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This will allow you to use the Lego MindStorms EV3 Ultrasonic Sensor with the EV3 Home Edition Set.
This is the EV3 Ultrasonic Sensor
This is included in the EV3 Education Kit, but not the EV3 Home Kit.
You can purchase the EV3 Ultrasonic sensor separately, but there is still a problem you must overcome...
Let us look at the problem.
Start up Lego MindStorms EV3 Home Edition Editor
Left-click on "File", Left-click on "New Project"
Left-click on the Yellow Rectangle to make sure it is raised, and...
Look at the Sensors that can be used with this EV3 Home Edition editor...
Brick Buttons, Color Sensor, Infrared Sensor, Motor Rotation, Timer, Touch Sensor, BUT...
BUT no Ultrasonic Sensor!
Let us left-click on the orange rectangle, and check the Loop options...
Lots of options to end the Loop, BUT...
BUT no Ultrasonic Sensor option!
Let us close down MindStorms, and find out how to add Ultrasonic Sensors into our EV3 Home system.
I will put a "DeleteMe" folder on my desktop. Right-click on the desktop and choose the "New" and "Folder" options.
To make sure I know where the download goes, I will put the download in this "DeleteMe" folder.
Start up your Browser, and type in:
Type in the web address shown above.
Demonstrating going to the download web page.
Typing in the web address we previously showed you
http://www.lego.com/en- us/mindstorms/downloads/EV3- blocks/ultrasonic
Under the heading "Download EV3 Block" on the right of the screen you will see the "DOWNLOAD" button.
Click on "NO"...
Left-click on the DOWNLOAD button
If you are using Internet Explorer, left-click on the "Save As" option, and find the "DeleteMe" folder on the Desktop.
Save the "Ultrasonic.ev3b" file in to the "DeleteMe" folder (or where-ever else you have chosen)
Wait until the download is complete, then...
Then close down the browser.
Open the "DeleteMe" folder to check the the "Ultrasonic.ev3b" file has come down OK.
Yes Ultrasonic.ev3b is there - good!
Close "DeleteMe" and start up Lego MindStorms EV3 Home version editor.
Left-click on "File" and left-click on "New Project"
Left-click on the "Tools" menu, and left-click on the "Block Import" option
This will allow us to import the Ultrasonic Block into our EV3 Home version editor.
A new window "Block Import and Export" opens...
Left-click on the "Browse" button - we want to find the "Ultrasonic.ev3b" file we have just downloaded.
In my case I go to "Desktop" and find the "DeleteMe" folder - you go to where-ever you put your copy of "Ultrasonic.ev3b"
Left-click on "Ultrasonic.ev3b" and left-click on the "Open" button
Now left-click on the blue "Ultrasonic.ev3b" line, and left-click on the "Import" button.
We need to restart the EV3 editor so that the Ultrasonic.ev3b block can be added into our editor, left-click on the "OK" button.
Left-click on the "Close" button.
Close down the editor by left-clicking on the "File" menu, and left-clicking on the "Exit" option.
Now start up the editor again to see if we have succeeded; left-click on the "Lego MindStorms" image,
Left-click on "File" and left-click on the "New Project" option.
Left-click on the yellow rectangle to have a look at the Sensors that we can use...
We have Brick Buttons, Color Sensor, Infrared Sensor, Motor Rotation, Timer, Touch Sensor - same as before, BUT...
BUT now we have an Ultrasonic Sensor option as well!!! Marvellous! Our download worked!
We can now use the Ultrasonic Sensors with our Lego MindStorms EV3 Home Edition set.
But let us double check. Left-click on the orange rectangle,
Left click on the Loop option, and drag it to the Command line.
Left-click on the infinity sign (looks like a sideways 8) to see the loop ending options...
We see lots of options, that now include an Ultrasonic menu option! This double check confirms our download has worked beautifully!
So now all we have to do is to close down the editor,
Left-click on "File", left-click on the "Exit" option, and left-click on the "No" button.
We are just about done - only cleaning up to do.
Let us delete the "DeleteMe" folder, so that the temporary download does not take up valuable space in our computer.
Right-click on the "DeleteMe" folder, and left- click on the "Delete" menu option.
Left-click on the "Yes" option
Our desktop is now beautifully clean. I wonder how long it will stay that way?...