Using the Lego mindstorms NXT robot kit in an introduction to C programming class

Abstract

We all know that teaching an introductory programming class is hard, and that one of the most difficult parts is motivating freshmen to do the work in a timely manner. For the past 5 years, the C programming class at UNH has been using the Lego Mindstorms robot kit in a series of lab exercises that make programming more fun, and at the same time reinforce the basic concepts discussed in lecture. This is done using a variant of the C language, NXC, developed by John Hansen [1] for these robots. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the robots and the NXC (Not eXactly C) programming language. An overview of a set of lab exercises will be given, and a hands-on activity using the robots will be included. Participants should have some background in C programming to best appreciate the workshop.