The Lego Mindstorms NXT might just be a toy, but it’s not just any toy. It’s an educational tool. The Mindstorm robot has many of the features of expensive robot models for adults, but is designed to be easily used to kids eight and up. The NXT is Lego’s newest Mindstorms model, and features many new improvements. It’s one of the few toys that I consider to be a gadget, and worth checking out by any adult.

The robot is meant to be programmed via the included software that works on both Macs and PCs. The software is designed for children, and easy to use. Included is a guide showing you how to make some of the most common robot models. However, one can easily get more complex with the programming and there are various third party programming tools out there.

Four sensors are included with the NXT:
Ultrasonic sensor: Detects distance and movement. There are many cool uses for this tool.
Light & color sensor:Detects light and color. Using this sensor, you can get the robot to distinguish between objects of different color. For instance, you could tell it to only pick up blue objects or red objects.
Push sensor:Can tell when the robot touches something.
Sound sensor: Can determine the volume and tone of sound.

The NXT is a great gift for any Lego or robot lover. Find out more about it at the link below.
LEGO Mindstorms NXT