Imagine a robotics kit that can take any shape you want. This is the Mindstorms EV3 kit.
In 2013, LEGO released a new version of its Mindstorms series called EV3. Once with the new kit, the Danish company inspires the engineers of tomorrow and continue what already began with the NXT kit.
Tons of Lego projects are shared by the hobbyists on the Internet. As I see after I explore hundreds of projects, you will also see why the EV3 kit is an inevitable source of inspiration to build robots. Yes, built modular robots with bricks, sensors, and the EV3 intelligent brick. It’s probably the best prototyping platform for anyone who loves to build different things using the same parts and components.
In the following, I explore fascinating robots like rovers, robot arms, drones, mobile caterpillar, and more.
Tic Tac Toe Robot
Tic Tac Toe is a smart robot designed to entertain the users by playing the strategy game Tic Tac Toe. The bot is built with a program developed with leJOS EV3 Java.
EV3 Experimental Robotic Arm System
Powered by one electric motor, this robotic arm is an experimental robot built only with Mindstorms EV parts.
EV3 robotic arm
This robot arm is developed to have 360 degrees reaction. The platform has attached two wheels and two EV3 intelligent bricks to control a variety of sensors and motors.
Robot arm H25
With just a LEGO EV3 educational kit, two kids develop this autonomous robot arm with the ability to grasp and manipulate objects.
Robot Arm controlled via Bluetooth PS3 controller
This responsive and precise robotic arm is built with LEGO pieces and has attached a Raspberry Pi board. It’s controlled with a PS3 controller via Bluetooth wireless technology.
EV3rstormer
EV3rstormer is a remote control humanoid robot based on tracks and designed to shoot with small balls.
Spik3r
Spik3r is a six-legged creature able to turn sharply and snaps with its crushing claw.
MindCub3r
This Lego project is a real solution to solve the well-known Rubik Cube puzzle.
Play3r
Play3r is a simple Lego EV3 robot with color, infrared and touch sensors.
Color Sort3r
The Mindstorms EV3 kit is a good source to build a wide range of robots using simple sensors such as color or touch. The Sort3r robot is designed to sort balls depending on the color.
Dinor3x
Dinor3x is a dinosaur that can walk and turn on legs.
Ev3d4
Designed by a Lego hobbyist, Ev3d4 is a simple programmable robot designed to interact with the user and capable of moving around him.
R3ptar
With a cobra-like design, this Lego robot can slither, snap and attack anyone around it.
LuuMa
Built entirely from the Mindstorms EV3 kit, LuuMa is a wheel based project that performs simple instructions such as turn on a switch mounted on the top of the robot.
EV3 Robot tracks a black line
This line follower robot is a good example for beginners to get started with the EV3 kit.
G3Roboy
G3Roboy is a simple EV3 robot engineered to detect colors.
EV3Meg
EV3Meg is a fan made project based on wheels and designed to run in a big packaging line factory. It’s capable to follow a line and grasp objects with its gripper arms.
Dizz3
With two big wheels and three sensors, Dizz3 is an educational robot designed to understand the property of a rigid body under movement such as force, moment, moment of inertia, acceleration, or the center of gravity.
Spirograph
With two wheels, a gyro sensor and a pen, this little robot can be a good source of fun.
RileyRover
RileyRover is a robot designed for classroom lessons where are used the ultrasonic, color, and gyro sensors.
Rac3-Truck
Rac3 Truck is the first Lego EV3 truck with sensors and motors capable of autonomous tasks.
Robodoz3r
Robodoz3r is a robot bulldozer capable of autonomous tasks and designed to push things using its bulldozer bucket.
Track3r
Using tracks, this robot has all-terrain abilities and can be used with a set of different tools including a bi-blade blender, blasting bazooka, gripping claw and a heavy hammer.
Battle Tank
The Battle Tank robot is engineered with all-terrain abilities and can detect obstacle using the well-known Lego sensors.
Gripp3r
Gripp3r is a giant robot with antennas and a special gripper located in front of the robot designed to grasp different objects.
Kraz3
With a crazy attitude according to its designer, Kraz3 is a fun companion that reacts due to its IR Beacon.
Bobb3e
Bobb3e is a remote controlled robot capable of steering and lift objects.
SaphirQu3st
SaphirQu3st is a tracked robot able to find autonomously objects colored in blue.
Mobile caterpillar
At least one LEGO robot is prepared for Mars missions. Built with LEGO pieces, the LEGO EV3 controller, and with an Arduino microcontroller attached, this mobile caterpillar is featured with a 3D printer extruder to print buildings and machines.
Lego Drawbot
Drawbot is a LEGO robot with pencils instead legs that draw when is moving.
Lego Bookreader
This is a Lego robot that loves books. Bookreader is a digital book reader robot built with LEGO blocks, LEGO motors and has attached a Raspberry Pi prototyping board and a BrickPi. The robot has the task to turn the pages of the book.
Spybotics
Spybotics is a platform based on LEGO components and allows anyone to assemble the bot, control and program it for different missions.
HOW TO create a Line Following Robot using Mindstorms
From this tutorial you can learn how to build a line following robot using the Mindstorms EV3 kit.
ARM Lego robot prepares to smash own puzzle-solving record
This project is a bonus for Lego and Rubik’s Cube hobbyists. Cubestormer is a very fast robot built from Lego EV3 pieces and able to solve the Rubik Cube puzzle in only 5.2 seconds.
EV3COMPOS3R
The EV3COMPOS3R project can be built with either the retail or education (plus extension) sets. The project allows you to compose and save tunes on the EV3 brick.
Robot Mk 3
The Mk 3 robot has giant tracks and is powered by EV3 motors. Each track is built from 75 pieces and can turn in place or climb over big obstacles.
EVB – Rubic’s Cube Solver
This is a LEGO machinery able to solve a Rubik cube. The LEGO bot is controlled via an EVB shield for the Beaglebone Black board. The Rubik’s cube is placed in the center of the boat and is handled by two arms: one arm rotate the cube, and another one detect the colors.
MindCub3r
The MindCub3r is another LEGO robot designed to solve the Rubik’s Cube puzzle. It has a rotary plate and an arm that turns the cube puzzle according to the color detected by the sensor.
Two-Wheel Self-Balancing Robot
A LEGO robot with an Android smartphone attached to its chest. The smartphone power and control the self-balancing robot, while the user control the robot wireless with another smartphone.
Spinning Replicator
This LEGO robot has two rotating discs to scan and draws what it scans. On one disc is the illustration and on the other disc is an arm that draws what is scanned.
DIY RC project
This rover powered by four servos is controlled by a Handuino controller. The controller has a built-in LCD display and a multitude of input options. The robot communicates wireless via an XBee module.
Lego Starcraft 2 Siege Tank
Built as a copy of the Siege Tank in Starcraft 2, this LEGO tank has mobile tracks that drive and turn the robot in any direction. It’s built with a tonne of LEGO pieces, four motors and two linear actuators.
Lego Truck
This LEGO truck has attached the EV3 intelligent brick and is controlled via a smartphone using a web browser and a simple application with a circle to drive the robot in any direction.
Two-wheeled robot
This two-wheeled LEGO bot has attached an EVShield and can host a variety of LEGO components such as EV3 motors and sensors.
Santa Claus’s Sleigh LEGO Mindstorms EV3
Santa Claus is coming to LEGO Mindstorms with two of the most favorite reindeers. The legs of the reindeers are moving simultaneously, but the whole platform is moving on two wheels.
Gripper EV3 Stage II
This robot can handle large objects with a large gripper attached in front of the platform. The robot is controlled via a WiFi dongle and is built with EV3 bricks.
EV3 telescope
These are two synchronized robotic telescopes built from LEGO pieces.
Stair climber robot
This robot is built with two mobile parts that slide to climb stairs. The first part of the robot has attached four wheels with different dimensions. The second part has a tank track that goes up and down the front part and two wheels to support the structure.
Search and rescue robot
This is an autonomous robot able to explore a room randomly and find “victims.” Based on caterpillar tracks, the robot can run over obstacles and send images from the room. Even the most parts used to build this platform are from LEGO, the Raspberry Pi B+ board is used to control most of the components.
Braigo
Even it’s built with LEGO bricks, the Braigo robot has real-life application. It was built by Shubham Banerjee as a D-I-Y Braille printer. In other words, the robot prints in Braille by making holes in a paper.
LEGO Brick Drone
This is one of the best drone built entirely from LEGO parts. The drone has enough power to carry a GoPro camera.