rubik's cube puzzles by reading the colors on the cube and manipulating the cube, reading and solving Sudoku puzzles and penciling in the answers, etc. My son has played with this set constantly for the last month and has built literally dozens of models. The re-playability is incredible, and it seems the more he plays with it, the more he likes it. One great feature is the ability to download building instructions and programs from the Mindstorms website, and other places on the Internet, so the possibilities are endless. My kid started with the basic models and instructions that come with the kit, and they worked really well to get him started. He really liked the ball-shooter and color-sorter models. From there, he branched out to the Mindstorms portal for more models. Then the Internet. Now, he is building his own creations, and using it for school projects, etc. The educational value is fantastic, as it teaches robotic and computer programming fundamentals. My son actually registered for a robotics elective at school after playing with this toy. One word of caution, though. This set definitely requires either a teenage/tech-savvy child, or an adult willing to provide tech support. To play with this toy, you need to install software, connect the Mindstorms brick to your PC, do basic programming tasks with the software, etc. Getting started felt overwhelming at first, but once you get through building the starter model, it's clear sailing. So, if you aren't willing to put in the time with your kid to get him up and running, I wouldn't purchase it. However, once my kid was up and running he quickly became self-sufficient, and for me was well worth the time investment. Besides, I think spending time with my kid was a bonus. :-) I had one minor problem installing the Mindstorms software on a Mac running OS X Snow Leopard. It required a patch available from Lego to get the software to install correctly. Other than that one minor hiccup, everything else has worked great. Also, invest in some good re-chargeable batteries, because you'll need them! One final word of caution...if your a Lego guru, you may end up playing with this thing more than your kid!

I design equipment control's for a living, so I'm fairly adept at these types of embedded processors. Purchasing the NXT kit only seemed a natural way for me to spend more time with my two boys (12 and 9) and sneak in some education at the same time. The Good: > This is an awesome idea by Lego - a toy that can be reused over, and over, and over again and is only limited by the imagination. > It really is a good tool to teach your child the fundamentals of programming. > The software (by Labview) is well done and about as easy as it can be made to be. > The parts are compatible with other Lego products - greatly expanding the capabilities. > It really does lend itself to parent/child together time. The Challenges: (Note that I say challenges, because I would really say that there is anything bad about the product. > If you've never programmed before, you have to expect that there will be a learning curve. Don't expect to be doing anything you can imagine right away. > It really feels to me like a starter kit. Most things that we want it to do, there are simply not enough parts for. For example, a fourth motor would be really useful as well as a third button and an analog input device (an input that varies in value instead of off/on - like a light dimmer). To really make this fun, I think that you either need two of them, or find a friend with one. > You have to find clever ways to attach to the motors and the 'brain' in order to build a stable structure. I know of lots of regular lego parts that could have been included to make this easier. Summary: The Mindstorm is a great product that lends itself to quality parent/child time. The experience is enhanced by a combination of a technically savoy parent and an inventive child. You'll find yourself thinking and building all kinds of interesting devices together. To keep it from going into a closet after the first month, though, you need to plan on further investment. It is a starter kit, and needs further parts to make it really useful. Consider getting together with friends or joining a club. SteveJ

Overall, this is a great toy! I'm a software engineer who often works with automation and robotics. It was fun to share this with my son. Awesome Stuff: * There is a CD full of instructions for various robots and more on the website! The instructions are in 3-D and very easy to follow. * The designs are very versatile. You can build the basic projects and then change sensors or components to make what you want. * Very easy to understand. Inputs and outputs are clearly labeled. Even my 9YO could understand the instructions. * Pieces are extremely durable. * Programming interface is a very simplified version of LabView. My son was able to figure it out easily and experiment with programming. * Lots and lots of parts to work with. * A creative kid can make pretty much anything he/she wants to with this. Could've been done better: * Extra parts are really expensive. * Flimsy box: We had to buy another box for storage * Batteries: A rechargable battery pack would've been great. Other Notes: * More inputs/outputs/sensors would've been nice, but that would add complexity. Keeping in mind that this is a toy for children and not a complex design and construction kit for professionals, I'd say Lego did an awesome job. My son and his friends love his set. * There is some explaination about how parts work, but if you want to teach your kid more, you are going to have to explain without lego help. If you are not an engineer, go to google or google scholar and do a little research. Learning with kids is fun too! * This set is mostly compatible with other sets and lego technic, but google before you buy. * The programming interface is pretty obvious, let your kids figure it out without your help, kids are very technology-saavy and it will be faster that way. * Read the instructions. Everything is clearly explained, labeled and there's no boring stuff embedded into the instructions. Overall, this is an awesome toy for the budding engineer. Great way for younger kids to learn about robotics, programming, engineering, circuits and reading directions.

This is an awesome kit! It has enough pieces to build a few different configurations of robot (note that there are only enough motors to build one robot at a time). I bought this to use in a high-school classroom. This was our experience: -The box came in the mail and the kids tore into it. They were psyched. When they opened the box, they were bewildered by the number of pieces. We figured out that the pieces were divided into individual bags for each project. The bags aren't resealable, so you should have a plan for keeping them organized once they are opened. -They wanted to build the hardest project (the one depicted on the front of the box), but I convinced them to start small. They built the little car first. It took about an hour because we were still learning how to use all of the pieces. The directions were hard for them to follow because they weren't used to legos. They missed a step somewhere and it messed them up so much that they had to take the project apart and start over. We were out of time, so I took the set to a friend's house and her 10 year old lego-enthusiast son put it together. He was able to follow the pictures and complete the project within 30 minutes. -My students loved programming the robot once it was put together. The setup process isn't ideal for the classroom, as there are lots of small pieces that can be easily lost. In the future, I will assemble robots myself (or let a small group of dedicated students work on it after school) and then let the kids do the programming. It's not that the kids CAN'T build the project (because clearly, the 10-year-old had no problem), but it was hard for them to do it as a group. Assembly required a lot of focus and space. -I plan to purchase more of these for my classroom. The kids can work in groups of 3-4 students per kit. I want to encourage parents to buy this, too. It's definitely a toy that you'll enjoy along with your kids. I would say age minimum is a mature 8. The 10-year old could put it together, but he had a hard time with problem-solving skills. If a piece was missing (and a few were), he stopped working instead of looking for a similar piece in one of the other bags. Parental supervision is definitely required. This toy will stop being fun if you lose too many pieces.

Got this at Xmas, son is 13 and sorta of the geeky type of kid but he wanted one. This is a cool toy if your child is going to use it. My son gets fustrated and quits. He did manage to build the robot n make it walk and a couple of other things but that required me pestering him. Lots of small parts to lose and break (havent yet - knock on wood). Its an expensive dust collector now.

My son joined a robotics club at school (12 - 14 year olds) where they use the Lego Mindstorm system for their projects. He really enjoyed the club and learning, but their time was limited, and there was not enough time for everyone in the club to do every task. Programming went to a few, building the platform to others, and other tasks were accomplished by several others in the club, as they had limited time before their competition. I purchased this for him for Christmas, so he could have more experience with the platform, and do things he would not be able to with the limited time the club had. Legos have been around for decades, and using Legos is second nature to most in my son's age group. The programming part, adds another dimension to the learning process and enjoyment. The programming is quite simple, and building the projects is not unlike assembling a Lego kit. The sensors and motors work well. This is a Lego branded item, which adds significantly to the price. If you go to buy some of the sensors, which you would believe to be in the $20 - $30 range, you'll find a $50 - $60 price. Ideally, I believe this type of concept could be produced and sold (albeit not in the Lego brand) in the $125 - $175 range, and be marketed to many more young students, which would open their minds up to the concept of Robotics. I do highly recommend this for anyone who wants to challenge their child, although this is more geared to a minimum age of eleven or twelve, and even for adults who want to learn more about robotics. I feel the price limits those who are able to afford the Mindstorm system, but in time, the price will drop to a more reasonable cost. Although a bright eight to ten year old could benefit from this, the age range of eleven and up would probably find more to be gained by the projects. The control unit would be fairly pricey to replace, and could be damaged if not treated properly, another reason for the age group recommendations. If learning about robotics and a desire to create projects interests you, this is a great idea for you.

Beware of this toy. After receiving this item, we immediately put it together and attempted to use the internal test programs to make it run. No luck. We sent it back to Amazon. For the record, Amazon's customer service can't be beat. We sent the item back on a Friday and we had a new package at our door the following Monday. Thank you Amazon! Unfortunately, Lego could learn a thing or two about customer service from Amazon. The second item has the same flaw as the first. We contacted Lego's customer service and tech support and were told that the internal programs were, indeed, faulty on these bricks and we should just go ahead and use the computer to program the figures. Not exactly the response I was looking for. Seeing as we will be mainly using the computer to program this, I went along with it. Well, guess what? That didn't work either. After another call to tech support (and 4 or 5 hours trying to get this thing to work on my own), I was told that my problem was too advanced for the person I was speaking with to handle. (I was attempting to build the very first robot in the building guide with a simple two block program - pretty basic stuff!) He claimed he would refer my problem to another team that would contact me. It's been two days and I haven't heard a thing. So far, all I have received for my $280 is whole lot of frustration (and great disappointment for my 11 year old son, who so desparately wanted this thing). For the record, both my husband and I have engineering backgrounds, so we are extrememly familiar with programming. I believe that a Lego toy should be within our capabilities. I am convinced that this one is also defective, and Lego just doesn't want to admit it. Get ready, Amazon, because I will probably be sending this one back to you in few days as well! (at least you know how to take care of your customers) Update - Aug 2,2009 - We returned the second set to Amazon and purchased a new set from a local business. It worked perfectly (using the exact same programs we had written earlier and built exactly the same way as the two from Amazon) The two sets purchased from Amazon were, absolutely without a doubt, defective. I even got Lego tech support to finally agree on that. Don't be too quick to blame the user fellow reviewer!

Forse il più bel prodotto della Lego! Bellissimo e stimolante, sempre interessante grazie alla infinità di opzioni di costruzione e programmazione che offre! Le istruzioni sono ben dettagliate, ha di sicuro una longevita' lunghissima, anche se ovviamente usciranno altre nuove versioni. Stimolante non solo per i bambini/ragazzi ma anche per i giovani più maturi... ehmmm! ;-) Ottimo l'uso con pile ricaricabili. Consigliatissimo per iniziare i più piccoli alla logica informatica (ad oggetti) [...]

Compré este producto hace ya algunos años atrás después de mirar varias opciones similares en el mercado (Arduino, etc). Las opiniones disponibles entonces eran bastante favorables lo que me ayudó a confirmar mi compra ya que te los piensas un poco debido al precio. Definitivamente ha sido una compra con diversión garantizada!! :) VENTAJAS: * Recomendado para niños y adultos. * Amplia gama de proyectos disponibles. * Intuitivo y facil de armar. * Diferentes posibilidades para su programación. * Materiales resistentes. * Multiples sensores disponibles. DESVENTAJAS: * La duración de las baterias es corta haciendolo poco atractivo para determinados proyectos. * El uso con transformador limita la movilidad.

offert à un grand, il a pu se régaler et même l'utiliser pour son projet de fin d'étude au bac S. Une petite merveille de technologie, avec un guide tout à fait compréhensible pour monter et programmer de déliceux robots.

I bought for my 11 year old son for Christmas, I had looked at previously but put off by the high cost, but price has come down slightly. I am really pleased with the set and my son thinks it's cool. I would recommend introduction to Lego technics first as it is quite difficult to put together. There is only 1 model to make in the included instructions , but you can down load about 4 more detailed instructions from the Lego website, but to be honest clicking on the computer to go to next page while building is a bit of a pain. You will also need to connect your creation to a pc to program it. The programming in lab view is quite straightforward but you can just download the programs from Lego. This is the best way how to understand how software works. You can connect via cable or via Bluetooth. If you read the blogs there are some Bluetooth compatibility issues not all work. Also it would let me install the software on my netbook (running windows 7 starter) which was a bit of a pain as this had compatible bluetooth . The only real benefit of Bluetooth really is for remote control- there are a few ways around this the simplest is to download an ap to your android smartphone- this is very basic but works a treat. You can also Download iPad ap but this only controls via a pc so you will still need a compatible pc. The phone ap is the cool option. This is a really cool set, once you understand the various sensors you can look to build your own models, there are lots of books available to give you ideas, plenty of bids on YouTube but often you need lots of extra pieces that you probably won't have. Lego don't seem to make expansion sets or general buckets of technic of mid storm parts. The Lego website sells motors, sensors and cables but very little it the way of parts. There are plenty of brick sites and e-bay but can be hit and miss and quite difficult to identify parts in some books. All in all an excellent educational toy. Lego just need to do more with expansion sets.

以前から気になっていたマインドストームをとうとう買ってしまいました． 噂通り，たいへん簡単に作ることができます．英語版でマニュアルもたしかに英語ですが， 組み立て手順は，万国共通の（文字なしの）イラスト絵だけで描かれていて，しかもたいへ ん適切です．マニュアルってこういう風に書くんだと，妙なところに感心してしまいました． 私の場合，最初のロボットの組み立てにかかった時間は40分くらいでした．慣れた方なら ば30分以内に完成させる人も多いと思います． 子供の教育用とがメインなのかもしれませんが，ものづくり意欲に飢えている大人にも， 十分な満足感を与えてくれます．この価格でこの満足感，しかも分解，組み立てを繰り返す ことができるのだから，コストパフォーマンス高いです． 不満点をあえて挙げるとすれば以下の通りです． １．組み立てマニュアルはよくできていますが，組み立て後の各センサのテスト方法やデモ 動作の動かし方については少しややこしい印象です．本体のディプレイの解像度の関係 で表示文字数も少ないのでメニュー構成を理解するのに少し時間が必要でした． ２．部品は結構耐久性が高いように思いましたが，車輪の車軸については結構細いので，力 を入れすぎると折れそうです． ３．別のセット製品だと充電式バッテリーとACアダプタが同梱されているようですが，本製 品にはついていませんので，通常の電池を使用し，ときどきケースをあけて入れ替えな ければなりません．やや不便です． ４．私の場合，自作のセンサやスイッチなどから本体に信号を与えてそれに従って動作させ たかったのですが，インタフェース仕様が公開されていない（と思う）ようです． これから情報を集めます． しかし，このような不満も気にならないくらいの全体的な満足感を味わいましたので，買っ て本当によかったと思っています．