legOS, the: [unauth, unoff]
independent LEGO Mindstorms OS.
Offers preemptive multitasking, energy saving, dynamic memory management, POSIX semaphores, native
access to display, buttons, IR communication, motors and sensors. |
 |  | Mission |
To unleash the RCX's full potential by providing a lightweight, comprehensive native mode kernel and standard library. Also known as replacement firmware, native mode busts the bytecode barrier and allows you to program in assembler, standard C and any other language for which appropriate cross-compilers are available.
| | Status |
Licensing policy changed to MPL.
New features include limited C++ support, a standard library concept and a still sub-optimal motor driver with 256 power settings. Integer math shortcomings have been fixed, as well as consistency and efficiency issues in the sensor routines. The API documentation should be reasonably complete now (PDF by Tom Emerson). The logbook is out of sync. This site needs revamping.
Snapshot news: Lou's priority chain mechanism, Lou's motor bugfix, egcs-1.1.2 bugfix for cputw (also better code, smaller), argc/argv for task execution, memcpy bugfix.
| Current snapshot: | legOS-990330.tar.bz2 |
| Last release: | legOS-0.1.7.tgz |
| legOS-0.1.7.tar.bz2 | |
| legOS-0.1.7.zip | |
| Release history: | logbook |
| | Web compilers |
Installation problems? Or are you just curious to take a quick test drive? There's light around the corner with the availability of web-based legOS compilers. Simply paste your source code in the forms they provide, and you'll receive a compiled executable. Only the firmware downloader has to run on your host.
| | Getting started |
Buy a LEGO Mindstorms kit. Set up the cross-compiler on your host platform:
Unix
-
Building instructions for arbitrary systems
Binaries for Linux/glibc (~3 MB, C++)
Download the current legOS distribution and unpack it.
Edit
Makefile.common and type make to make.
Precompiled demos are availabe under demo/.
Use
your favourite firmware downloader or the one provided in the utils/
directory to transfer them to your RCX.
| | Available demos |
After downloading a demo to your Mindstorms, press Run to run. Press Run again to stop execution.
When the program is stopped, use On-Off to switch the unit on and off. Pressing On-Off and Prgm simultaneously will erase legOS, preparing for a new download.
- Multitasking and IR
Start up a terminal program for the port your IR tower is connected to and configure 2400 baud / 8N1. Try typing things and watch the LCD display. Now press View and look at your screen.
- Rotation sensors
Connect a rotation sensor to port 3. The decoded position will be displayed on the LCD screen.
| | Success stories |
- Intelligent robotic dog
Writing a joint masters thesis at the University of Aarhus, Claus, Jes and Michael are using neural networks evolved by genetic algorithms to turn the RCX into an intelligent companion.
- Barcode reader
Using minimal parts, Alex turned his RCX into a portable barcode reader.
If you'd like to be mentioned here, please drop me a line.
| | Author and contributors |
The legOS project was started by Markus L. Noga in October 1998. Since then, various contributors have also brought their considerable expertise to bear. Some of them put up legOS web pages, too. If you feel inclined to follow suit, feel free to peruse this page design.
We are actively discussing legOS in a discussion group at lugnet. Feel free to join.
| | Information sources |