The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory

The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory

Build, Program, and Experiment with Five Wicked Cool Robots!
by Daniele Benedettelli
October 2013, 432 pp.
ISBN-13: 
9781593275334

The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 set offers so many new and exciting features that it can be hard to know where to begin. Without the help of an expert, it could take months of experimentation to learn how to use the advanced mechanisms and numerous programming features.

In The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory, author Daniele Benedettelli, robotics expert and member of the elite LEGO MINDSTORMS Expert Panel, shows you how to use gears, beams, motors, sensors, and programming blocks to create sophisticated robots that can avoid obstacles, walk on two legs, and even demonstrate autonomous behavior. You’ll also dig into related math, engineering, and robotics concepts that will help you create your own amazing robots. Programming experiments throughout will challenge you, while a series of comics and countless illustrations inform the discussion and keep things fun.

As you make your way through the book, you’ll build and program five wicked cool robots:

  • ROV3R, a vehicle you can modify to do things like follow a line, avoid obstacles, and even clean a room
  • WATCHGOOZ3, a bipedal robot that can be programmed to patrol a room using only the Brick Program App (no computer required!)
  • SUP3R CAR, a rear-wheel-drive armored car with an ergonomic two-lever remote control
  • SENTIN3L, a walking tripod that can record and execute color-coded sequences of commands
  • T-R3X, a fearsome bipedal robot that will find and chase down prey

With The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory as your guide, you’ll become an EV3 master in no time.

Requirements: One LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 set (LEGO SET #31313)

Author Bio 

Daniele Benedettelli is known worldwide for his original LEGO robots, including his Rubik’s Cube solvers and his humanoid robots. As a LEGO MINDSTORMS Community Partner (MCP), he helps to test and develop new ­MINDSTORMS products. He earned a master’s degree in Robotics and Automation from the University of Siena in Italy. He holds educational presentations and workshops on Information and Communications Technology around the world and teaches robotics at the high school level.

Table of contents 

Chapter 1: Your LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Set (PDF)
Chapter 2: Building ROV3R
Chapter 3: Programming
Chapter 4: Advanced Programming with the Brick Program App
Chapter 5: EV3 Programming
Chapter 6: Experimenting with the EV3 Infrared Components (PDF)
Chapter 7: The Math Behind the Magic!
Chapter 8: LEGO Recipes
Chapter 9: Building WATCHGOOZ3
Chapter 10: Programming WATCHGOOZ3
Chapter 11: Building the SUP3R CAR
Chapter 12: Programming the SUP3R CAR
Chapter 13: Building the SENTIN3L
Chapter 14: Programming the SENTIN3L
Chapter 15: Building the T-R3X
Chapter 16: Programming the T-R3X
Appendix A: The EV3 31313 Set Bill of Materials
Appendix B: Differences Between the Education Set and Retail Set

View the Index (PDF)
View the detailed Table of Contents (PDF)

Reviews 

Featured in Scholastic's review of LEGO's EV3 kit. (Read More)

Read an interview with author Daniele Benedettelli on MAKE!

"The perfect companion to your EV3 set."
HispaBrick Magazine (Read More)

Extra Stuff 

Check out the book trailer!

Updates 

Visit EV3L.com for the EV3 projects for the robots, errata, additional tips and tricks, and bonus models.