LEGO Mindstorms is a hardware and software system desigend for the development of programmable robots made out of TECHNIC bricks. The original LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System was born out of a collaboration between MIT and the LEGO group's eductaional division. Since the release, there have been a number of generations of the Mindstorms platform: the original Robotics Invention System, NXT, NXT 2.0, and EV3 and weth each platform release, the motor and sensor capabilities have greatly expanded. Mindstorms are also sold and used as an educational tool and called Mindstorms for schools or Mindstorms Education.
2011 LEGO Sets
For collectors, 2011 was a significant year in that LEGO released the first Internal sets Moulding Machines (4000001) and LOM 2011 Moulding (4000002) which have paved the way for high value future collections. A few notable themes introduced in 2011 were Ninjago, Winnie the Pooh, SpongeBob SquarePants, Alien Conquest and LEGO Master Builder Academy. Of course LEGO Ninjago set the stages for a decade of collecting. However, in 2011 LEGO also discontinued a number of themes which included Ben 10, Power Miners, Toy Story, Prince of Persia, Space Police III, BrickMaster and the loved Trains theme.