The Robo Wunderkind Explorer Kits are finally available for pre-order

The wait is over! The Robo Wunderkind Explorer Kits are finally available for pre-order  In this blog post, find out what makes our newest robotics kits lineup so special, and why it is bound to become a highlight of this Christmas for your child.

Redesigned building blocks, extended functionally, and even more room for fun and learning – all you can think of in STEM represented in the Robo Wunderkind Explorer Kits. Besides the awesome perks you get by pre-ordering early, you and your child will benefit from the unique play and learning experiences these kits bring along. Ready to find out about the coolest features?

LED Display

This new, cube-shaped block offers so many possibilities for kids to be creative! Draw pictures and emotions, display them on the 16*16 resolution screen, and add some artistry to your coding creations. This building block supports animations, so your kid can create projects with short cartoons or text scroll.

Line Follower

Another new feature that our community has been looking forward to: the Line Follower block is our newest addition to the array of building pieces! With this block, your child’s robots can detect and follow lines drawn on the floor. Besides providing many ideas for super fun activities and games, this block is also an essential element of robotics – plenty of learning outcomes guaranteed!

Accelerometer

This sensor will help Robo to find its way around: it can recognize which way is up, down, left, and right! You can measure gravitational forces with an accelerometer, just like an astronaut in space. Programmed with our Python API, this sensor will also allow you to calculate your robot’s orientation in 3D space. 

Smart Motors

Each Robo Wunderkind Explorer Kit is now equipped with our new Smart Motors! Besides driving to a precise distance and turning, they now support relative angular positioning of anything you place on top of them.

Project Sharing

The coolest feature is coming to Robo Wunderkind apps: they will be even more fun to play with having our brand new project sharing functionality. Soon, you’ll be able to not only create your own code but also share it with friends and send them to other devices you have at home. Sharing is caring!

Excited for your little inventor to have fun and learn coding with these cool features? Pre-order Robo Wunderkind today, and get a 15% discount on any kit, a free t-shirt for your child, a possibility to upgrade your purchase, and even win an iPad mini! Delivery: end of September 2020.
Pre-order now!

LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 hits shelves on september 1st

Press release

ROBOTICS FANS AND EXTREME PLAY SEEKERS, MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 HITS SHELVES ON SEPTEMBER 1ST

Consumer Robotics Pioneers Reveal 12 Bonus Models Created by Community Experts;

Online Availability Expected Later this Month for Pre-Order

Billund, Denmark (August 1, 2013) – The LEGO Group today announced that LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3, the new award-winning consumer robotics platform, will hit retail shelves on September 1, 2013 and may start appearing later this month at select online retailers for pre-order. To inspire tinkerers of all ages with the limitless possibilities of the platform, the company unveiled the full collection of 12 bonus models designed by an international group of MINDSTORMS community experts that join five hero models introduced earlier this year.

Since the first public preview of MINDSTORMS EV3 at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, new and existing fans of all ages have been eagerly awaiting the updated system. The third evolution in the platform’s 15 year history, EV3 continues the legacy by energizing and growing the leading consumer robotics community of both children and adults. Since 1998, LEGO MINDSTORMS has expanded its influence across nations and generations from inspiring FIRST® LEGO League – the middle school robotics program with over 20,000 teams competing annually in more than 70 countries – to having real-world impact for prototyping at major research centers and manufacturers.

Powered by a stronger, faster intelligent brick and packing more memory and a larger processor, EV3 also features additions like a USB port, SD expansion slot and new infrared sensor for more control and capabilities. A Linux-based firmware provides endless programming possibilities to encourage hobbyists to push boundaries and imaginations and continue to grow the MINDSTORMS community’s library of over 15,000 creations. Users can also look forward to greater on-brick programming, full iOS and Android compatibility and first-ever 3D building instructions for tablets to bring the experience away from the computer when desired.

A multinational group of nearly 70 members of MINDSTORMS Community Partners (MCPs) from around the world contributed to the design process of the EV3 platform. The user-experts worked on a variety of topics including apps, hacking environments and creating the 12 bonus models that accompany the five hero robots at launch. The 12 bonus models include a never-before-seen robotic scribe, interactive shell game and robotic bulldozer, to further guide any new user’s exploration of robotics done the LEGO way.

“In the 15 years since MINDSTORMS debuted, the consumer robotics audience has grown exponentially and showcases increased tech savviness and creativity,” said Michael McNally, brand relations director for LEGO Group. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the public’s positive reactions since we introduced EV3 earlier this year; now with retail availability upon us we can’t wait to see how users will inspire us with their robotic creations.”

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 highlights include:

EV3 Intelligent Brick

  • Stronger and faster ARM9 robotic processor
  • Embedded 16MB FLASH memory
  • 64 MB RAM plus SD expansion slot
  • LINUX operating system, released under open source
  • USB 2.0 interface allows for WiFi connectivity
  • 4 input ports / 4 output ports allow up to four intelligent bricks to be connected together
  • Matrix display with loudspeaker
  • Building-compatible button interface with status indication
  • Enhanced on-brick programming
  • Bluetooth ® v2.1
  • iOS and Android compatible

Hardware

  • 3 Interactive Servo Motors: 2 large and 1 medium
  • Touch Sensor
  • New IR Seeker Sensor measures distance, movements and detects objects
  • New IR Beacon remotely controls robot from up to 6 feet away
  • Improved Color Sensor detects 6 colors plus the absence of color
  • Backwards-compatible with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT
  • Assortment of 594 LEGO TECHNIC® elements for easy, more stable building with improved functionality and movement capabilities

Programming Software

  • Free PC and Mac compatible downloadable software available online starting September 1
  • Icon-based drag and drop environment with new interactive content that helps de-bug programming
  • Ability to zoom out on big programs aids creation of advanced concepts like parallel executions and arrays

Building Instructions

  • Step-by-step building instructions for 5 hero models: humanoid, snake, scorpion, gripper and tracker
  • Detailed building instructions for 12 bonus models including: arcade style game, bulldozer, shell game, robotic scribe, dinosaur, electric guitar, line follower, forklift, brick measurer, racing truck, prankster and droid, as seen in the news section of the MINDSTORMS web community
  • First-ever 3D interactive, step-by-step building instructions app powered by Autodesk lets builders rotate and zoom each step to model creation
  • LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 will be available September 1, 2013 at most toy and discount merchandise retailers and online stores and will have a suggested retail price of $349.99(USD), €349.99(EUR) and $399.99(CAD). To meet increasing global demand, native language editions for Russia, China, Korea, Japan, Spain and Denmark will be released in addition to the English, French, German and Dutch language versions previously available. For more information, visit www.LEGO.com/mindstorms
  • For educators interested in bringing the engagement of robotics into STEM-related curriculum in middle school and high school classrooms, a new version of the MINDSTORMS platform optimized for school and institutional use is available now. The LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 platform includes customizable curriculum; engaging, hands-on models and an easy-to-use programming platform.