Robotran: A Programming Environment for Novices Using LEGO Mindstorms Robots

The LEGO Mindstorms robots provide an excellent introductory platform for students to learn computer programming. However, a major drawback is students’ lack of access to robots outside of lab. Our system includes a 2-D graphical simulator and a translator for a simple block-structured language we call Robolang that produces Lejos code. Students can program directly in either Robolang or Lejos, so the system has a longer curricular lifespan, allowing beginners to start with a simpler language and progress to a “real” language, all the while using the simulator to test their programs before downloading to a real robot. This solves the problem of students not having access to their own LEGO Mindstorms kit and enables them to complete assignments outside of lab.1

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: FLAIRS
• Authors: R. Mark Meyer, Debra T. Burhans
• Keywords: 2-D Graphical Simulator, Artificial Intelligence, FLAIRS 2007, LEGO Mindstorms, LEGO Mindstorms Robots