Dexter Industries
Encyclopedia
Dexter Industries is a third-party developer best known for their sensors which support the Lego Mindstorms NXT
system. Dexter Industries has several products that relate specifically to the Lego Mindstorms NXT systems. The products range from sensors to switches and may be used for projects outside the scope of Lego Mindstorms.
— specifically in the Lego Mindstorms
NXT system. Their first product was the dSwitch and have since created several products for the Lego Mindstorms NXT
system. Dexter Industries is located in Washington D.C.
; they are read as an analog sensor
by the NXT.
sensor. The first is an optional capacitor
bank that serves as a mini-battery; it provides continuous power for NXT projects if the system runs under a shadow or cloud. Second, there is an adapter that allows three solar panels to be plugged in simultaneously; this can provide up to 750 mA at 10 volts. The third adapter is a battery pack that can recharge the NXT battery pack utilizing solar power
.
information. The sensor provides latitude
, longitude
, time, speed and heading
to the user's project or robot. The sensor can also navigate to target coordinates. Since the LEGO NXT has limited computing capability and can’t interface directly with a GPS module, the sensor includes a micro-controller and software that translates and checks the signal from the GPS, and also performs additional calculations and functions to aid navigation. The sensor can be used to build things like autonomous vehicles and mapping vehicles.
. A miniature version of the Google Street View
Car, which roams the streets to photograph them for Google Maps, was built by Mark Crosbie. He created his Street View car using Dexter Industries’ dGPS sensor to record coordinates and a small camera to take pictures as the vehicle drives down a street. The pictures from the camera can then be uploaded into Google Earth
along with the coordinates. Using a KML
format file, the Lego NXT can upload saved pictures, coordinates and data into a personal computer. Crosbie’s miniature Google Street Car can show the path that the car drove, and also shows pictures taken along the way in Google Earth.
is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online." By using the NXT and the dGPS sensor, the user is able to create a hand held GPS. The accompanying dGPS geocaching software takes GPS coordinates of a target in decimal-degrees, references them against the coordinates of the NXT's current position, and then calculates the distance the NXT is from its destination as well as the compass
angle. By turning the NXT hand held GPS in the correct direction according to the embedded compass, the user can reach the geocache. The software also allows the user to record the latitude and longitude to plot the user's journey in Google Maps.
radio. The NXTBee sensor makes the Digi
XBee radio compatible with the Lego Mindstorms NXT system. The XBee 802.15 communication protocol is the wireless communication standard used by many robots and for inter-device communication. There are two types of NXTBees; the basic NXTBee can send information up to 300 feet away, and the NXTBee PRO can transmit or receive information from up to 1.2 km away. The NXTBee utilizes a high speed RS-485 line for high speed communication. The NXTBee uses the XBee protocol which can utilize both point-to-point protocol
(PPP) networking and mesh networking
. Users can design a remote controlled car using the NXTBee.
’s Robotics Academy developed a multi-robot swarm robotics
project using the NXTBee and the Lego Mindstorms system. Swarm robotics is a popular topic in robotics because it coordinates numerous small robots to accomplish larger tasks. Swarm robotics using the NXT and NXTBee might be capable of performing complex tasks such as PID auto-straightening, thermal imaging and even line tracking. CMU's Robotics Academy also teaches how to use the NXTBee at its advanced program training courses.
sensor called the dWIFI in development. The sensor is being beta-tested. This sensor will enable the NXT to transmit and receive information wirelessly between a computer and itself. The dWIFI sensor operates with standard 802.11 b/g/n access and can be configured to run on the vast majority of home networks. The Dexter Industries dWIFIs sensor connects to the NXT via the high speed communications Port 4 and is powered by an external 9V battery. The sensor will come with a full range of security options and is able to connect with WPA2-PSK, WPA
, and WEP
security networks.
and a gyroscope
on one sensor. The sensor has six degrees of freedom
, measuring x,y, and z axes for both the gyroscope and the accelerometer.
, allowing a NXT invention to control power sources. The device may be used for turning on a power function based on temperature thresholds. The device may also be used for other means, such as an automated battery recharger
Lego Mindstorms NXT
Lego Mindstorms NXT is a programmable robotics kit released by Lego in late July 2006.It replaced the first-generation Lego Mindstorms kit, which was called the Robotics Invention System. The base kit ships in two versions: the Retail Version and the Education Base Set . It comes with the NXT-G...
system. Dexter Industries has several products that relate specifically to the Lego Mindstorms NXT systems. The products range from sensors to switches and may be used for projects outside the scope of Lego Mindstorms.
History
Dexter Industries was founded in July 2009 by a group of engineers with an interest in roboticsRobotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
— specifically in the Lego Mindstorms
Lego Mindstorms
The LEGO Mindstorm series of kits contain software and hardware to create small, customizable and programmable robots. They include a programmable 'Brick' computer that controls the system, a set of modular sensors and motors, and LEGO parts from the Technics line to create the mechanical...
NXT system. Their first product was the dSwitch and have since created several products for the Lego Mindstorms NXT
Lego Mindstorms NXT
Lego Mindstorms NXT is a programmable robotics kit released by Lego in late July 2006.It replaced the first-generation Lego Mindstorms kit, which was called the Robotics Invention System. The base kit ships in two versions: the Retail Version and the Education Base Set . It comes with the NXT-G...
system. Dexter Industries is located in Washington D.C.
Sensors
Dexter Industries produces a flexible motion sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensors, a solar sensor, a GPS sensor, and a XBee radio sensor.Flexible Sensor
The dFlex is the flexible sensor available from Dexter Industries. This sensor measures the bend of the sensor and records mechanical motion. dFlex is the newest product from Dexter Industries and is reviewed on several robotics blogs.Temperature Sensors
For the temperature sensors, there are two versions: an open version and a protected version. The sensors come with a two meter long cord. The temperature sensors are thermistor-basedThermistor
A thermistor is a type of resistor whose resistance varies significantly with temperature, more so than in standard resistors. The word is a portmanteau of thermal and resistor...
; they are read as an analog sensor
Analog signal
An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...
by the NXT.
Pressure Sensor
The dPressure sensor is made specifically for the Lego NXT Mindstorms system. It is capable of measuring up to 250 kPa (30 psi) and 500 kPa (70 psi) of pressure and gauge vacuum.Solar Sensor
For the dSolar sensor, there are two 9V versions with different wattages: a 2W and a 4W model, both of which can power the NXT system or a user's robot. Dexter Industries also produces three additional adapters that relate to the solarSolar
Solar may refer to:Astronomy* Of or relating to the Sun** A device that utilizes solar energy** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate the position of the earth on its revolution around the sun* Solar Maximum Mission, a satellite...
sensor. The first is an optional capacitor
Capacitor
A capacitor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in an electric field. The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but all contain at least two electrical conductors separated by a dielectric ; for example, one common construction consists of metal foils separated...
bank that serves as a mini-battery; it provides continuous power for NXT projects if the system runs under a shadow or cloud. Second, there is an adapter that allows three solar panels to be plugged in simultaneously; this can provide up to 750 mA at 10 volts. The third adapter is a battery pack that can recharge the NXT battery pack utilizing solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
.
Global Positioning System (GPS) Sensor
The dGPS sensor provides GPS coordinate information to the user's robot and calculates navigationNavigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
information. The sensor provides latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
, longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
, time, speed and heading
Heading
Heading can refer to:*Heading , a process which incorporates the extruding and upsetting processes*Headline, text at the top of a newspaper article*The direction a person or vehicle is facing, usually similar to its course...
to the user's project or robot. The sensor can also navigate to target coordinates. Since the LEGO NXT has limited computing capability and can’t interface directly with a GPS module, the sensor includes a micro-controller and software that translates and checks the signal from the GPS, and also performs additional calculations and functions to aid navigation. The sensor can be used to build things like autonomous vehicles and mapping vehicles.
Compatibility with Google Maps
The dGPS output data is compatible with Google MapsGoogle Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
. A miniature version of the Google Street View
Google Street View
Google Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides panoramic views from various positions along many streets in the world...
Car, which roams the streets to photograph them for Google Maps, was built by Mark Crosbie. He created his Street View car using Dexter Industries’ dGPS sensor to record coordinates and a small camera to take pictures as the vehicle drives down a street. The pictures from the camera can then be uploaded into Google Earth
Google Earth
Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a Central Intelligence Agency funded company acquired by Google in 2004 . It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite...
along with the coordinates. Using a KML
KML
KML or kml may refer to:* Kamileroi Airport , Queensland, Australia* Keyhole Markup Language, an XML geospatial data file format...
format file, the Lego NXT can upload saved pictures, coordinates and data into a personal computer. Crosbie’s miniature Google Street Car can show the path that the car drove, and also shows pictures taken along the way in Google Earth.
Educational Applications
An educational workbook for the dGPS, entitled "Beginning GPS with NXT Robots" was written and published by James Floyd Kelly in June 2011. This book includes instructional projects with questions and descriptions that teach students about mapping, robotics, programming and navigational terms. "Beginning GPS with NXT Robots" is an introduction to the basics of GPS, including hands-on activities and tutorials on how to use the features of the dGPS sensor in NXT robotic projects.Geocaching
According to Geocaching.com, "geocachingGeocaching
Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world....
is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online." By using the NXT and the dGPS sensor, the user is able to create a hand held GPS. The accompanying dGPS geocaching software takes GPS coordinates of a target in decimal-degrees, references them against the coordinates of the NXT's current position, and then calculates the distance the NXT is from its destination as well as the compass
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
angle. By turning the NXT hand held GPS in the correct direction according to the embedded compass, the user can reach the geocache. The software also allows the user to record the latitude and longitude to plot the user's journey in Google Maps.
NXTBee
These NXTBee is a high-speed long-distance wireless communication sensor which allows a Lego NXT to communicate with any other device with an XBeeXBee
XBee is the brand name from Digi International for a family of form factor compatible radio modules. The first XBee radios were introduced under the MaxStream brand in 2005 and were based on the 802.15.4-2003 standard designed for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communications at...
radio. The NXTBee sensor makes the Digi
Digi
Digi may refer to:* Short for "digital" as in digicam, digiscale, digiscrap, digibee*Didgeridoo an Indigenous Australian wind instrument*Digi International, an American electronics manufacturer*Digi.no, a Norwegian online newspaper...
XBee radio compatible with the Lego Mindstorms NXT system. The XBee 802.15 communication protocol is the wireless communication standard used by many robots and for inter-device communication. There are two types of NXTBees; the basic NXTBee can send information up to 300 feet away, and the NXTBee PRO can transmit or receive information from up to 1.2 km away. The NXTBee utilizes a high speed RS-485 line for high speed communication. The NXTBee uses the XBee protocol which can utilize both point-to-point protocol
Point-to-Point Protocol
In networking, the Point-to-Point Protocol is a data link protocol commonly used in establishing a direct connection between two networking nodes...
(PPP) networking and mesh networking
Mesh networking
Mesh networking is a type of networking where each node must not only capture and disseminate its own data, but also serve as a relay for other nodes, that is, it must collaborate to propagate the data in the network....
. Users can design a remote controlled car using the NXTBee.
Swarm Robotics and the NXTBee
Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
’s Robotics Academy developed a multi-robot swarm robotics
Swarm robotics
Swarm robotics is a new approach to the coordination of multirobot systems which consist of large numbers of mostly simple physical robots. It is supposed that a desired collective behavior emerges from the interactions between the robots and interactions of robots with the environment...
project using the NXTBee and the Lego Mindstorms system. Swarm robotics is a popular topic in robotics because it coordinates numerous small robots to accomplish larger tasks. Swarm robotics using the NXT and NXTBee might be capable of performing complex tasks such as PID auto-straightening, thermal imaging and even line tracking. CMU's Robotics Academy also teaches how to use the NXTBee at its advanced program training courses.
Thermal Infrared Sensor
The Thermal Infrared Sensor reads the surface temperatures of objects. It is a non-contact thermometer and does not need to be in contact with an object to measure its temperature. The sensor can read object temperatures between -90°F and 700°F (-70°C and +380°C). The sensor can read temperatures more than double the amounts other NXT thermometers measure. The sensor has a high accuracy of 0.5°C and a resolution of 0.02°C. The Thermal Infrared sensor reads both the ambient temperature and the surface temperature of the object that the sensor is pointed towards. The sensor uses I2C protocol to communicate with the Mindstorms NXT. The sensor can detect a flame at a range of 2 meters.Sensors in Development
Dexter Industries is currently developing two additional sensors, the dWIFI and an Inertial Motion Unit.dWIFI
Currently, Dexter Industries has a new WiFiWIFI
WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a brokered format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA, the station is currently operated by Florence Broadcasting Partners, LLC.This station was previously owned by Real Life Broadcasting...
sensor called the dWIFI in development. The sensor is being beta-tested. This sensor will enable the NXT to transmit and receive information wirelessly between a computer and itself. The dWIFI sensor operates with standard 802.11 b/g/n access and can be configured to run on the vast majority of home networks. The Dexter Industries dWIFIs sensor connects to the NXT via the high speed communications Port 4 and is powered by an external 9V battery. The sensor will come with a full range of security options and is able to connect with WPA2-PSK, WPA
WPA
- Agencies and organizations :*World Pool-Billiard Association*World Psychiatric Association- United States :*Washington Project for the Arts*Women's Prison Association...
, and WEP
WEP
WEP may stand for:* Wired Equivalent Privacy, a deprecated wireless network security standard. Sometimes erroneously called "Wireless Encryption Protocol".* War emergency power, for fighter aircraft...
security networks.
Inertial Motion Unit
The Inertial Motion Unit (IMU) sensor combines an accelerometerAccelerometer
An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration, also called the four-acceleration. This is not necessarily the same as the coordinate acceleration , but is rather the type of acceleration associated with the phenomenon of weight experienced by a test mass that resides in the frame...
and a gyroscope
Gyroscope
A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. In essence, a mechanical gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation...
on one sensor. The sensor has six degrees of freedom
Degrees of freedom
Degrees of freedom can mean:* Degrees of freedom , independent displacements and/or rotations that specify the orientation of the body or system...
, measuring x,y, and z axes for both the gyroscope and the accelerometer.
Switches
The dSwitch is designed to control household appliances. The device acts as a switchSwitch
In electronics, a switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another....
, allowing a NXT invention to control power sources. The device may be used for turning on a power function based on temperature thresholds. The device may also be used for other means, such as an automated battery recharger