X-Wing Flight Simulator

Here' something I made late last year, in celebration of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens. An X-Wing Flight Simulator

The landing platform can be retracted. The X-Wing tilts up and down, and left and right. And the S-foils can be locked into attack formation for those tricky trench runs.

It takes both an EV3 and an NXT to operate this thing. The EV3 reads the position of the joystick and controls the tilt and pan of the X-Wing. The NXT reads the touch sensor buttons and controls the landing platform and the S-foils.

The tilting mechanism. Each axis is controlled by one large motor

The S-foils mechanism. Controlled by an M motor

One side of the landing platform mechanism. Each side is controlled by a linear actuator powered by a large motor.

Action video:

Download links: LDD File || EV3 Program || NXT Program

COPT3R

Another older creation. This helicopter is a recreation of the old Lego Technic 8485 Control Center helicopter model.

The functions are the same as the old model. Tilt forward and back, left and right, start and stop the motor, and move up and down using the beam geometry.

CRAWL3R

Here's another of my EV3 creations from a while back. This is the Crawl3r, a 4x4 crawler, meant to be a rendition of the Power Functions 4x4 crawler from a few years back.

4-wheel drive, all wheel steering and independent suspension, and remote controlled.

 Action video:

TUMBL3R

Hi all. Here's my latest, rendition of the Tumbler Batmobile from the Dark Knight Saga.

It's remote-controlled, has steering, and independent suspension on all four wheels.

Here's a video of the driving in action.

If I revisit this, I'll add weapons and self-drive, so that it can be like an actual batmobile!

LOAD3R

Two projects in one month! Normally I don't work this fast XD Anyway, this is a remote-controlled loader, aptly named LOAD3R. It does the expected functions: drive, steer, bucket and arm movements. The difference is that this little machine is that it accomplishes those four functions using only the two EV3 servomotors, with the M-motor switching between two modes: Drive and Load. This ability is inspired by the Power Functions Motorized Excavator set from a few years back. 

In the above picture, the two yellow shafts are movable along a length of 3M to switch between Drive and Load, driven by the red driving shafts at the bottom. Four shaft outputs lead to the drive and steering (blues), and arm and bucket control (greens). 

Drive Mode:

Load Mode:

Shown above are the two modes of operation, where the driving shafts (bright red and green) drive the corresponding functions (dark red and green) depending on the position of the switching gears (yellow).

This time round I didn't have access to Technic transmission components to help reduce the size and complexity of LOAD3R. Hopefully I'll be able to source the pieces for the next time I need to reuse the mode-switch function.

ORANG3

First project of the year is this little guy. Built to make use of some orange threads gifted by my dearly beloved, hence the name ORANG3.

While I was at it, I tested out an idea for simple EV3-to-NXT communication, as a workaround around the fact that the NXT cannot be wirelessly daisy-chained to the EV3. The EV3 controls movement and signals to the NXT, which in turn controls the arms and shooting launcher. A 2x2 checkered square step-rotated at 180 degrees connects to the NXT colour sensor, registering the colour change and performing an action. 

 

With only one communication method, ORANG3 can't do much at once, but actions can be programmed sequentially, each triggered by the colour change. In this incarnation, ORANG3 is programmed to raise its shooting arm, fire the launcher, lower the arm, and raise/lower its other arm, in that order. Movement is IR remote-controlled, though it would be easy to run it autonomously. The non-shooting arm aso has an EV3 colour sensor that's only decorative, but can definitely be programmed to enable more functions. 

As is, ORANG3 is more of a proof of concept about physical EV3-NXT communication. Maybe in another project I'll figure out how to increase the number of signals the EV3 can send to the NXT.

"Where the rubber meets the road"

Good thing I don't have much of an audience yet. Nobody likes to wait six month for a content update.

Some of the first models I put together with either version of Mindstorms sets were cars. Specifically supercars. Here's a Pagani Zonda Cinque on the Mindstorms NXT:

And on the EV3, here's a Lamborghini Veneno

Functionally, they're both the same car with different bodies. The Zonda could self drive for a bit with the sensors, and the Veneno was remote controlled.

Something to look forward to: A fully automated self-driving car. One of these days mate, one of these days.

UPDATE: I made LDD files. By popular request. Here they are:
Pagani Zonda NXT: https://app.box.com/s/fuspby9ea74f5w1etoeababsk8rfgg7c
Lamborghini Veneno EV3: https://app.box.com/s/ee7bka53ba6spg55mb3ksscht5do43z6