Background

LEGO Mindstorms is the product of a collaboration of Lego and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of Boston. Mindstorms is LEGO's "designed for the general public" RCX product. It uses a user friendly programming tool that has plenty of colours and atmosphere to make many of us feel like we are kids again enjoying the "new" world of lego.

The whole product is much more user friendly than Robolab but shares many of the same functions and components. I am not sure which one came first but Mindstorms has the commercial seal of approval.