Video tutorials -

• FIRST LEGO League

We start a course for following a line with crosses and gaps. This is a challenge that one of the users at FLLCasts.com was trying to accomplish and asked us for advice. We present the whole challenge to you step-by-step. But first, let's also see the whole run of the line following algorithm. With this course, we also do an introduction of using State Machine as a programming pattern.

In Episode 58 we introduced you to an LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Modular robot. Mic Lowne wrote to us and had that robot remade, because it used too many blue lego pins and could not be build using one EV3 kit.

This tutorial in an animated demonstration of how a LEGO Education SPIKE Prime robot could turn precisely at 90 degrees using the Motion Sensor. The goal of the task is to download the program and rotate at exactly 90 degrees. Because of this precise rotation it is easy to know where your robot is on the field and to program the robot to perform in a reproducible way. To download the program check out the courses in which the tutorial is used.

The last fifth construction is larger compared to the previous constructions. It is wider. It has four sensors and you can take a larger load all by keeping the robot stable. 

Need to transfer circular into a linear motion. You need a rack. Here is an attachment with a rack for our box robot.

Based on feedback from many of you in this episode I would like to show you how to build an active attachment that changes the orientation of a gear wheel placed vertically to a gear wheel placed horizontally. This attachment could be used in competitions and shows a basic principle of changing the orientation. All attachments could follow the same principle. 

The attachment builds on previous episodes this time using two LEGO rubber bands. When a lever is released the rubber band exerts pressure on it and moves it in a circular motion. As an example we are solving the 2012 FIRST LEGO League, Senior Solutions, stove mission (which was quite interesting as a mission)

In this tutorial, we share a tip for organizing robot attachments in the FIRST LEGO League challenge. By designing attachments to hook onto the table edge, you can keep them close at hand for quick swaps, saving time and reducing mistakes.

Options include building hooks into the attachment design or using small separate hooks. This method is used by many teams and is a practical way to stay organized during competitions.

This is a very interesting idea that is worth sharing with the rest of the teams and the ELM team has provided it to us. Check out how they drop a LEGO human at a specific place.

In this video tutorial, we demonstrate a full run for the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED challenge, completing all missions in a single sequence. Each mission is shown individually beforehand, with close-up views of how the attachments work and the principles behind their design. All attachments are pinless, making them quick to change during the run, though aligning and loading the robot still requires practice. The strategy involves moving from one base to the other while accomplishing as many missions as possible, including retrying those close to base when needed.

While the complete run takes longer than the official 2.5 minutes, the focus here is on demonstrating reliability, consistency, and the trade-offs between time and scoring points. In some cases, missions are skipped to focus on higher-value tasks, but in this run, we aim to complete them all. The result is a strong performance that comes close to the maximum possible score.

Each year the FIRST LEGO League robotics Competition involves loops. In this video tutorial I will go through the most common way of taking loops, show its disadvantages and suggest another way to do it.

The programming process for accomplishing M01 Coral Nursery, M02 Shark, M03 Coral Reef, and M04 Scuba Diver of the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED Challenge is straightforward, despite covering multiple missions in one run. Each mission is accomplished with a simple and reliable approach that minimizes the impact on overall run accuracy.

The code consists mainly of movement blocks and gyro turns, allowing for consistent navigation between mission models. By keeping the programming uncomplicated, the robot can perform pushing, collecting, and delivering tasks efficiently without introducing unnecessary complexity, ensuring a smooth and dependable multi-mission run.

This is one of the very interesting attachments by the ELM team. It is using rubber bands and some rubber to precisely drop the chicken. Very interesting way. Check it out and try to learn from it. 

The programming process for accomplishing M01 Coral Nursery and M03 Coral Reef of the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED Challenge is straightforward, focusing on controlled movement and stability. The motor-powered attachment lifts the coral tree smoothly to the coral tree support while also delivering reef segments outside the launch area.

The robot moves forward to position itself, raises the coral tree, and then returns to base. To ensure the reef segments remain secure during the run, the program uses slow acceleration and reduced speed when needed. This simple yet reliable approach keeps the sequence easy to execute while maintaining consistency in performance.

In this video lesson I am building a LEGO Mindstorms EV3 active attachment powered by a small gear wheel. The attachment could move up and down, it is very useful for collecting objects. It could easily be adapted and used on other robots.

We are making a parallel with Video Lesson 56 from the series and we are also showing ways to improve the stability of an axle which is most of the time neglected, but could lead to great problems.

The programming process for accomplishing M06 Raise the Mast and M07 Kraken’s Treasure of the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED Challenge is streamlined, focusing on controlled movement and precision. The design of the attachment ensures that the mast is lifted to the correct height while the treasure chest is securely captured.

The code uses simple maneuvering to reach the mission model, but the return path requires special handling. If the robot makes a sharp turn, the chest can be lost, so the program uses light steering to maintain stability while returning to base. This combination of straightforward navigation and careful return control ensures consistent success for both missions in a single run.

In this Episode, we stop at the pinless attachments for the Box Robot 2 and especially for the constructing a frame. This frame is then used for further extending the robot with attachments.

The programming process for accomplishing M05 Angler Fish, M09 Unexpected Encounter, M14 Sample Collection, M12 Feed the Whale, and M03 Coral Reef of the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED Challenge is streamlined, making it easier to manage even in a large multi-mission run. The design of the two-part attachment system significantly influences how the robot moves, simplifying the code and reducing complexity.

The program is surprisingly simple for such a comprehensive run, with the robot performing a series of maneuvers to collect, deliver, and push mission elements. For maximum accuracy, it uses gyro turns, slow acceleration, and reduced speed in trickier spots to maintain control. By letting the attachments guide much of the interaction, the programming remains clean and reliable, enabling the robot to handle multiple scoring tasks efficiently in a single trip.

This robot could quite possibly be build from a single EV3 core and EV3 resource sets. It uses fewer parts and only three motors. There are additional parts that could be skipped when building the robot and we have added these parts only as to make the construction more complete. 

This programming tutorial focuses on accomplishing M8 Artificial Habitat of the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED Challenge using the Nautiq box robot (a LEGO Education SPIKE Prime robot).

The sequence is optimized to position all four crabs upright with their yellow bases touching the mat for maximum points. The code uses straightforward but highly accurate movement commands, ensuring the robot engages and adjusts the mission model with precision. This dedicated program minimizes errors and allows for consistent high-scoring runs, combining efficient programming with the attachment’s reliable design.

In this tutorial we demonstrate how a loops mission could be accomplished with a Push/Pull Attachment. The robot attachment could be adapted to other missions at FIRST LEGO League/World Robotics Olympiad and other robotics competitions that require push/pull. The principle is the same. The tutorial uses Luly, small LEGO Education SPIKE Prime competition robot with 3D building instructions as a robot base.

Тhe programming process is streamlined, making it more accessible even for beginners. The design of the attachment significantly influences how the robot moves, simplifying the code and reducing complexity.

The program is way easier due to the form of the attachment that makes the first movement just forward to complete M13 Change Shipping Lanes, and then moving backwards towards M09 Unexpected Encounter. This approach eliminates the need for complex directional adjustments at the start, allowing the programmer to focus on precise positioning later in the sequence. By letting the attachment dictate the natural forward motion initially, the programming logic becomes shorter, cleaner, and easier to debug. As a result, both the initial movement and the reverse action toward M09 can be executed with minimal code changes, ensuring faster development and more reliable performance. Along the way, the robot also partially accomplishes M12 Feed the Whale.

This video tutorial focuses on accomplishing M05 Angler Fish, M09 Unexpected Encounter, collecting samples for M14 Sample Collection, 3 Krill for M12 Feed the Whale, and Reef Segments for M03 Coral Reef of the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED Challenge using the Nautiq box robot (a LEGO Education SPIKE Prime robot). The run achieves a perfect 10 out of 10 score across these missions in one continuous sequence.

The robot collects and delivers samples, gathers krill and reef segments, pushes the Unknown Creature into the Cold Seep, and engages mission models with precision. The path is optimized for efficiency, combining multiple scoring actions with minimal wasted movement. You can watch the full explaining tutorial here.

This video tutorial focuses on solving M05, M09, collecting samples for M14, 3 Krill for M12, and Reef Segments for M03 of the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED Challenge using Nautiq box robot (a LEGO Education SPIKE Prime robot).

We extract the Proportional Line Following algorithm into a new block with parameters. This allows us to experiment with the Threshold, Constant Speed and Relaxation Coefficient. You can now easily use the block in you other programs without having to implement it. 

This video tutorial contains the final 2 programs for moving straight with a LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robot. The first program is for proportional compensation that just keeps the robot orientation straight, while the second program is for Integral compensation that returns the robot to the straight line when the robot makes a mistake. 

This video tutorial focuses on accomplishing M8 Artificial Habitat of the FIRST LEGO League 2024-2025 SUBMERGED Challenge using the Nautiq box robot (a LEGO Education SPIKE Prime robot). The run uses a simple active pinless attachment mounted at the front of the robot for precise engagement with the mission model.

The goal is a perfect 10 out of 10 runs by positioning all four crabs upright with their yellow bases touching the mat. You can find the full explaining tutorial here.