Page 20 - The Unofficial Guide to Lego Mindstorms Robots

9

screen
The RCX includes a small LCD screen. This screen displays helpful information such as sensor readings and output port
settings.

sound
The RCX is capable of producing beeps of different frequencies.

front panel buttons
Four buttons are provided to control the RCX. You can select a program, start it, and stop it. You can also view the values of
attached sensors or check the settings on output ports.

IR communications link
The RCX communicates with your PC through the IR (infrared) link, similar to that on a television remote control. It can also
communicate with other RCXs through this link.

About the Software

The CD-ROM that comes with RIS contains a lot of software. Basically it can all be distilled down to three pieces:
documentation

The RIS software includes extension tutorials about setting up and programming the RCX. These include animations, movies,
and detailed, step-by-step instructions. When you first begin using the software, it is in guided mode, which means the software
tells you what to do next. This is a good way to get used to the software and the RCX.

programming environment
The RIS software includes an environment you can use to write programs that will run on the RCX. In the computer world, this
technique is called cross-compiling, meaning you write a program on one computer that you intend to run on another. In this
case, you use your PC to write a program that will be run on the RCX. As you'll see, there are many ways to write programs
for your RCX; the official environment that comes with RIS is only one of them. This book will introduce you to four powerful
alternate programming environments.

program downloader
Once you've written a program for the RCX, you need to know how to run it. The RIS software includes a program
downloader for this purpose. The program downloader is a special application that runs on your PC. It knows how to transmit
your robot programs into the RCX using the IR link.