Online NXT Robotics courses offered


The Robotics Academy, at Carnegie Mellon University, is offering online MINDSTORMS training courses. They are offering three different courses:

- For the NXT using NXT-G
- For the RCX using ROBOLAB
- For the RCX or NXT using ROBOTC

There is no charge for the courses, but there are other required materials that may cost. For example, the NXT-G course requires the following:

- Robotics Engineering Vol. 1: Introduction to Mobile Robotics CD
- LEGO Base Set 9797
- LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT Software
- Internet connection
- Whiteboard or table, electrical tape
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Printer

The Robotics Engineering Vol. 1 CD is courseware that costs $225 for a site license. The ROBOLAB and ROBOTC course materials all seem to be available for free download without have to purchase the courseware, though they do recommend the $50 ROBOLAB Video Trainer software for people who lack high-speed downloads.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I only see links for 30-day evaluation downloads.
Is there a special link for free versions?
Anonymous said…
Anonymous,
Some course materials are free. The software itself is not.
But in my opinion RobotC is worth the money.:)
Especially 1.10 that will be released soon.
Sorry if I was misleading. The course (course objectives, discussion board participation, activities, etc.) are free, however the software that you use (NXT-G, ROBOLAB, ROBOTC) is NOT. Also, for the NXT-G training you have to purchase the Robotics Engineering: Volume 1 courseware - which costs $225. No additional courseware has to be purchased if you pursue the ROBOLAB or ROBOTC training.

I suppose one could argue that the course isn't free if you have to purchase $225 courseware, but this product has been available for a few months without the "course".
Anonymous said…
Or you could spend 20 bucks on Jim Kelley's NXT-G programming book!!! :) My dad got it for me and it was very good.

Kyle

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