Learning Robotics, with Robotics, by Robotics

Appendix 1

Twenty things to do with a programmable brick [RES 96]

1) Create a “haunted house”. Attach a programmable brick to the door to make creaking sounds whenever the door is opened. Program another brick to drop spiders on people when they walk through the door. Build a LEGO platform for a pumpkin, and program a brick to drive the pumpkin around the room.

2) Connect sensors to various parts of your body. Then, program a programmable brick to monitor your heartbeat and breathing as you walk and run. Or program the brick to play different sounds when you move different parts of your body.

3) Take a programmable brick with you to measure the pH level of the water in local streams, or the noise levels at a local construction site.

4) Create a LEGO musical instrument. The instrument might have buttons like a flute, or a sliding part like a trombone, or a completely new interface that you invent. Start by writing a simple program so that the programmable brick plays different notes (or melodies) when you move different parts of the instrument. Then, enhance the program so that the brick improvises on your notes. Or program the brick to play “rounds” (by playing a second copy of your notes with a delay).

5) Put a programmable brick and light sensor on the door to keep track of the number of people that enter the room. Then program the brick to greet people as they enter the room (with music or digitized speech).

6) Set up a weather station on the roof of the building.

7) Use ...