Being children’s most loved toys, LEGO games have become a must on every kid’s toy list.
The complexity that characterizes the concepts behind each set and the imagination required for this type of activity makes LEGO a perfect choice for teenagers and adults as well.
LEGO Mindstorms NXT is no exception from the “fun and useful” rule that accompanies the brand’s name.
Building a robot out of 577 pieces is a very interesting process that needs a lot of attention.
Also, because of the software included in this LEGO Mindstorm model, it can be very attractive for all those who like technology.
It takes only half an hour to give life to the smart robot, program it and test it. You are step by step by the building instructions and the user-friendly software.
Main Features – What Makes LEGO Mindstorm So Cool?
This robot is a smart little critter that knows how to do a lot of things. It’s equipped with a 32-bit processor, Bluetooth, sensors and other intelligent gadgets; it is a must-have for any technology fan, no matter the age.
Some of the Main Features of LEGO Mindstorms NXT include:
Great functionality ensured by a large LCD command center, a 2.0 USB, Bluetooth and many others that make it possible for your robot to talk, walk and interact with you.
This is the brain of the whole operation – it can be just like a best friend that you can always trust.
The graphical user interface and the drag & drop icons work both Windows and Mac, and are also user friendly.
The set comes with many different sensors (touch, sound, light, ultrasonic) that make everything easier to handle and more fun at the same time:
Touch: allows the robot to react to the environment after feeling it himself;
Light: the smart little thing not only detects light, but also distinguishes colors;
Sound: this sensor helps the robot react to sounds;
Ultrasonic: permits the robot to react to any kind of movement as well as measure distances.
The three motors make the Mindstorms NXT easy to operate – it will work so smoothly and precisely, that you will have a hard time keeping up with it around the house.
The connections are made through high quality digital cables– all of your commands will be understood and executed in the shortest time.
The design of the blocks gives the final product a more human-like look.
The kit allows you to build 9 models, categorized under 5 themes; these are:
Vehicle theme: Scorpio, Animal and Reverbot;
Human theme: Humanoid;
Movers theme;
Machine theme: Robotic Arm;
Gadgets theme: Music, Game and Clock.
Main Advantages
This type of toy brings along various advantages to those who decide to try it out. The fun and educational aspects are already common to LEGO games in general, so these two come with the package.
On the other hand, the NXT Mindstorms set has its basic concept as the most important advantage –it is a very intelligent and cute toy that can do many things and, surprisingly, react to most of the commands you may have for it – sorry to disappoint you, though; no matter how smart it is, it cannot bring peace on earth, get you a better job, or get rid of that bad kid at school who never leaves you alone; but it can still do many other things.
The complexity of the Mindstorms LEGO set, the themes and models available and all those pieces that you have to put together require quite some effort, time and attention. Beginners will learn about patience, discipline and creativity, while experienced “Legoers” will get to practice their skills and enjoy loads of fun.
Watch the following video with brief introduction about NXT robot.
Any Drawbacks?
The NXT LEGO Mindstorms set does not have many disadvantages.
Even though safe, it is recommended that kids under 10 years should not be given access to it (at least not without supervision) – this is first of all because of all the small parts that the kit has and might be swallowed by young children; also, since there’s a lot of technology involved, smaller children will most probably not understand much about the building process.
However, they’ll surely love to see the finished product in action.
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The purpose of the toy is to use your imagination to create various functional models – this is not an easy task for small kids and it might appear boring to them, so this aspect makes the toy more appropriate and useful for teenagers and adults.
Also, due to all the technology involved, the set is expensive to produce, and this can be seen in the selling price as well.
Because it has many complicated parts, software, sensors and other such features (that are not that cheap), the robot may be quite expensive for money. However, a true fan of Legos will surely not care about the price.
What Buyers Think About the Mindstorms NXT?
Most of those who have bought the LEGO Mindstorms NXT are very happy with their set.
The main benefits that people refer to when talking about the LEGO NXT are related to the complexity of the set and the fact that it is a perfect way to spend time with your kids, to have fun with them and educate them at the same time.
Of course, the software and the rest of the gadgets are highly praised by all reviewers, being the main attraction of the set.
Also, the variety of models that can be built with the kit is also a main plus mentioned by customers; some of the reviewers mentioned they managed to build even more models than the pre-set ones. All you need is a little imagination.
Conclusion
So, we are not talking about just a simple building set, but more like various, very intelligent gadgets that can run around the house and be the source of many, many laughs.
