Lego Mindstorms -- SqLego
Last updated at 5:03 pm UTC on 16 January 2006
Here is a little package for controling LegoMindstorms system directly from Squeak – SqLego
This works with the firmware sold with LegoMindstorms system 1.5. Squeak supports actually only serial port, from that, system stricly below 2.0 could be managed.
I am inspired from BotKit interface (cf link at the bottom). Actually only a small core is implemented, you can only control motors and emit sounds..,lm,.,ll[;.';l[
There exist two different ways for controlling a RCX (the yellow brick) :
- immediate mode – send order and see result
- program mode – download a program to the lego, press run and watch
Before testing anything, open a transcript, this will show debug information.
Immediate mode
The small examples should be explain enought I guess :
rcx := RCX onPort: 0. "the IRtower is plugged on serial port 0 (unix) and 1 (windows)"
rcx soundBeep. "If you hear something, everything is okay !"
rcx closePort.
Try to use the motors :
rcx := RCX onPort: 0. "the IRtower is plugged on serial port 0"
motor := rcx motor: 1. "We get an instance for the motor 1"
motor start. "If the first motor start to turn, everything is ok"
motor float.
rcx closePort.
Of course, you can use several motors at the same time :
rcx := RCX onPort: 0. "the IRtower is plugged on serial port 0"
motor1 := rcx motor: 1. "We get an instance for the motor 1"
motor2 := rcx motor: 3. "We get an instance for the motor 3"
motor2 start.
motor1 start.
motor2 stop.
motor1 float.
rcx closePort.
That's all for the immediate mode.
Program mode
For compiling and downloading a little program to the RCX use the method :
RCX downloadProgram: aProgram as: aNumber onPort: aPortNumber
aProgram is a collection of instruction, aNumber is a number between 1 and 5 corresponding and the port reference the serial port (typically 0 for the first one).
The program is a collection of instructions which could be :
soundBeep
soundClick
soundFastSweepUp
soundSweepDown
soundSweepUp
soundError
turnOnLeft
turnOnMiddle
turnOnRight
turnOffLeft
turnOffMiddle
turnOffRight
wait aNumber
powerMotor motorNumber powerNumber
where aNumber is a real positive number designing the number of second to wait.
motorNumber is a number between 1 and 3, and powerNumber between 0 and 7
For example, doit this:
r:=#( #(soundBeep) #(wait 3.5) #(soundClick) #(turnOnLeft) #(wait 2) #(turnOffLeft)).
RCX downloadProgram: r as: 1 onPort: 0 "onPort: 1 – for under windows"
And then press the green button "run".
Projects
Lego Mindstorms -- SqLego
Download
The changeset :
RCX.cs
File in this file to enjoy with Lego Mindstorms.
Some fixes from Ned Konz to load after the above:
RCXFixes-nk.cs
From Ned Konz:
Here is an eToy scriptable RCX brick Morph.
Load the RCX changeset,
then the RCXFixes-nk changeset,
then download the RCXMorph-nk changeset and the GIF file into your Squeak directory,
then load the RCXMorph-nk changeset.
RCXMorph-nk.cs
Links
Lego MindStorms
Botkit : http://www.object-arts.com/Bower/Bot-Kit/
Contact
Bergel Alexandre : bergel@iam.unibe.ch – last update 05 May 2002
Ned Konz: ned@bike-nomad.com – last update 19 Aug 2002
