Sensors

HiTechnic have released a new product; the HiTechnic Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor.  With this sensor you can detect movement of warm bodies, such as pets and people. How does it work?  All warm bodies, such as people and pets emit a certain amount of heat, which is Infrared radiation.  This particular sensor keeps track of changes in the amount of ...

What is SNMP? When I got my NXT2WIFI sensor from Daniele I was quite sure what I wanted to make with it:  an SNMP agent.  What is an SNMP agent, you say?  SNMP, short for Simple Network Management Protocol, is a protocol that, as you may have guessed by now, a protocol that can be used for monitoring and configuring ...

The mailman brought me a cool new toy to play with this afternoon!  It’s the Mindsensors GlideWheel-M!  These are so cool, you can now use the Large XL Power Functions motor with the same degree of accuracy as an NXT motor.  The GlideWheel-M is just a single unit thick and fits very nicely onto the motor.  You can mount it ...

Mindsensors have been working on an IMU of their own.  It has a compass, and accelerometer, as well as a 3-axis gyro.  It can be used is available in two configurations: Accelerometer and Compass or Gyro Accelerometer and Compass and Gyro. Seems a bit strange to have to chose between these two configurations but I am sure there’s a reason for ...

Daniele Benedettelli is looking for help, your help!  He has developed a new WiFi sensor for the NXT called the NXT2WIFI. So what is the NXT2WIFI?  Obviously it’s a WiFi sensor for the NXT it’s a bit more than that.  It also has a web server built into it that allows you to create a web interface right on the ...

New Kid on the WiFiBlock A new player has entered the arena of WiFi sensors.  A French company by the name of HumaRobotics has developed a new WiFI sensor for the NXT, the WiFiBlock.  This sensor is a bit different from existing sensors in that it uses I2C, not RS485 to communicate with the NXT. It runs on 3xAA batteries ...

Dexter Industries has started another WiFi Week!  Exciting projects will be unveiled each day, just like the last WiFi week a little while back. Cool projects that have been published so far as part of WiFi Week 2: Pachube with LEGO™ MINDSTORMS™ NXT – Connect and display your sensor data online using Patchube! Weather From Google – make your NXT ...

Do you like Power Function motors but hate the way you can’t use them with any degree of accuracy?  You love how compact they are but are not impressed with how many extension cables and converters you need to use them? Well, soon, most, if not all, your reasons to not use a Power Function motor will disappear!  Enter the ...

  Dexter Industries seem to really crank ‘em out lately with all the new sensors.  This time they’ve made a really nice compass sensor based on the Honeywell HMC5883L 3-axis digital compass IC. I’ve had the pleasure of playing with this little beauty for a little while now.  A preliminary driver will be part of version 2.5 of my driver ...

Mindsensors have made a new pressure sensor and it’s really sweet.  It uses their new compact sensor housing and it’s very slick and robust looking.  Rather than calling it the PPS v3, they gave it the uebercatchy name PPS58-Nx. So what can it do?  It can measure pressure from 0 to 400 kilopascal (1 to 58 PSI) with a 1 ...