dr_spock

LEGO Boost Train

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A fellow LUG member loaned me a LEGO Boost motor hub, motor and color sensor to play around for a few days.  I thought I do something silly and make a train with it. I programmed it to play train pong. 

 

I prefer my Arduino Power Function version.  Unlike the Boost App, it doesn't need location services turned on or else it won't work.  Why is that?

 

 

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Really the only advantage I see here is the lack of wires. Maybe its a little more jumpy but could that be the angle?

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So now we should also find out whether the color sensor works also on the Train hub :) I just ordered a sensor on BrickLink. I like Arduino too but for younger kids it is too complicated (even for first grade not-so-technical ICT college students and Informatics teachers is my experience).

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I like the pong sound effects in the 2nd video! I only see one sensor in the first video, what makes it reverse direction at the wall?

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The green tiles on the track, look at sec 0:51.

On the left there are red ones.

Building a simple sensor with a contact (like the EV3 Touch) could help:

A reed-contact in the train and magnets hidden under the track, could be used for both, the pure Boost as well as for the Arduino solution, which should work with Boost/BLE too.

 

Is there any documention  about the WeDo/Boost/PoweredUp Hardware?

Edited by Lok24

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15 hours ago, JopieK said:

So now we should also find out whether the color sensor works also on the Train hub :)

Yes and no :classic:

Is the Boost App compatible with PoweredUp Hub?

If not so:

- wait for the PoweredUp App (which must be availble for Batman App-Mobile after release)

Edit: just read that it was released on Jun 15th, fine.,

- use the hacked commands for Boost/WeDo to try to communicate with PoweredUp

I prefer #2

 

 

Edited by Lok24

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Very nice little train -  :wub:I still have the Boost Cat waiting for my daughter to learn how to use it...Maybe I can borrow the Boost base for a train experiment :devil_laugh:

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4 hours ago, Lok24 said:

Yes and no :classic:

Is the Boost App compatible with PoweredUp Hub?

If not so:

- wait for the PoweredUp App (which must be availble for Batman App-Mobile after release)

Edit: just read that it was released on Jun 15th, fine.,

- use the hacked commands for Boost/WeDo to try to communicate with PoweredUp

I prefer #2

 

 

Well I will program my own apps so that is not the problem, but will the the train hub report sensor readings, that is the question :)

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On 6/29/2018 at 3:10 AM, JopieK said:

So now we should also find out whether the color sensor works also on the Train hub :) I just ordered a sensor on BrickLink. I like Arduino too but for younger kids it is too complicated (even for first grade not-so-technical ICT college students and Informatics teachers is my experience).

I plugged the Boost colour sensor in the Powered Up Hub and the light came on, so that's a good start. 

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It indeed works, in fact it works very well! I receive colors in my Swift app. Hope to post a video soon.

 

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On 6/28/2018 at 6:23 AM, dr_spock said:

Unlike the Boost App, it doesn't need location services turned on or else it won't work.  Why is that?

Android has BLE discovery packaged with Location services. 

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Just now, Jetro said:

Android has BLE discovery packaged with Location services. 

Google wants to know where you are and what you do, that's their main business ;)

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12 hours ago, JopieK said:

Google wants to know where you are and what you do, that's their main business ;)

Well how else will they tailor the ads you see to stuff you'll actually click on .... Google seems to think im in Detroit constantly ... I never turn it on 

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On 6/28/2018 at 1:50 PM, Roadmonkeytj said:

Really the only advantage I see here is the lack of wires. Maybe its a little more jumpy but could that be the angle?

I had the power level of the motor set to 50% so that it had ample time to detect the color tiles on the tracks.  If I set it too fast and it missed the color tile detection, it would go over the edge of my table.  That could make a more interesting video.  :laugh:

On 6/28/2018 at 3:10 PM, JopieK said:

So now we should also find out whether the color sensor works also on the Train hub :) I just ordered a sensor on BrickLink. I like Arduino too but for younger kids it is too complicated (even for first grade not-so-technical ICT college students and Informatics teachers is my experience).

My daughter had to use Arduino for group project.  None of her team members programmed before.  They struggled through it.

On 6/29/2018 at 6:10 AM, Paperinik77pk said:

Very nice little train -  :wub:I still have the Boost Cat waiting for my daughter to learn how to use it...Maybe I can borrow the Boost base for a train experiment :devil_laugh:

Thanks.  Maybe you can turn it into a Cat Boost Train.  :classic:

20 hours ago, Jetro said:

Android has BLE discovery packaged with Location services. 

20 hours ago, JopieK said:

Google wants to know where you are and what you do, that's their main business ;)

I didn't notice the PowerUp train app requesting location services turned on. But then again I didn't have the new train set to connect to.

So it is better to use your mistress's smartphone if you're going over to play Boost with your other children? Maybe Debbie Macomber could put that in her romance novels.   :laugh:

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4 hours ago, dr_spock said:

I didn't notice the PowerUp train app requesting location services turned on. But then again I didn't have the new train set to connect to.

I didn't either, until I installed it on my tablet which (unlike my phone) doesn't have location turned on by default. Then I realised the Powered Up app asks permission to turn on location and does it for you if you grant it. That's a big improvement over Boost, which just tells you with a checklist that location is off and needs to be turned on before you can continue.

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