I'm opting for return of forgotten expansions to LEGO Mindstorms.

In Mindstorm RCX there were a camara. Low quality device but with many possibilities. In Mindstorms NXT there was very underestimated sound sensor.

Today we write programs that control LEGO creations mostly on tablets or phones, eventually on PC. Almost every phone and tablet has enough power to play Full HD movies, can connect to Internet using WiFi, to other devices with Bluetooth, can record and play voice. With such technical possibilities We only need LEGO parts and software.

I would like to have three sensors for Mindstorms EV3 and maybe Boost:

1. Loudspeaker - that can play prerecorder, buffered voice messages or in second mode can play voice streamed from connected tablet/phone/PC or another EV3 brick.

2. Microphone - that cat be used in two modes, first similar to NXT Sound Sensor (sensing sound level and maybe frequency also), and second as live sound streaming device to connected tablet/phone/PC or another EV3 brick.

3. Camera - with at least 720p or 1080p quality, that will stream what it see to connected tablet/phone. Should have IR diodes to see in low light conditions. Camera that see in normal spectrum and in thermovision would be a mindblower.

With such three official sensors and extensible programming blocks the possibilities are endless. First five ideas:

1. Robot Spy - so child can send robot to kitchen, to remotely negotiate with his mom that she/he can't go to dinner because is still busy taking over control over the world

2. Robot walkie-talkie where two such devices can talk directly to each other

3. Selective movement alarm that ignores small animals or recognized faces of household members

4. Babysitting / nursing device

5. Smart home assistant: "LEGO close the blinds", "LEGO flush the toilet", "LEGO turn off TV and send my son to dinner"

Since I'm very connected to Open Source Software movement, I would like that such sensors have API with open specification published on free license.

Mindstorms/Boost Sensors Project

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