Build and Program Over 20 Challenging Design Projects in Just 30 Minutes Each with the New Generation of LEGO® MINDSTORMS®
More powerful and intuitive than ever, LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT is a new robotics toolset that enables robot enthusiasts and hobbyists to build and program all kinds of projects. The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Hacker's Guide explores this new generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS, providing a collection of projects, how-to expertise, insider tips, and over 500 illustrations to help readers become expert NXT hackers.
This cutting-edge guide describes new advances that make LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT such a great robotics resource. The book explains the all-new NXT intelligent brick…the interactive servo motors with rotation sensors that align speed for precise control…the ultrasonic sensor that allows robots to “see” by responding to movement…the improved light and touch sensors that let robots detect color and feel…and much more. The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Hacker's Guide features:
Expert, insightful commentary by a member of the LEGO MINDSTORMS Developer Program
A hands-on account of the new technologies and expanded sensor capabilities of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT
A collection of 10 hacking projects with step-by-step instructions for creating things ranging from solar power to ZigBee® technology to tank tread feet [“projects” appears twice.]
A portfolio of 12 exciting design projects featuring R. Buckminster Fuller's Geodesic Dome, Rem Koolhaas' Seattle Central Library, and the world's first NXT wristwatch
Complete disclosure about a “secret” game that is hidden inside every LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT kit
An in-depth guide to the NXT programming language
A special LEGO factory kit offer available only for readers of this book
Inside This Groundbreaking NXT Reference
• Your First Robot • Stupid RCX Tricks • Save Your RIS • As Smart as a Brick • MOVE IT! With Servo Motors • Hmm, I Sense Something • Yes, But I Don't Know How to Program • Testing, Testing; Oh, Trouble Shoot • Katherine's Best Hacking Projects • Katherine's Design Fun House • NXT Programming Language Guide • NXT Elements • NXT Resources
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - total waste of time
I got this book along with NXT set as a gift, so I was very excited to learn about mindstorms a bit out of manual. The book turned out to be jumpy, full with unrelated photographs, trivial or non-helping 'hacks', unfinished projects, and cheese illustrations. At least half of the book is totally unrelated to NXT. Language in which the book is written is supposed to be funny dialogue, but is actually outright shallow. I would not recommend this book.
Rating: - What a turkey!
I bought this book (in person) not having heard about the infamous "all 1's" ratings on Amazon. A highly gifted Mindstorms building friend told me I'd managed to pick up the worst of all the books available for LEGO building.
I thought, "there must be SOME redeeming quality to this book," and indeed, the first few chapters seemed like a good read about the history and context of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT building.
Only then I did I realize what a "hack" this book is. What a "hack" the author is. And what a waste of time and money the entire experience has been. The first few chapters that I read with such interest contain no new insight into the history of the Mindstorms concept or line, and in fact read like a half-hearted attempt at a high school term paper on the history of a toy the author may have experienced at a friend's house.
The hacks included are hardly worthy of the name, and the entire product feels like an attempt to continue the "rep" of a poser trying to maintain his "cool" as hacker extraordinaire. It doesn't read like the author knows much of anything about the subject-at-hand. It in fact opens with an insult thrown at a much better (and better received) book on programming the NXT.
If you're in the market for an NXT book, buy the one he attempts to insult. Buy ANY other book on NXT than this one, in fact.
Rating: - DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK
This book is the worst NXT book you could buy. It does not tell a thinkabout the NXT, inserts stupid jokes,completely off subject(what time is it when an elephant sits on your fence), and it just gives info on stuff we already know: it gives a piece list, tells you only how to use the basic blocks, tells you how to make an LDD model(?), and basicly was a waste of my time to read. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.
Rating: - Disappointing
Unfortunately, I purchased this book before the reviews came out. Very disappointing and actually suprising that somebody would publish a book like this. Perhaps the author got in over his head or just lost interest, although I dont think the NXT community should suffer from such an appalling book.
Rating: - Not as expected
I wanted a book that would help me to build better machines with my set and this was not it. I sent mine back the next day. Items made from basic lego sets unrelated to the NXT are in the book as well as hacking into items not related to the NXT. Book is was disapointing.
