Interview with Lee Magpili LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Designer

Former NYC FLL Emcee, coach, mentor, and teacher Evan Weinberg recently met up with Lee Magpili, LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 designer (also a former New Yorker) over tea to discuss the new EV3.

Check out the interview here:

http://evanweinberg.com/2013/06/27/tea-with-lee-magpili-and-the-lego-mindstorms-ev3/

MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Preview

I was recently awarded a Grant from LEGO Education (LE), to be a part of the "LEGO Education EV3 Seed Project." As part of the program, LE sent me a number of EV3 sets before their public release to try out in my robotics camps this summer.

The boxes came this week - here's a first look:

They are not the final version of what will be shipped this August. Usually LE MINDSTORMS kits come with a nice layout of how to organize the parts, but since this is a beta, I had to create my own organizational system.

I was given a PDF file of the parts list and made stickers of what parts should go where. I also labeled each bin with leftover price stickers I had around the house. 

Here's the parts list of the Core Set from LEGO Education:

I separated parts in the top bin into the categories that I will use to teach my students how to use and identify LEGO TECHNIC elements.

• Angled beams
• Straight beams
• Connectors
• 2 & 4 prong connectors
• Gears
• Axels (and all parts that have an axel pin)
• Friction pegs
• Bushings
• Pulley and skinny tire
• Ball parts (the new LE EV3 kit comes with an AMAZING ball attachment that can be used as a 3rd wheel- say goodbye to complicated pivot wheels!)
• Treads
• Misc. Parts

I separated parts in the top bin by:

• EV3 
• 2 large motors
• 1 medium motor
• Ultrasonic sensor (1)
• Touch sensors (2)
• Color sensor (1)
• Gyro sensor (1)
• Tires (2) & hubs 
• Wires & USB cable

I also laminated the bottom bin parts list for student reference.

Here are copies of the files I used for part stickers and bottom bin.  The top two .jpg's for the top bins, and are best printed at 60%, the third .jpg is the bottom bin reference sheet and can be printed at 100%. I print these on full sheet ink jet labels from Staples.

Top bin File #1:

Top bin File #2:

Bottom bin reference sheet:

The LE EV3 software should be coming next week. 

Stay tuned for first impressions of the software!

Just watch this and share

too amazing for words

Rookie Team Presentation @ NYU Poly

Rookie Workshop Powerpoint

Helpful ResourcesFIRST LEGO League Websitehttp://firstlegoleague.org/challenge/2012seniorsolutions 

Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy
http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/robots/nxteacher/index.htm 

LEGO Engineering
http://www.legoengineering.com/ 

Easy Scoring Sheet from Techbrick.com
http://www.techbrick.com/Lego/Lego2012/Resources/Documents/Challenge/FLL2012-SeniorSolutions-ScoringSheet-EN.pdf
NXT Tutorial
http://www.stemcentric.com/nxt-tutorial/ 

Dr Graeme NXT Tutorial
http://drgraeme.net/

NXT Programs
http://nxtprograms.com/ 

LEGO Parts List

Tech Brick
http://www.techbrick.com/Lego/Lego2012/Resources/index.html

Robot Movies for Senior Solutions

I recently saw Robot and Frank, and rated PG-13 may not be appropriate viewing for FLL Team members, it's great inspiration for coaches to think about how Robots helpers can greatly assist Seniors in the near future.

Robot and Frank

Another fun film is Batteries Not Included!

Batteries Not Included

Senior Solutions Kick-Off This Saturday @ NYU Poly

THIS Saturday September 22, 2012 

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

I am teaching the Rookie Workshop at 11:15 am 

@ Polytechnic Institute of NYU 
6 Metrotech Center 
Brooklyn, NY 11201 

 Agenda:

10:00 - 10:20 AM: Welcome & Introductions (Pfizer Auditorium, 5 MetroTech Center)

10:25 - 10:40 AM: Senior Solutions Challenge Overview (Pfizer Auditorium)

10:40 - 11:15 AM: Judging Rules Overview (Pfizer Auditorium)

11:15 - 1:15 PM: Rookie Team Workshop (How to organize your team, project overview; game strategies, robot design, & NXT software tips) (JAB - Room 474)

11:15 - 12:15 PM: Jr. FLL Workshop Super Seniors (How to register, run and prepare for the JrFLL Expo) (JAB - Room 475)

11:15 - 12:15 PM: Volunteer Workshop (What is FIRST, volunteer position descriptions) (Pfizer Auditorium, 5 MetroTech Center)

11:15 - 2:00 PM: Game Overview (All Teams) (Rogers Hall [RH] - Room 116)

PS 154 Robotics Workshop

Here are some helpful links I shared at a Robotics Teacher Workshop @ PS 154 in Brooklyn:

Starter Robots:
Five Minute Bot @ NXTprograms.com

Inspriational Models and Building Contests:
NXTLOG @ MINDSTORMS.com

Curriculum:
Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy
LEGO Engineering
NXT Tutorial
Dr Graeme NXT Tutorial

LEGO Parts List