Lego NXT Mega Stair Climber

[domcikas51221]

this reminds me a german tank



[NAHSrobots]

@domcikas51221 Absolutely. WW1 models. The students researched them a bit. Designed to be long enough to cross trenches and ditch hazards.

[two246810]

very BIg

[w00tb0t22]

Cool love to have one as a server

*robot pun epic fail*

[MARTINAKATINY]

useless

[Badgersize]

Could you do another video of it going back down? Looks quite cool!

Thanks.

[ackbarfan13]

That is awesome! The music makes it even better!!!! Great Job!

[NAHSrobots]

@ackbarfan13 We thank you.  I have a few students attempting to create v2. We'll see how they do.

[legoluna11]

What`s the name of the song?? d:-D

[NAHSrobots]

@legoluna11 Flight of the Valkyries?

[p1o9w9e9r]

why?



[slampsug1]

AWSOME! unfortnualy i dont have 3 meter long tracks

[NAHSrobots]

@slampsug1 The fine folks at BrickLink will be happy to sell you as many as you want.

[supertjaard]

that is biggg

[AgentDudo]

Tally Ho!

[coolmankook40]

the tank rolling into battle

[coolotis123]

it could of just taken the lifl. lol! cool vid

[MorkaGraven]

A flexible flat articulated model would work better.

[ibaher1]

I only was able to spot 2 servo motors...what happened to the 3rd one that is normally used in NXT sets? I'd say you might want to shorten the hull a bit, I was worried it might fall apart during the video and the extra length might be a hindrance to future versions because it would limit steering capability.

[NAHSrobots]

@ibaher1 At one point we had all three motors on a single axle for the power.  Dropped to two to reduce weight. When we had the tracks move independently to permit steering, they got out of sync resulting in vibrations that tore the track apart. The length was necessary for the underlying design, spanning three steps at all times, essentially turning the steps into a smooth ramp. Good observations. They will be considered the next time my students try to "reinvent" the MegaClimber.

[charlieinCNet]

now make it climb walls

[NAHSrobots]

@charlieinCNet THAT would be cool! Have you seen the videos of ultralight wall climbers that mimic salamanders? With microfilaments providing the "stickiness" to adhere to walls and ceiling? Alas, Lego's are probably too heavy.

[charlieinCNet]

@NAHSrobots dude i was kidding

[bravomonkey123]

it should be a horror movie. The little kid who always dies in movies says "Mommy, MegaStairClimber's coming for us. All of us."

[olddog5655]

the music goes great with the video!

[NAHSrobots]

@olddog5655 We thank you!

[TheChrisblue25]

cool but wats the purpourpose of it

[NAHSrobots]

@TheChrisblue25 Stair climbing is just a cool challenge for high school kids. The purpose is to have them go through the vision, design, build, revise (a lot) cycle.

[supermariohunter2001]

@TheChrisblue25 To get you a can of soda!!!!!!XD

[NAHSrobots]

@thebrickfilmer100 Good idea! We'll put it on the wish list for the next version.

[thebrickfilmer100]

make it transport things like soda cans

[KillaTheChilla1]

looks a little bit like an tank from star wars

[shiminama]

but will it blend???

[shiminama]

can i eat it?

[Daniel1234ification1]

after making it steerable you could add a gun then you could take over the world!

[segap21]

How did you get the track? Splice and glue many tracks together?

[NAHSrobots]

@segap21 Nope! We used a whole bunch of Technic Links 57518. You have to drive them (and support them everywhere else) with part 57520. Find them at BrickLink.

[OKISIROKI]

THE MUSIC IS SO EPIC

[animatorSimen]

The problem many ppl will ha when they're tryin to build this, is that they dont have 400 tracks :P

[NAHSrobots]

@animatorSimen Apparently, I have more money than sense. All Hail BrickLink!

[animatorSimen]

@NAHSrobots do you have a link to where you bought those tracks at bricklink?

send me a pm! thx

[117ss]

Thats epic! Looks like a WW1 tadpole tank!

[NAHSrobots]

@117ss You guessed it! The triangle shape of WWI tanks is the underlying model. Next generation, though, will likely use a parallelogram. Lego parts don't assemble into triangle shapes very well. With a parallelogram, we should be able to just go with what the parts want to do, rather than stressing them into the shape we require.

[benasourus]

what is this music called again? i forget

[NAHSrobots]

@benasourus Flight of the Valkyries

[thefighter457]

the music let me think that world war 3 is coming!!! nice robot!

[megacharizard1234]

One step forward for nxt 2.0...one negative step for mankind...

[insaneguyXP]

It's... BEAUTIFUL *Sniff*

[Habbadax]

OH GOD IT'S COMIN' RIGHT AT US!

[rosewarrior21]

thats alot of tread links!!!



[supermariohunter2001]

to the war!!!!!

[AunShovah]

Excellent choice of music

[Mrflager67]

If only I had stairs...and a cool robot..

[aj5twizzy]

i wasted 1:27 seconds of my life..BUT IT WAS WORTH I!!

[2020skywarp]

Do you think that this would make a nice robotic arm base

[NAHSrobots]

@2020skywarp It can't steer, so probably not. When the motors (and tracks) were independent, it shook itself apart. Since it can't steer, as an arm base you couldn't maneuver your arm into the proper position. Perhaps in its next generation.

[hoohoo1999]

cool



[117DieHard]

THE POWER OF 6 AA BATTERIES

[NAHSrobots]

@117DieHard All hail the lithium ion rechargeable battery pack!

[mindstorms0133]

can you send me the instrocthins to bulid it

[NAHSrobots]

@mindstorms0133 We captured very little in the way of plans. I might have a couple of Lego Digital Designer files of a couple of sections. Our goal is to let another group of students solve the same problem in their own way, seeking to improve on the original design.

[LeoTheLegoTV]

Ahhh the mighty corner, can it get past.

[NAHSrobots]

@LeoTheLegoTV To keep the tracks synchronized, and to keep it from shaking apart, both motors are driving the same axle.  Turning is not in its vocabulary. Onward and upward!

[Dominomusicians]

and now build a sensor at the robot and let him turn around when he stands in front of a wall. sry for bad english but u now what i mean...

[lawl114]

now, strap a dr pepper to it and watch it go up the stairs to you

[magmatorch99]

now make it climb the wall!

[44cheeta44]

@NAHSrobots thats a nice robot

[legosumo]

3:00 am Oct 31 2999 is when it will finally get up the stairs. I liked the idea but it was slow.

[NAHSrobots]

@legosumo That is as fast as we could push it without it shaking itself apart. We needed "studs" on the tracks for traction on the edges of the stairs, but those studs were a disaster at higher speeds. The motors are actually turning at 100% power. The tracks are geared down for the climbing power. It was a heavy critter.

[90BritishBiker]

Now we just need to combine this with the lego beer dispenser robot.

[NAHSrobots]

@90BritishBiker Alas, we are in a high school environment. Perhaps Mountain Dew?

[TubaJay448]

@NAHSrobots high school, did you do this after school b/c I douth u had time b/w bells.

[NAHSrobots]

@TubaJay448 Robotics is a for-credit elective for our 9th/10th grade students. Serves as an alternate entry point to computer science studies. Culminates in team presentations of "product" prototypes to a Shark Tank Panel of role-playing venture capitalists. Combines mechanical and software engineering; computer-aided design; writing; oral presentation; problem-solving and collaboration skills.

[PeteBobGee]

@NAHSrobots Hohh!  Jealous! Green with envy! ... hohhh!

[NAHSrobots]

@TubaJay448 This took almost a year to complete. We worked on it only when we had spare time, before or after school.

[Szaszlyk21]

Nice robot.

Music sounds like from Cobra City, than real symphonic :)

[suzj74]

what is the song called

[NAHSrobots]

@suzj74 Flight of the Valkyries, I believe

[TheMrMechanic]

this is sick! where the hell did you get tracks that long

[NAHSrobots]

@TheMrMechanic We bought a lot of track sections at BrickLink

[TubaJay448]

@NAHSrobots (I'm almost afraid to ask) BUT, How many sections?

[NAHSrobots]

@TubaJay448 I'll probably track down the receipt when I do my 2011 taxes. BrickLink has already purged the old record. Maybe 120 or so? 60 on a side? Plus two axle pins and a split rubber joiner per track link for traction. I apparently have more money than sense.

[NAHSrobots]

@TubaJay448 Found the receipt. Don't know how many actually went into the model, but I bought 300 track links, $42.

[isobodari1]

omg send that to mars

[serkir121]

I need answer ASAP,please....can i buy this at a store if so how much is the price.

[NAHSrobots]

@serkir121

This was a model that "evolved" in my classroom, worked on by several students over months. We didn't even capture building plans for it. We plan on building it again, or something like it, though no doubt it will evolve again.

[serkir121]

@NAHSrobots i meean the lego mindstorm

[pyun52]

@serkir121 if you want to buy this kit, it is 280$ at lego(dot)com free shipping and comes with a lot of features

[thunderkazma]

awesome! but if it is faster it would be good

[NAHSrobots]

@thunderkazma

Unfortunately, for traction we needed rubber feet. At faster speeds, vibrations tear the track sections apart.

[UberMIND]

good music selection, flight of the valkyries goes with every evil looking contraption that moves slowly :D

[NAHSrobots]

@UberMIND

It seemed a good choice. Especially when we imagined the video from several aspects, including head on.

[IsaacClarke1000]

also i agree it is a good design for this because the tank its based on was made for crossing trenches and crushing barbed wire

[IsaacClarke1000]

based on ,i think, the MK I

[tguanming]

The tune is Backyard Monster's song, right???

[nightworldfan22]

Its going were no toy has gone before UPSTAIRS that is one small step for him but a giant leap for toys every were

[luthfirrahmansmpm22]

Your Robot Is Very Nice But Is To BIG,, Not In The WRO Standart

[NAHSrobots]

Correct. Hence the MEGA in its name. We are blessed with nearly unlimited parts, and wanted to see what we could do as a problem-solving exercise. The result: steps are merely a ramp if you are big enough.

[morethejamesx39]

you should get it to transport things upstairs

[NAHSrobots]

@morethejamesx39

Use it like a mule? Or give it the ability to pick something up, and then carry it upstairs?

[morethejamesx39]

@NAHSrobots either really

[NAHSrobots]

@morethejamesx39

I'll put it on the list for v2! Probably won't have any kids working on it until next school year, so be patient. For the balance of this year, they'll be working on a Catapult project with science and math students, and their original product prototype. Thanks for the feedback.