[MOC] MindPi v 0.5 - Connect Mindstorms and Raspberry Pi without any electrical connection

[Bostons Brick Closet]

Hello, This is my first MOC post here on Eurobricks so forgive me if I make newbee mistakes. 

 

Here's my fancy little diagram that's shows you how it works!!

This is a an idea I am hoping to expand in the future to do some actually cool stuff ( :

Firstly you need to enter the infomation you want to move the motor on the Raspberry Pi (the direction and the amount of degrees).

Here is a little 3d render of it. The motor rotates the amount you specify and the color sensor on the right side senses if the Rasberry Pi's LED.

 

For the instructions, more infomation and all of the things you need to set this up and build it for yourself come to my website:

http://bostonsbrickcloset.blogspot.com/

Video:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T85PzIO5GSk[/media]

Not sure why the vid does not work ) :

 

 Links for the images: (for Creative Commons)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lego-mindstorms-ev3.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Raspberry-Pi-3-Flat-

Top.jpghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Raspberry_Pi_Logo.svg

Edited June 20, 2017 by Bostons Brick Closet
Changed Version to 0.5 and a few little cleanup things

[JopieK]

Nice idea ;) now that the Pi Zero also has WiFi / Bluetooth it will be great for LEGO applications I think.

[Bostons Brick Closet]

2 hours ago, JopieK said:

Nice idea ;) now that the Pi Zero also has WiFi / Bluetooth it will be great for LEGO applications I think.

The Pi 3 model B has buit in WiFi so I am working on making It hosting a website. I am going to use that then to collect data for a real project and not just an demonstration.

Also do you know why my video does not work?? Thanks

[Jay Psi]

9 hours ago, Bostons Brick Closet said:

I'm not sure why the tags aren't working either (and now I can't remove the quote or post outside of it), but this looks interesting. I look forward to seeing what you can do with this.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Jay Psi

[Bostons Brick Closet]

2 hours ago, Jay Psi said:

I'm not sure why the tags aren't working either (and now I can't remove the quote or post outside of it), but this looks interesting. I look forward to seeing what you can do with this.

 

Thanks I have an interesting robot that I am almost done with, It can take infomation from a hosted website to then send the infomation to the mindstorm brick

[JopieK]

On 16-4-2017 at 1:31 PM, Bostons Brick Closet said:

The Pi 3 model B has buit in WiFi so I am working on making It hosting a website. I am going to use that then to collect data for a real project and not just an demonstration.

Also do you know why my video does not work?? Thanks

Well, but isn't the Pi 3 a little bit an overkill for 'embedded' applications?!

[DrJB]

1 hour ago, JopieK said:

Well, but isn't the Pi 3 a little bit an overkill for 'embedded' applications?!

There is always the Pi Zero W ... footprint of the zero, with wireless capability.

[Bostons Brick Closet]

4 hours ago, DrJB said:

There is always the Pi Zero W ... footprint of the zero, with wireless capability.

I am aware that there are positives and negitives of the different pi's but this one is the only one I have!

[DrJB]

1 hour ago, Bostons Brick Closet said:

I am aware that there are positives and negitives of the different pi's but this one is the only one I have!

Of course, I never 'assumed/implied' availability was the point. Though i agree, I find it much easier to work with the RPI3 than with the Zero. The RPI3 has full-size USB connectors, whereas the Zero does not and you need special cabling and a USB hub.  

Back to your point. A while back in a related thread, I 'speculated/hoped' that in the future, we might see some merging/integration/adoption of either/both Arduino/RPI platforms into the MindStorms theme. Mindstorms requires heavy investing/development (both hardware and software) wherea Arduino/RPI rely on 'open' architectures an a very large hobbyist base. I think (maybe) it'll be more 'economical' for both TLG AND the lego community (us AFOLs) to merge lego components (motors/sensors) to 'standard' electronic boards (Arduino/RPI). There are some 'attempts' out there, but those rely on both the lego brick AND an RPI. But then again, TLG has never really adopted/absorber/bought another company and they prefer to develop everything themselves, or pseudo-joint-ventures as in LabView+MindStorms.   

Last question: Are you from the Boston area? I went to school for several years in Cambridge, on the Hudson.

Edited April 22, 2017 by DrJB

[masterX244]

8 hours ago, DrJB said:

Of course, I never 'assumed/implied' availability was the point. Though i agree, I find it much easier to work with the RPI3 than with the Zero. The RPI3 has full-size USB connectors, whereas the Zero does not and you need special cabling and a USB hub.  

Back to your point. A while back in a related thread, I 'speculated/hoped' that in the future, we might see some merging/integration/adoption of either/both Arduino/RPI platforms into the MindStorms theme. Mindstorms requires heavy investing/development (both hardware and software) wherea Arduino/RPI rely on 'open' architectures an a very large hobbyist base. I think (maybe) it'll be more 'economical' for both TLG AND the lego community (us AFOLs) to merge lego components (motors/sensors) to 'standard' electronic boards (Arduino/RPI). There are some 'attempts' out there, but those rely on both the lego brick AND an RPI. But then again, TLG has never really adopted/absorber/bought another company and they prefer to develop everything themselves, or pseudo-joint-ventures as in LabView+MindStorms.   

Last question: Are you from the Boston area? I went to school for several years in Cambridge, on the Hudson.

^ not sure if the "intelligent brick" is needed in all solutions... this interface here afaik works straight on the RPI: http://www.mindsensors.com/content/78-pistorms-lego-interface

(stumbled over it a bit ago, thats why i immediately remembered)

[JopieK]

On 21-4-2017 at 9:50 PM, DrJB said:

There is always the Pi Zero W ... footprint of the zero, with wireless capability.

That is what I said in my initial reaction ;)

[DrJB]

1 hour ago, JopieK said:

That is what I said in my initial reaction ;)

You're right ... lol. Somehow I did not see your post ...

Better yet: I was merely emphasizing YOUR point :)

[JopieK]

56 minutes ago, DrJB said:

You're right ... lol. Somehow I did not see your post ...

Better yet: I was merely emphasizing YOUR point :)

Indeed ;) I haven't had a lot of experience with the new Zero but I have one already at home and new one coming...

[Bostons Brick Closet]

On 4/21/2017 at 7:18 PM, DrJB said:

Last question: Are you from the Boston area? I went to school for several years in Cambridge, on the Hudson.

Oh... No I am not from Boston... Boston is my name