The last title in the Apress collection of more than ten books about constructing robots with LEGO kits, this book is mainly about building a LEGO vehicle and making it run. LEGO Mindstorms is well known to people working in robotics; EV3 is the new version of this kit, which includes EV3 software. The book introduces EV3 without starting from the previous EV versions, and covers both hardware and software development.

Chapter 1 describes what is new in EV3: the EV3 brick, the two kinds of motors, the sensors (ultrasonic, gyro, color, touch, infrared, beacon), and the main pieces.

Chapter 2 is about programming. The EV3 brick (which contains the processor and is the brain of every LEGO robot) shows a screen, four tabs, and five ports to connect cables and a PC. Using the four tabs, it is possible to visualize on the screen the menus for run recently, file navigation, apps, and settings. Many apps are available to control motors and sensors. The programming environment allows users to connect icons that represent programming blocks. Programming blocks are different colors to indicate the kind of operation: the green ones (for actions) and the orange ones (for flow control), necessary when using sensors, are illustrated.

Step-by-step instructions for building a vehicle are provided in chapter 3. It has a driving base with two motors, and accommodates four sensors (ultrasonic, gyro, color, and touch). No more ports are available, so not all kinds of sensors can be used together. A large part of the chapter is devoted to programming by interconnecting the yellow blocks used for sensors. At the end, the vehicle should be able to move. Therefore, green, orange, and yellow blocks are enough to obtain a working robot.

Chapter 4 is about adding more capabilities, such as using vision and making sounds. To make those computations, the data operation blocks (the red blocks) are called and their result is displayed in text or graphics.

In chapter 5, the author explores more advanced programming, particularly data logging and analysis, an important part of experimental robotics. Data are graphically shown, and are also an effective tool for debugging. Advanced programming blocks manage files and messages with other devices.

Specialized vehicle projects and macros are covered in chapter 6. Mechanical and programming instructions are given for a swivel with a gyro sensor and a scissor lift. The macro concept is used to combine and save several blocks with their parameterization. Chapter 7 is about building a robot arm, with an elbow and wrist; the construction is quite complex, but the programming is simple.

Finally, chapter 8 develops a simple walking robot and gives the final lesson: what is important for a LEGO roboticist is not to find complete projects to try, but to create something from scratch.

I do not have the EV3 kit, so I could not try the recipes proposed in the book. However, I am convinced that they are an effective way to start learning to make robot toys by doing.

What is lacking in the LEGO kits with respect to “real robot” needs? It is hard to tell. Many behaviors can be implemented, but many cannot when just combining a few primitives. Also, the possibilities for controlling the motors or analyzing sensor data are very limited. In addition, the computational power of the device is minimal with respect to computers. However, robotics people are usually willing to demonstrate that interesting behaviors do not require extensive computation, and this graphic environment is enough for that task.

If the main goal of LEGO robotic kits is to improve the scientific capabilities of young students through robotics experimentation, the real point is how to design a robot to do what the user wants. Understanding the building blocks of an algorithm and the concept of putting actions together is well supported by the new EV3 graphic language. Perhaps familiarity with blocks and their variables is a simple way to understand the concept of functions and procedures in a programming language. We should follow up with our young LEGO designers to see if their approach to computing depends on those LEGO programming experiences.

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