Setting up ev3dev for Mindstorms

In the beginning we used LEGO software ( like scratch – stitch commands together)  to program the Mindstorm Robot. Now we switched to Python. Let see how to set  it up. All we need is SD card (2GB-32GB)

Need to create ev3 environment in the brick ( like a brain of the Mindstorm) to support the python. Download the latest .xz image file for ubuntu (.zip file for windows) from  the website https://github.com/ev3dev/ev3dev/releases
Copy the image on to the SD card through terminal:
1. Make sure that your SD card is unplugged. Then run df. command: df -h. You should see something like this:
2. Now insert you SD card and run df again. command: df -h

3. Unmount your SD card. If it has more than one partition. command:  sudo umount /dev/sdb1

  4. Download. command: xzcat ~/Downloads/ev3-ev3dev-jessie-2015-12-30.img.xz | sudo dd bs=4M of=/dev/sdb

Note: You can monitor the progress of this by running the following in another terminal. command: sudo watch kill -USR1 $(pgrep ^dd)

5. When copying the image file has completed, run                                                                command : sync

Boot ev3dev:

Boot the mindstorm. You will see the screen like this. If the voltage drops below 5V the brick will turn off. All not saved data may be lost. Keep in mind, that it may take a much longer time from 8V to 6.5V than from 6.5V down to 5V.

Connecting to the Internet via USB:

1. On your host computer, with the EV3 connected via USB, open up the network application indicator (1). You should already see an entry for LEGO Group EV3 (2), go to edit connection (3).

2. Add new network

3. Make sure Ethernet is selected and then click Create

4. Enter a Connection Name. The MAC address will always start with 12:16:53, so choose that one.

5. Then click on the IPv4 Settings tab and change the Method to Shared to other computers. Click Save when you are done.

7. Then connect to the EV3 using ssh as shown in the picture.                                                    Command: ssh robot@ev3dev.local

Note: The default password is maker. You can change the password by typing psswd in the command terminal.

In next blog will see how to program Mindstorms in python.