The Use of the LEGO MINDSTORMS® System in Modeling: The Foraging Behavior and Strategies of Simple Animals

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2002, Volume 23

Abstract

The LEGO MINDSTORMS® system provides a rich simulation environment for evolutionary adaptation and animal behavior. It includes both hardware and software that may be considered analogous to anatomical features and behavioral repertoire respectively. The system is off-the-shelf which minimizes set-up and preparation time. Conversely, its components are capable of considerable customization and expansion if desired. The MINDSTORMS system makes clear that form, function, and behavior of animals are inextricably linked. The MINDSTORMS package also indirectly introduces students to technologies such as object-oriented computer programming, infrared data transmission, and basic mechanical principles such as gear ratios and levers.

Keywords:  simulation, foraging activity, adaptation, robots

University of Chicago (2001)