LEGO MINDSTORMS SOFTWARE

· Download Bricx Command Center 3.3

Complete “Not-Quite-C” (NQC) programming environment for the RCX written by John Hansen. This is an enhanced version of that originally developed by Mark Overmars at the University of Utrecht (Netherlands). This site has downloads of the bricxcc environment and NQC compiler.

· Download Not-Quite-C

Multithreaded, C-like programming language for the Mindstorms RCX processor, written by Dave Baum. You do not need to download this separately. It is included in the bricxcc download above. It can, however, be installed and used independently as a command line tool.

· NQC Tutorial

This is a very helpful tutorial on programming with NQC.

LEGO MINDSTORMS INFORMATION

• FIRST Lego League Competition

An international program for children ages 9-14 (9-16 in Europe) that combines a hands-on, interactive robotics program with a sports-like atmosphere. Teams consist of up to 10 players with the focus on such things as team building, problem solving, creativity, and analytical thinking.

UD will be hosting a regional competition in 2006 – Volunteers needed, please contact Russell Hardie: rhardie@udayton.edu

Ohio State Championship Link 1/16/2006 – Volunteers wanted!

• RCX Internals
  RCX hardware and software reverse-engineered by Kekoa Proudfoot of Stanford. RCX opcodes, firmware, sensors, processor, and more.

• Mindstorms RCX Sensors
  Techical information on how to build your own sensors. 

• LEGO User's Group Network
  Find out what others are doing.

• Additional parts and Replacement parts

Source for LEGO motors, sensors, and components.

• IEEE Spectrum Article on MINDSTORMS

See what the principal electrical and computer engineering professional organization has to say about the LEGO MINDSTORMS. Here is more information on the IEEE. You can become a student member of the IEEE through the UD student chapter.

ENGINEERING SOFTWARE

· Download PSpice 9.1 Student Version

Electronic circuit simulation software. Allows you to draw circuit schematics and test the circuits via computer simulation. The student version is free and useful for small circuit applications. The unlimited professional version is available in the ECE department.

· MATLAB Student Version

Data visualization, numerical computations, image processing, signal processing, symbolic mathematics, linear systems analysis, etc. My feeling is that if an engineer knows only one programming language/mathematics package, it should be MATLAB. The MATLAB student version is $99.00 and can be ordered on line or through the UD bookstore. The professional version of MATLAB is available throughout the School of Engineering. ECE students will be taking a 1 credit hour course in MATLAB programming ECE 203. More information on MATLAB can be found at the ECE 203 website.

PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE

· Tutorials on Microsoft Office at UD’s Learning Teaching Center

· Another tutorial page