LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Announced

[inxt-generation]

[tabbycatrobots]

I read on one website that the dimensions of the EV3 brick are the same as the NXT brick, but the mounting holes
are in little different positions. Has anyone had the opportunity to swap NXT and EV3 bricks in and out of
a robot? I wonder how hard it will be to give one of my robots a brain transplant. Thanks for any info.
Howard

[mightor]

There are a few differences but how difficult it will be to do a brain transplant will depend on your robot and your ability to modify a model. I've taken some quick pics with the bricks side by side, so you can get an idea. Quite a few of the holes match up, just the vertical ones are different.



The LCD screen part is 0.5U higher than the rest of the brick.

= Xander

[inxt-generation]

*drools*

[mightor]

You may like the pictures here: http://botbench.com/blog/2013/04/06/min ... ior-robot/

= Xander

[inxt-generation]

You may like the pictures here: http://botbench.com/blog/2013/04/06/min ... ior-robot/

= Xander

Somehow I'd missed that before.


Hubba hubba

[haydenstudios]

Oh goodness, it looks like this one will be powered by six AA batteries as well. For the RCX, 6 AA batteries was okay, but the NXT seriously eats them up quickly from my experience, even if I'm using Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries and Bluetooth is off. I'm guessing the EV3 will simply devour batteries. If the EV3 drains batteries more quickly than even the NXT, then LEGO is seriously going to need to start making their bricks capable of holding more juice.

[inxt-generation]

How about a 6amp Li-Ion battery?

[tabbycatrobots]

Thanks for the info and the pix of the 2 bricks side by side. I think it will be an easy transplant into my robots.
As I'm taking my robots to Brickfair NE and VA, maybe there will be an EV3 that I can beg, borrow, or steal for
10 minutes to try the physical fit. Lego Corp gave a couple good talks last year, maybe they'll give a
EV3 presentation with demo units, this year. One can always hope.
I see where Lego Education is listing a rechargeable battery for the EV3; maybe it will be high capacity.

Howard

[mightor]

The battery pack has a similar capacity to the NXT's white battery pack, 2050 mAh. It can use the same small charger used for those as well. The cool thing about this new battery is that when it is placed, you can still put beams across the back of the brick, from one side to the other. I don't have any of the packs myself, but I took a pic so you can see what I mean.

The pack is 1U high. With some sawing and hackery, you can make the older battery packs work with the EV3, but you'll have to rig it up, so the pack doesn't fall out, because it will not snap in like this one will

You can find the product page here:[LINK].

= Xander