Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
Smart Robotics with LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor: Learn to play with the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor kit and build creative robots by Maurer, Aaron for $34.99 amzn.to/3djYlT2
I did it! I bucket list dream goal of mine has been accomplished. I wrote a book for Packt on the new LEGO robotics kit, MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor(51515)
Feel free to check out the book, preorder(please!), and reach out with any questions or things you want to discuss. I am open to podcasts, interviews, virtual meetings, etc.
This journey has been challenging, incredible, and has pushed me beyond my comfort zones in many ways, but I have grown in leaps and bounds.
Check out the book and all of its 487 pages of robot goodness.
The book is a real thing and is going to be available to the world May 7th.
You can find the book on Amazon by following this link: Please click here
You can find the book on Barnes and Noble by following this link: Please click here
I also did a short interview with Packt as well
The book focuses on the latest robot kit the Robt Inventor kit.
Here is a short chapter description for each of the 10 chapters in the book
Chapter 1, History of MINDSTORMS, focuses on a very brief and quick history of the LEGO MINDSTORMS timeline. This chapter serves as information and context for this new MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Kit 51515. It provides a backdrop of how we have arrived at this new kit.
Chapter 2, Getting Started with the Robot Inventor Kit, is focused on getting familiar with the various parts and components available in the LEGO Robot Inventor Kit and finishes with a small build to explore the basics of the kit.
Chapter 3, Building an Industrial Robot Claw, is focused on how the user can use different components available in the Robot Inventor Kit to build a working model of a robotic arm.
Chapter 4, Building a LEGO Guitar, is focused on combining robotics and music by usingthe Robot Inventor Kit to make a guitar that is playable and codable to our unique needs and musical tastes.
Chapter 5, Building a Scorpion, is focused on how to build a scorpion robot designedaround the famous features of this creature. In particular, you will be building the stinger and a body style similar to a scorpion along with some additional features that the kit provides.
Chapter 6, Building a Solid Sumobot, is focused on how to build a sumobot that willendure battle in a sumo arena while utilizing sensors to be more effective in a strategy designed for success.
Chapter 7, Building a Dragster, is focused on how to build a dragster to see how it turnsout in terms of speed and design.
Chapter 8, Building an Egg and Ornament Decorator, is focused on building a robot thatwill spin around objects such as eggs or ornaments for you to be able to design patterns using markers and other art materials.
Chapter 9, Creating Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants Part 1, is focused on buildingthe main component of Plankton for the robot to showcase animatronics.
Chapter 10, Creating Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants Part 2, is focused on buildingthe rest of Plankton by adding the final details to the build and programming the robot to be interactive.
Smart Robotics with LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor: Learn to play with the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor kit and build creative robots by Maurer, Aaron for $34.99 amzn.to/3djYlT2
I did it! I bucket list dream goal of mine has been accomplished. I wrote a book for Packt on the new LEGO robotics kit, MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor(51515)
Feel free to check out the book, preorder(please!), and reach out with any questions or things you want to discuss. I am open to podcasts, interviews, virtual meetings, etc.
This journey has been challenging, incredible, and has pushed me beyond my comfort zones in many ways, but I have grown in leaps and bounds.
Check out the book and all of its 487 pages of robot goodness.
The book is a real thing and is going to be available to the world May 7th.
You can find the book on Amazon by following this link: Please click here
You can find the book on Barnes and Noble by following this link: Please click here
I also did a short interview with Packt as well
The book focuses on the latest robot kit the Robt Inventor kit.
Here is a short chapter description for each of the 10 chapters in the book
Chapter 1, History of MINDSTORMS, focuses on a very brief and quick history of the LEGO MINDSTORMS timeline. This chapter serves as information and context for this new MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Kit 51515. It provides a backdrop of how we have arrived at this new kit.
Chapter 2, Getting Started with the Robot Inventor Kit, is focused on getting familiar with the various parts and components available in the LEGO Robot Inventor Kit and finishes with a small build to explore the basics of the kit.
Chapter 3, Building an Industrial Robot Claw, is focused on how the user can use different components available in the Robot Inventor Kit to build a working model of a robotic arm.
Chapter 4, Building a LEGO Guitar, is focused on combining robotics and music by usingthe Robot Inventor Kit to make a guitar that is playable and codable to our unique needs and musical tastes.
Chapter 5, Building a Scorpion, is focused on how to build a scorpion robot designedaround the famous features of this creature. In particular, you will be building the stinger and a body style similar to a scorpion along with some additional features that the kit provides.
Chapter 6, Building a Solid Sumobot, is focused on how to build a sumobot that willendure battle in a sumo arena while utilizing sensors to be more effective in a strategy designed for success.
Chapter 7, Building a Dragster, is focused on how to build a dragster to see how it turnsout in terms of speed and design.
Chapter 8, Building an Egg and Ornament Decorator, is focused on building a robot thatwill spin around objects such as eggs or ornaments for you to be able to design patterns using markers and other art materials.
Chapter 9, Creating Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants Part 1, is focused on buildingthe main component of Plankton for the robot to showcase animatronics.
Chapter 10, Creating Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants Part 2, is focused on buildingthe rest of Plankton by adding the final details to the build and programming the robot to be interactive.








![215: Born to Jump: Tara Martin on Courage, Story, and Self-Care in Education
What does it mean to keep leaping into the unknown, even when fear and self-doubt try to hold you back? Educator, author, and publisher Tara Martin has built her career on answering that question. From her breakthrough children’s book Cannonball In to her powerful framework in Be REAL, Tara reminds us that teaching and living with authenticity requires courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to keep jumping.
In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:
Tara’s journey from classroom teacher to instructional coach, district leader, and now Director of Publishing at Dave Burgess Consulting.
Why mentors who see potential in us can change the entire trajectory of our lives.
The Be REAL framework (Relatable, Expose vulnerability, Approachable, Learning through life) and why it matters in every relationship.
Lessons from Cannonball In about fear, confidence, and tuning out the “dabblers” who sit on the sidelines.
How Tara sustains her energy and creativity through systems: journaling, fitness routines, accountability groups, and her “ups and downs” T-chart.
The importance of self-care and giving yourself permission to put your needs on the calendar first.
The healing power of story and why fitting in is the opposite of true belonging.
Why Listen:
If you’ve ever felt torn between giving everything to your work and finding space for yourself, Tara’s perspective offers both inspiration and practical strategies. This conversation is about teaching, yes — but it’s also about building a life where you can thrive.
Resources & Links:
Connect with Tara: Website | Twitter/X
Tara’s books: Be REAL: Educate from the Heart | Cannonball In
Join the Conversation:
What’s the “jump” you need to take in your own classroom or life?
Share your reflections in the comments or tag me and Tara on social media.
Listen & Subscribe:
[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify] | [YouTube] | [Simplecast]
Access the Show
All platforms & past episodes: https://coffeeforthebrain.com/podcasts/
Direct Link to This Episode: https://coffeechug.simplecast.com/episodes/215 215: Born to Jump: Tara Martin on Courage, Story, and Self-Care in Education](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TQRf7UPFZCI/mqdefault.jpg)

