Gifts and Gadgets

The CD-ROM includes a series of "missions" for basic training on using the RCX and working with RCX code. Each set of missions centers on a particular action or set of actions that a robot can perform. The missions start with just getting the robot to roll across the floor, but quickly increase in complexity. Ultimately they require incorporating the sensors and having the robot respond autonomously to environmental conditions such as a wall or the edge of a table. The missions are structured to give hints and tips along the way, and through these construct/program/test sequences, the user becomes familiar with robotic logic and design.

The MindStorms system has been used to create alarm devices that sense when someone passes through a doorway; coin-sorters that distinguish coins by detecting their diameter, a candy dispenser that dishes up sweets according to simple bar codes, and a wandering robot that takes pictures with an onboard camera. The devices are intelligent enough to follow paths (via markings on the floor), and move around obstacles.