The new MINDSTORMS is here!
Today LEGO officially announces the latest generation of MINDSTORMS., the MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor.
MINDSTORMS Robot inventor is the Retail version of LEGO Education Spike Prime, and uses the same hub, although in a new colour: 107 Teal. The set contains 4 Medium Motors (white with a Light Bluish Grey hub) and 2 sensor: Colour and Ultrasound (or distance). The hub does have an internal Gyro sensor which would bring the count to 3.
The announcement of this new platform is both exciting and a little disappointing, at least at first glance. LEGO recently marked the MINDSTORMS EV3 as "retiring soon", which of course started all kinds of speculation. For years fans have been speculating and adding upgrades to their wishlist. This new generation of MINDSTORMS is very different from the general trend on those lists. No backlit screens, no colour display, no new sensors. On the other hand, there are many interesting features in this new version that open up new possibilities.
As the front of the box already shows, this new generation of MINDSTORMS uses a new graphical programming language that is based on Scratch, and also supports text-based coding through Python.
The image above also boasts 50+ app activities. For those who have used LEGO Boost this will no doubt bring to mind the building and programming stages of the various robots, meaning that a single build is broken down in different meaningful stages and each stage constitutes 1 or more activities. The imagas of the 5 models included in the box (and app) already provide some ideas of what thos aactivities might be, especially since some of the models come with different attachments.
The first robot is a "walker" by the name of BLAST. Blast continues the MINDSTORMS tradition of including a humanoid robot in the set. The RCX came with a static humanoid robot but the NXT upped the stakes by including a true walker. Walking robots are quite tricky to make (especially on just 2 legs) and the EV3 version was more of a skid-walker. Blast is back to basics and his legs won't move. Wheels on either side of the legs allow for smooth motion. Blast also comes with a number of attachments, each one with their own dedicated activities in the app.
The next robot is called CHARLIE and uses the 5x5 LED matrix on the front of the hub to simulate expressions. Losing the screen that was present on both the NXT and EV3 feels like quite a step back, but this robot tries to make the most of what is available in the current configuration.
(the first MINDSTORMS version, the RCX, did have a small display, but that could not be programmed).
TRICKY is another multi-attachment robotic platform. This particular configuration looks a lot like what other robotics sets offer with 2 drive wheels and 1 or more castors. In this case there are 2 castors, or rather skids. The pen attachment brings back memories of the drawing robot included in the very first MINDSTORMS generation, the RCX.
GELO is a 4 legged walker that reminds me a lot of the Boston Dynamics dog robot. It's an improvement on Puppy, the LEGO Education MINDSTORMS EV3 model that could sit up, but not walk.
The final model is M.V.P. short for Modular Vehicle Platform, which again comes with several attachments.
The models all rely on the same electronics so you can build one at a time, but the set does come with a large assortment of parts: 949 elements in the set.
The building instructions for the models are contained in an app that will be available for both mobile devices and computers. And smaller screens will also be supported:
The text based programming environment is not (yet) shown in the images, but that will be a lot easier to do on a device with a physical keyboard, like a laptop or desktop computer
The set does not include a physical remote (like in the EV3 set), but it will be easy to control the robot using a PS4 (compatible) remote.
Although the use of Powered Up connectors on the new MINDSTORMS was to be expected, this means a break with previous platforms and NXT/EV3 hardware cannot be used directly together with this new version of MINDSTORMS. On the up-side, all new robotics and electronics platforms LEGO now has on the market are compatible. They all use the same plugs, and although there is not yet a single unifying app, there should in time be easy ways to integrate them all in a single construction.
The MINDSTORMS logo of course also gets a bit of a makeover:
We look forward to being able to provide some video footage of the new set. For now we can provide some background information on some of the people involved in bringing this new MINDSTORMS version to life:
Dan Meehan is the Creative Design Lead for LEGO® MINDSTORMS®. He heads up a talented team of model designers, UX specialists and app experts who work continually to develop the very best experiences for LEGO MINDSTORMS products.
A LEGO fan as a child and adult, Dan grew up with LEGO Space and LEGO Technic which helped him develop a passion for modifying his LEGO builds by adding motors and functions wherever possible.
Dan joined the LEGO Group in 2013, working in LEGO Education as a UX Design Manager. Prior to that he held a variety of digital design roles in publishing, architectural design and telecommunications.
Dan lives in Denmark with his wife and two children.
Lena Dixen is Senior Vice President at the LEGO Group where she heads up one of the two global Product Groups and leads a 200-strong team spanning Portfolio Strategy, Licensing, Product Design, Global Marketing and Project Management.
Since 2017 Lena has been heading up business, product and marketing development for 50% of the LEGO® product portfolio for a number of LEGO themes including, but not limited to, LEGO DUPLO, LEGO Friends, LEGO Technic and LEGO DOTS.
Lena joined the LEGO Group in 2002. Prior to joining, Lena held various marketing roles in Bang & Olufsen over a period of 10 years – five of which she worked out of Brussels in the international marketing headquarters. Lena holds a Master of Arts in Business Communication & Public Relations from the European University in Brussels.
Lena resides in Denmark with her husband and their four children.
She says: “Since the launch of LEGO MINDSTORMS over 20 years ago, we’ve been committed to helping children and adults develop STEM skills through play. We are extremely excited to introduce a new MINDSTORMS product that offers even more creative opportunities for those of all ages, and we thank our fans for continuing to show us what is possible with LEGO MINDSTORMS. We are continually inspired by the creations the community share with us and hope that the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor inspires many more children and playful adults to explore the exciting world of robotics and coding.”
LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor (51515)
The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor Kit is intended for builders and coders ages 10+ to discover and expand on their STEM skills at home.
- 949 pieces
- 5 unique models to build and code
- The largest robot Blast stands at over 14” (36 cm) tall
- The free LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor coding app for kids uses coding language based on Scratch and supports Python for more advanced coders.
- The application works across PC Windows 10 + macOS, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones as well as specific Fire OS devices. Please see updated list at www.lego.com/devicecheck
- New elements include:
- The new Intelligent Hub is an advanced yet simple-to-use device featuring 6 input/output ports for connecting a variety of sensors and motors. The Hub can also be used with LEGO Technic and System elements to create fun robots, dynamic devices and other interactive models.
- LED 5x5 matrix
- Bluetooth connectivity
- 6 axis gyro/accelerometer
- Includes a micro USB port for connectivity with compatible devices
- Speaker
- Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery included
- Colour sensor – able to distinguish between eight colors and measures reflected and ambient light from darkness to bright sunlight
- Distance sensor – detects obstacles, programmable LED ‘eyes’ and an integrated 6-pin adaptor for third-party sensors, boards and DIY hardware.
- 4 x medium-angular motors feature low-profile design, integrated rotation sensor with absolute positioning
- New 7 x 11 teal baseplate
- New black wheels
- New frames
- £329.99/$359.99/€359.99
- includes digital building and coding instructions for five unique robots
- available in early Q4 2020 from LEGO.com, LEGO Retail Stores and retailers globally
- The new Intelligent Hub is an advanced yet simple-to-use device featuring 6 input/output ports for connecting a variety of sensors and motors. The Hub can also be used with LEGO Technic and System elements to create fun robots, dynamic devices and other interactive models.
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