Instruction Guide: NXT Firmware

Submitted by Randy Steele on 12 July, 2011 - 19:19

Walk through NXT Hardware, Software, Firmware PPT with students

Slide 1

  • Hardware is the physical, tangible pieces
    • Anything you can see or touch
  • Software is the instructions given to the hardware by the user (student)
    • The programs the students will write
  • Firmware is the instructions given to the hardware by the manufacturer (Lego)
    • Most of these instructions are not visible or accessible by the students
      • These hidden instructions tell the NXT what to do when it is turned on and how to interpret the programs that the students will write
      • A few sample programs can be deleted by students to make more room for their programs

Slide 2

  • Remind students the NXT Flash memory is located in the chips inside the NXT Brick

Slide 3

  • The NXT Flash memory is 256KB (Kilobytes) in size
    • CD quality music is roughly 1MB (Megabyte) per minute
    • NXT Flash Memory would only hold about 15 seconds of CD quality music
    • Remind students they can view the Flash Memory contents with the “NXT window”
      • From the NXT-G software, this is the upper left button (with the embossed NXT Brick symbol) in the control cluster
    • This was “Procedure 1” from the demo in the “ NXT Computer" lesson
  • Note the version number of the firmware
  • Note that the Free Storage is much less than 256KB
    • The firmware (both hidden and unhidden portions) are using over half the Flash Memory
    • Some of the unhidden manufacturer programs are listed on the left side of the Memory window
      • Deleting this programs will free up more space for the students files
      • Students will need to periodically come to this window and delete files they are not using anymore to free up space for their new programs

Downloading NXT Firmware

Have students complete NXT Firmware Task Assignment

This will be the student’s first direct use of the NXT Video Trainer 2 and NXT-G software

  • Have student open both programs
  • Connect NXT Brick to computer with USB cable
  • Follow the steps in the Task Assignment