Master the LEGO 51515 Color Sensor

LEGO 51515 comes with a redesigned color sensor. Today's LEGO MINDSTORMS 51515 tutorial teaches you everything you need to know to truly master the new 51515 color sensor, including how to program the color sensor! The color sensor has always been an indispensable asset to FLL (FIRST LEGO League) robots, as well as LEGO MINDSTORMS hobbyists. Programming the color sensor is an essential skill for all LEGO MINDSTORMS enthusiasts!
The color sensor that comes with LEGO MINDSTORMS 51515 Robot Inventor is shared with the color sensor from the LEGO Spike Prime platform.
Whether you use this sensor competitively or casually, today's LEGO 51515 programming tutorial teaches you everything you need to know to master the powerful color sensor. I compare the new sensor to the familiar EV3 color sensor. I explain how to access the three operating modes of the color sensor: color detection, reflected light intensity, and raw sensor values. I walk you through four sample programs with this sensor, which demonstrate events, comparisons, conditionals, and using senor data directly. I demonstrate how the color sensor eliminates interference from ambient light.
🔴 Watch my LEGO MINDSTORMS 51515 Review: • LEGO MINDSTORMS 51515 ...
🤖 See all of my LEGO 51515 Tutorials here: • LEGO 51515 Tutorials -...
CONTENTS
0:00 - Introduction
0:35 - Comparison to EV3 Color Sensor
1:33 - Preparing for Programming
2:58 - Color Detection Mode
3:23 - Raw Sensor Value Mode
5:15 - Reflected Light Intensity Mode
6:51 - Code Ex. 1: Events
8:37 - Code Ex. 2: Comparisons
9:50 - Code Ex. 3: Conditionals
11:20 - Code Ex. 4: Numerical Sensor Values
13:26 - Ambient Light Interference Demonstration
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#builderdude35 #lego51515 #legomindstorms51515

[@Builderdude35]

How do you guys plan to use the color sensor in a LEGO 51515 project? Let me know here! ⬇

[@as-habulyameen1344]

Well alot of ways just can't chose

[@Builderdude35]

Hahaha very fair point! Maybe tell us what's the first project that comes to mind?

[@as-habulyameen1344]

Let me take the question to my fellow mates then I will answer you tomorrow

[@Builderdude35]

No problem! I look forward to hearing what your team has planned!

[@as-habulyameen1344]

Well they made the same choice

[@traviskleckner]

Great video. So glad you are back! I've made your videos standard viewing for all my FLL teams.

[@Builderdude35]

Thanks! I am certainly thrilled to be back, and very happy to hear your team is getting use out of my videos! Do your teams have a favorite video?

[@dhruvsheth7260]

Hey! I wanted some quick advice. World Robot Olympiad is coming soon and I wanted to know if we should go with Lego Mindstorms 51515 or EV3 core set. We are just in our initial phase and don't know a lot about Lego Mindstorms and most tutorials use core set. Do you think we can recreate most robot builds in tutorials using 51515? Or should we rather choose the core set to be on a safer side?

[@Unbrickme]

My favorite color sensor is the NXT color sensor. It had an RGB color lamp, and I loved that using that on my robots! I made my robots to emit different colored light based on the action they were performing, and I even used the color sensor color lamp for traffic lights! It was awesome!

[@Builderdude35]

Yeah, color lamp was a really cool feature that I was kind of bummed about losing with the EV3! I made an RC car with NXT that had multiple drive modes, so it would light up the lamp different colors to let you know which drive mode you were using.

[@wolfgangr.3268]

Hello Kyle, the reflection readings of my EV4 color sensor range from 50 to 100. Can you confirm that this is normal? My EV3 sensors had a wider range and a calibration option.

[@rammaddirala6857]

dude right after seeing you explain I subbed!

[@rammaddirala6857]

beautiful explanation

[@Builderdude35]

Thanks so much man! Glad to have you join the channel!

[@VirtualRoboticsToolkit]

Great stuff!

[@Builderdude35]

Thank you so much VRT team!

[@abbabab966]

Code ex.4 can also be done by simply plugging in the color sensor opposite the motor and running the test program

[@Rajo1012]

Hi, Builderdude35. How are you able to use this dark background in your LEGO programming app? I tried Spike Legacy App and Spike 3.2.4, and they have both a white background. I would like to use this dark background as well.

[@siggegaming8364]

He is using Lego MINDSTORMS app

[@dluders]

I like how you demonstrate the Scratch programming steps! For FIRST Lego League (FLL), I can see how the Color Sensor could be used to detect a colored Lego brick when starting specific programs; that would be a lot faster than pressing buttons on the intelligent brick itself. For "Line Following", what is the optimal height of the Color Sensor above the table? For the EV3, it is 1-to-2 studs. Is there a good height range for the new Color Sensor that comes with the 51515 Robot Inventor set?

[@Builderdude35]

The "color switch" for FLL is a great idea! I have heard of it done with the EV3, but I think it can be even more helpful with the 51515 because it lacks a display.

[@Builderdude35]

As for optimal line following height -- the new 51515 color sensor has a longer detection range than the EV3 color sensor. This means you can place the color sensor higher off the table if you wish (3 studs). You can still use the 51515 color sensor at the normal 1-2 stud height (that is what I will show in next week's video) but you need to shift your target values into a "brighter" range. For example, I'm used to targeting 35% reflected light intensity for an EV3 line follower, but for 51515 Robot Inventor it's closer to 85%! That's due to what I noted in the video about the 51515 sensor being more efficient with its light.

[@wolfgangr.3268]

@@Builderdude35 Ah! Found the answer to my previous question here! Thank you.

[@BuilderBro07]

#BUILDERDUDE NATION Great vid! Love the detailed and in-depth review of the color sensor, arguably one of the most important sensors in FLL! See you soon and build on!

[@Builderdude35]

Thanks so much! I'm hoping to make the #BUILDERDUDE Nation catch on! I can't wait to share more videos with you!

[@ahinnna28]

I wonder why you didn't have to 'set movement motors to (for example C+A)' before you set the movement speed? Thanks

[@Builderdude35]

Uh oh 😰 did I forget that? Interesting that it worked, maybe it has a default setting.

[@philfromcharlotte]

My color sensor can’t tell the difference between red and orange. Any ideas ?

[@xly0429]

my one can't tell between Green and yellow

[@jonasullgren]

but what if i want the color sensor to see a color that is not within the 8 default ones, for example brown?

[@flameseeker4060]

can you turn it on/off when its running?

[@robertschoenburg9656]

So, I have a project that uses 2 hubs to do hub to hub communication. As a "decoration" I mounted the 2 color sensors from each kit as headlights on a vehicle. Then I wondered??? Is there a way to have them blink like turn signals? Hmmmm. Can't find a way to do that. The distance sensors can be turned off. (they are off by default). Any ideas?

[@michal6469]

You can turn on amient light mode in more sensors extension.

[@MegaMike1]

Lego boost color sensor is better and more compact

[@Builderdude35]

More compact... sure! But I am personally curious to know, what makes it better?

[@MegaMike1]

@@Builderdude35 It has a distance sensor included and also color lamp.

[@Builderdude35]

@@MegaMike1 I must admit, that is pretty cool! Does it measure distance using light or ultrasonic? Is the accuracy comparable to the MINDSTORMS ultrasonic sensors?

[@MegaMike1]

@@Builderdude35 www.lego.com/en-ca/product/color-distance-sensor-88007 Here's the spec on the official Lego website.

[@Builderdude35]

Thanks for sharing! By looking at it, it seems like they chose to use an optical distance sensor. Also I must say that the price point is impressive.

[@LifeTecLover999]

First

[@Builderdude35]

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[@alexle7120]

@@Builderdude35 53rd