Dave Baum's Definitive Guide to Lego (R) Mindstorms (TM) (Technology in Action) [Paperback]

Dismissed by many as a toy, Lego's Mindstorms sets are in fact incredibly powerful robotics construction kits capable of producing machines as complex or as simple as the user wishes. While it's possible to build with the manufacturer's (rather good) instructions straight from the box, to get the very best from these excellent toys it's essential to get hold of a good book on the subject--like Dave Baum's Definitive Guide to LEGO Mindstorms, for example.

In 300 pages, Baum covers an enormous amount of territory, starting with Lego's own relatively simple programming system before moving on to the more complex, but infinitely more useful, NQC--a programming system written by the author specifically for Mindstorms. The text is concise yet manages to cover a lot of ground. The description of NQC and command reference alone makes this book worth its weight in gold. There's a great chapter on construction techniques and many step-by-step 3D drawings of how to build several core robot types. Handy appendices include short reviews of all the Mindstorms kits and suggestions for Lego extras which will help create the most flexible system possible.

Used in conjunction with the kits themselves, this is both an invaluable learning aid for the young and a great companion for those of us who need to invent imaginary children to justify playing with Lego to a partner. --Chris Russell

The Lego Mindstorms Robotics Invention System was introduced in 1998, and quickly became Lego's best-selling kit. From its surveys, Lego found that the median purchasing age for the Mindstorms kit is 23. The Mindstorms Programmable Brick, called the RCX, contains a microcomputer that enables those who build the robots to then program their movement. Sensors and motors can be attached to the RCX and an ordinary Lego model can move, sense and respond to its environment. The Mindstorms kit does include basic instructions and sample robots, but these are not comprehensive. This book includes a variety of new robots, explanations for readers, and theory behind the practice of building robots.

Dave Baum recieved a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When LEGO released the MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System in 1998, Baum was able to combine two of his favourite interests: LEGO and computer programming. He developed Not Quite C (NQC), a powerful language for programming MINDSTORMS robots, and then went on to write the best-selling 'Definitive Guide to LEGO MINDSTORMS.' When not playing LEGO, he is a distinguished Member of the Technical Staff at Motorola Labs. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.