LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0

Do brainer robots make for brainer kids? Read more about Technology & You columnist Stephen H. Wildstrom's experience with the new LEGO Mindstorms NXT in the recent issue of Business Week.

Building upon the success of the globally-renowned Robotics Invention System, the next generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS makes it quicker and easier for robot creators to build and program a working robot in just 30 minutes. Simultaneously, new technologies and expanded sensor capabilities add a level of sophistication to excite and challenge more experienced robot creators.

The heart of the new system is the NXT 2.0 brick, an autonomous 32-bit LEGO microprocessor that can be programmed using a PC, or a Mac. After building their robots, users create a program within easy-to-use yet feature-rich software, powered by LabVIEW from National Instruments.

Downloading programs to an invention is easy. Users with Bluetooth-enabled computer hardware can transfer their programs to the NXT 2.0 wirelessly, or anyone can use the included USB 2.0 cable to connect their computer to the NXT for program transfer. The robot then takes on a life of its own, fully autonomous from the computer. The inclusion of Bluetooth technology also extends possibilities for controlling robots remotely, for example, from a mobile phone or PDA.

"When LEGO MINDSTORMS launched, we fundamentally changed the way people viewed LEGO building and play and helped spark the trend of affordable and attainable consumer robotics," says Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, CEO, LEGO Group. "Eight years later, we're ready to improve upon the single best-selling product in the company's history. We've developed the new toolset with expanded components and capabilities to challenge our existing community of dynamic fans. Meanwhile, the system's new software, design and 30-minute quick-start program are geared toward recruiting a new, younger generation of robotics enthusiasts."

LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 highlights include: