It seems the NXTified Astro Blaster’s game turned out to be a popular idea! For the last couple of weeks, we’ve been building up two drivable robots that will be remote controlled using Mindsensor’s Sony PlayStation 2 Controller interfaces for NXT.

So far, we have a platform, a hopper to store the balls, and a ball lifting mechanism to pull the balls into the robot.

Still to accomplish are motorized wheels, steering, a cannon, and targets.

For the base, we settled on Black Boat Hovercraft Bodies. They have a limited number of Technic style holes, so we are adding some of our own. You can see them in this picture of the platform with the ball catcher on board. They are along the skirt just below the ball catcher. The ball catcher is a Duplo Loading Chute.

This is the rear view with the ball retriever installed. We’ve been testing it with the LEGO 41mm Foam Ball but at about a buck a piece, I decided instead to get a bulk order of ping pong balls online. Ping pong balls are around 40mm and I think they’ll be a little more likely to trigger the targets than those foam balls which weigh even less.

Another view of the work in progress.

The key unusual LEGO items we have used so far for this build.