STEM with Vernier® and LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Lab Book
14 ready-to-use lab activities and 4 design-and-build robotics projects using Vernier NXT Sensor Adapter, Vernier Sensors, and LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT.
Truss Bridges
Investigate the tensile and compressive forces in truss bridge components. Build a truss bridge out of manila file folders and load it to failure.
Balancer
We built a device to automatically balance a horizontal beam as weights are added to either end.
Building a Virtual Thermometer with SensorDAQ
This is a good introductory activity to learn the basics of LabVIEW programming with step-by-step programming instructions. Collect and display temperature data in degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit.
Monitor Force Threshold with LED
This project introduces the wiring and programming required to control the SensorDAQ digital output lines programmatically. The project will then demonstrate how to combine sensor input with digital output by monitoring a Dual-Range Force Sensor and turning on an LED if the reading goes above a threshold value.
14 Sensor Control Projects with LabPro
Use the parts included in our Robotics and Control Kit with our Digital Control Unit (DCU). The experiments included with the kit provide a great way to introduce engineering, programming, and design concepts, and it is perfect for student projects. The fourteen projects include: Alarm system, Greenhouse, Flashing LEDs, Traffic Light, Rubber Band Launcher, Sun Tracker, and more.
Blind Student Assistant
We used LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT to create two programs that could be very useful to a blind student in a science course. The program speaks Vernier sensor readings or makes a tone with a frequency proportional to the sensor reading.
Build a Temperature Sensor
Build your own temperature sensor with a voltage divider circuit, and calibrate your data with an off-the-shelf sensor. This activity shows you how to create your own LabVIEW subVI.
LEGO Chemistry
We built a device to add a dry chemical to a liquid, shake the solution, and then measure the temperature.
NXT Golf
We wanted to show the science behind the popular computer games which use wireless sensors to sense motion. We used a Vernier Low-g Accelerometer and a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT connected over Bluetooth to a computer running LabVIEW.
NXT Ice Skater
Our ice skater simulates the change in rotational speed when ice skaters extend or tuck in their arms.
RC Servo Motor
Learn the basics of pulse-width modulation and control the angular position of a servo motor based on temperature readings.
Remote Data Collection Over Bluetooth
We've developed a LabVIEW VI that is designed to receive and save four channels of data from your NXT unit via a Bluetooth link.
Solar Cell
Measure the current and voltage of a solar cell to investigate the effect of irradiance angle on the total power output.
Sun Tracker
Build a single-axis sun tracker to balance a light source between two sensors. This is a good example of a sensor-based control system.
Tea Maker
We decided to build a robot that simplifies the tea brewing process. It does everything short of boiling the water.
