Welcome to Synthiam!

The easiest way to program the most powerful robots. Use technologies by leading industry experts. ARC is a free-to-use robot programming software that makes servo automation, computer vision, autonomous navigation, and artificial intelligence easy.

Get Started
USA
Asked — Edited

Lego Mindstorms Motors

I have a few of the original Lego Mindstorms Kits RIS 1.0. These kits came with a few electric motors. Has anyone connected these motors to the EZ-B and if so, how?

Thanks


ARC Pro

Upgrade to ARC Pro

Synthiam ARC Pro is a cool new tool that will help unleash your creativity with programming robots in just seconds!

AI Support Bot
Related Content
Synthiam
Based on your post activity, we found some content that may be interesting to you. Explore these other tutorials and community conversations.
#1  
Hey everyone,
I just happened to see this old thread and now I'm wondering the same thing. I know EZ landed a contract/sale with Texas who was/is using Mindstorms (MS). It would be really neat if they could use some of those motors. That way at least all of the MS stuff won't go to waste or have to be sold off or something.

I know very little about MS other than they are made by Lego. Is there anybody with some MS experience on the forums? Would someone be able to maybe just hook those motors up to an H-Bridge?

I just saw this was never answered and figured it may be more relevant due to the Texas deal.

Thanks for indulging me.
#2  
The original Lego mindstorm motors were/are just basic two wire motors, so yes they will work with any motor controller and the EZB.... You'll have to cut the lego connector off, but that is a very minor mod that's needed....
USA
#3  
My original intent was to have the EZ communicate with the Mindstorms RCX using an IR transmitter. I was told it could be done easily enough if I would agree to lend my RCX, some peripherals, and the documentation I had acquired to someone in this forum. So I happily packed up what I had and shipped it off. Some time went by and I was told it was all figured out. After about a total of a year and my persistent hounding my RCX and peripherals were returned but to my surprise no code or even instructions on what I could do to realize my original intent. I was then told that EZ was moving away from the toy market to embrace more traditional robotics. I was very disappointed to say the least and the kids just couldn't understand why it took a year for EZ to tell us they weren't going to help. *confused*
#4  
I had Lego Mindstorms version 1.5... To be honest (and I am not siding with EZ Robot or any one else for that matter)... But... The RCX is not that good... When you disconnect power you had to reload the firmware each time.... And it was seriously simple... Didn't do much... I guess that's ok for kids, but I quickly got bored... Anyway, I am a Vex guy now, but even if I had my Mindstorms kit today, I would have replaced the RCX with an EZB long ago... Heck, most of my Vex robots now use an EZB instead of the inferior cortex controller...
United Kingdom
#5  
We have to look at it from EZ-Robot's point of view also though and with their modular robotics Lego is a competitor to them.

Saying that, I am sure that there could be a link made between the EZ-B and the mindstorm stuff, it would only need a serial to IR device and the correct serial data to replicate the mindstorm signals, I so similar though my PC to have it communicate with a number of IR controlled appliances. I don't know of a device off hand which will work with the EZ-B since I've not looked in to that but I am sure something would work.
#6  
The 3R gang strikes again. (R.R. + R = 3R);) Thanks for the info/input guys. Thank you @LJ for catching us up. Sorry things didn't work out well.:(
Germany
#7  
I still have an RCX 2.0 and would love to connect it to my ezb v3.
I still built my first prototypes with lego using my ezb for the programming part.
That is why I have built a bunch of sensors in lego-'costumes', like that they are very quickly put together for a test setup.
Login to post a comment