Scratch

People have always wanted nxt support in scratch. Some people have found ways to get sensor data through python using the remote sensor feature. Me, clintonb, and anyone else who wants to join will do what people wanted for years.

                                                 Mindscratch!

What is mindscratch? It is a project intended to bring full mindstorms capability to scratch. This includes motor, sensor, and sound data. Input and Output both included.

When will it be done? We don't know yet....

Members:

Krackers
Clintonb
Anyone else who can contribute or is interested in joining.

Progress...

So far, we've got a few ideas on how it will go. Here is another part... We will post updates and you will get to try out alpha versions as we go!

Our ultimate goal.

We want to create a link to nxt from scratch. No custom firmware on the nxt. You may or may not need python or ruby installed. It will utilize custom byob blocks that control the motors, and hopefully someone like NXII will package the custom block into a standard block.

What we've got so far.

Right now, we've just begun development. If you saw clintonb's post on sensor boards forum, you may know he created a way to interface with lejos. However, this only works with bluetooth (not important because usb port is easy), but the main problem is it takes HOURS to set up...

I've made a python version that had the same idea of using custom byob blocks. It works great and all but...... it will simply refuse to connect to my computer. And that too needs all type of extra software like nxt python, pyusb, and libusb. In the end, libusb may even disable the usb ports on you computer 

We can try and pick one of those and try to improve it... or...

We can try and natively use squeak in controlling the nxt.
People have already done this. Ex:

http://tecnodacta.com.ar/gira/projects/physical-etoys/squeaknxt/

and http://www.hpi.uni-potsdam.de/hirschfeld/projects/nxtalk/index.html

The first only supports bluetooth and the second needs custom firmware on the nxt.

However, if we took the first one, made it work on usb aswell, took the main nxt source from that, put it in scratch, and made a block that accesses the nxt source, we may have a winner.

So right now this is what i've got.

Downloads:

My python file: To be released soon.

Clintonb's java: Get it from
http://robotclub.ab.ca/blog/27/code-blocks-electronic-bricks-and-lego-beams

Sqeaknxt: http://tecnodacta.com.ar/gira/projects/physical-etoys/squeaknxt/

Nxtalk
http://www.hpi.uni-potsdam.de/hirschfeld/projects/nxtalk/index.html

One interesting thing though. Squeak nxt has a legonxt.dll similar to the scratch wedo.dll. I tried taking the nxt, changing the name, and replacing wedo.dll, but as expected, it didn't work.

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mindscratch!