AnyWay - Build your own SegWay in 30 minutes!

You can find many self balancing NXT robots on the web, but what does it take to make your own Segway? This page won't tell you all the details about self balancing robots, but instead it provides simple step-by-step instructions to creating your own Segway.

What will you make?

You can build the segway with this set plus a Gyro Sensor

You can create your own AnyWay (shown above) in thirty minutes. It balances on two wheels as it drives around your room while avoiding walls and other objects.

What do you need?

• The HiTechnic Gyro Sensor
• A MINDSTORMS NXT set
• The programming software that comes with your NXT set

The Anyway can be built with Any NXT set. Whether you have the NXT #8527 set, the NXT 2.0 #8547 , or even the NXT Education #9797, you can build the Anyway with just the pieces you have. The same goes for the programming software: it doesn't matter which version you have.

Building the AnyWay

Once you've collected everything you need, you are ready to build your Anyway. Click each of the building images below and follow the step-by-step the building instructions. Make sure that you carefully connect the cables as shown.

Step 7

Selecting wheels

As you can see in step 7, you can choose between three different wheels and tyres to use with your AnyWay.

Loading the program

You won't have to program this robot yourself. I've done that for you, and all you need to do is transfer the ready-made program to your NXT brick by following these steps.

• Download the program using the link below, and save it on your Desktop.

• Launch the NXT programming software, and open a new program.
• Connect your robot to the computer with a USB cable.
• To use this program, the firmware on the NXT brick must be 1.28 or higher. If you have the NXT 2.0 set skip, you can this step. If you do not have the NXT 2.0 kit, you must update your NXT firmware:
• Click here to download the latest firmware, and unzip it to your computer in the following location:
  Program Files or Program Files (x86)\LEGO Software\LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT\engine\Firmware
• Restart the programming software, go to 'tools' and click 'Update NXT firmware'.
• Select Firmware v1.29, and click 'Download'.
• Wait for the NXT to be updated. Your NXT screen will go out (this is normal). Your NXT will switch on automatically when the download has completed.

• Open the NXT window.
• In the window that pops up, select your NXT from the list, and then click the 'Memory' tab.
• Click 'Download'. Select the program you previously saved on your Desktop (Anyway.rxe), and click 'OK'.
• Using the same method, download the following sounds to your robot: "Object Detected.rso", "Hello.rso", "OK.rso", "03.rso", "02.rso", "01.rso", and "Start.rso". You will find these files in the following folder:
  Program Files or Program Files (x86)\LEGO Software\LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT\engine\Sounds
• You can now close the NXT Window by clicking 'close'.

Making the Anyway move

Congratulations, you have successfully built and programmed the Anyway, your Segway! Now we'll launch the program and make the robot move! The NXT screen will give you most of the instructions, but the first time you use Anyway, you might want to follow the these more clearly explained steps.

• Start the program as you normally would: Turn the NXT on, and navigate to 'My Files > Software files > Anyway > Run'.
• The robot will ask you to select which wheels you attached to your robot. Make the selection by clicking one of the NXT buttons as indicated on the screen. See the last page of the instructions to see which wheels you are using.
• Next, you can select the speed at which your robot should move around. Choose 'still' the first time you run the program. The robot will then balance in place. If it all works well, you can choose 'slow' or 'fast'.
• Now, lay the robot still (i.e. on the ground), and press the Enter button. Your robot will now calibrate the gyro sensor. Do not move the robot until it's said "Ok".
• Now hold your robot upright (in its balanced position) as it counts down. Make sure that as you start the program, there should be no objects within 3 feet of the robot's eyes.
• After it has said 'start', you can let it go, and your robot should now balance!