LEGO Mindstorms EV3 (set numbers 31313 for the retail version and 45544 for the education version) was the third generation of the programmable robotics kit line, released in September 2013. It allowed users to build and program custom robots using an intelligent brick, motors, and sensors.
Key Features and Components
The core of the EV3 system is the intelligent, programmable EV3 Brick, which features an ARM 9 processor, 64 MB of RAM, 16 MB of Flash memory, a monochrome LCD display, a speaker, and multiple input/output ports for connecting sensors and motors.
Motors: The sets included large and medium servo motors, which also function as rotation sensors.
Sensors: Various sensors were available across the retail and education sets:
Touch Sensor: A simple button that detects when it is pushed.
Color Sensor: Detects colors (seven colors and no color) and light intensity.
Infrared (IR) Sensor and Beacon: Included in the retail set, the IR sensor measures distance and acts as a receiver for the remote-control beacon.
Gyro Sensor: Included in the education set, it measures the robot's angle and rotation speed.
Ultrasonic Sensor: Also in the education set, it measures distance using ultrasonic signals.
Connectivity: The EV3 Brick supports Bluetooth and a USB host port for optional Wi-Fi dongles, enabling connection to computers and mobile devices.
Programming
The EV3 could be programmed using an intuitive, icon-based drag-and-drop software available for desktop and tablet devices. For more advanced users, the brick can run alternative operating systems like ev3dev, which supports programming in languages such as Python.
Legacy and Status
The EV3 was widely used in robotics competitions like the FIRST LEGO League Challenge. The LEGO Group officially discontinued the Mindstorms product line at the end of 2022, though support for educational software will continue until at least July 2026. Its successor is the LEGO Mindstorms Robot Inventor (51515), which uses the same platform as the LEGO Education Spike Prime line.