Archiv der Kategorie: Education & Studies

Topics related with education or studies

Dexter Industries Launches First Ever Robot Subscription Service!

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GoBox is a GoPiGo Raspberry Pi robot with a new Mission and a new sensor delivered to your door every month, starting this Holiday 2015 season.

Washington, D.C. September 1, 2015 – Dexter Industries, an educational robotics company, today launched GoBox, their fourth Kickstarter project. GoBox is a monthly subscription of robot Missions that are designed for a child (ages 7 and up) to do with the help of an adult. The intent of GoBox is to make learning computer programming and technology accessible to everyone. It doesn’t require any prior knowledge of robotics, and takes you step-by-step through building your own robot and learning how to program it to do all kinds of cool things!

The first month’s GoBox Mission comes with a complete robot kit, the GoPiGo, for you to build and start learning how to program. The GoPiGo is based on the Raspberry Pi, a $35 single board computer developed by a UK foundation designed to teach young people how to program. Each month, subscribers will get a new sensor to attach to your GoPiGo robot, along with a Mission complete with beautiful illustrations and links to helpful videos.

This past Father’s Day, ten parent-child teams gathered at NOVA LABS, a community Makerspace in Reston, VA, to try GoBox for themselves. Parents of all skill levels worked side-by-side with their child to build their GoPiGo robot car, and decorate and program it to look and act like an animal of their choice. Within a few hours, there were cheetahs, bats, moths, and spiders crawling around the floor of the lab!

“I’ve really never done anything like this before with my son, and it was so easy and fun – I couldn’t believe it!” said participant Lily Griffin, mother of 12-year old Ryan.

Dave Bock, a software developer, came to get one of his triplets more interested in technology. “It was fun to see the creative side come out, along with learning technical concepts about motors and programming.”

Key Features of GoBox:
* No prior experience or knowledge required – beginners welcome!
* Monthly Missions that slowly build on each other and keep you engaged – the key to success!
* Missions use Scratch, an easy-to-use drag/drop language developed by MIT.


About Dexter Industries
Dexter Industries, a growing educational robotics company, was founded in 2010 by John Cole to develop products that make open source robotics technology more accessible to everyone.

GoBox Kickstarter link: www.DexterGoBox.com

More information on the GoPiGo Raspberry Pi robot car: http://www.dexterindustries.com/GoPiGo

“Matrix have a Formula for success with latest Kickstarter”

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West Yorkshire technology firm, Matrix Technology Solutions are poised to launch their first ever Kickstarter campaign with a state of the art robot buggy and robotics course they are hoping to launch early next year.

Formula AllCode as it is known, is a robotics course which includes a high spec, Bluetooth enabled robot compatible with Android, iOS, Windows and Raspberry Pi devices.

The project consists of:

  • The Formula AllCode robot itself
  • A FREE PDF course in robotics
  • Accessories used to learn including graphical mat and maze walls

Find out more here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/11644483/486244280?token=3567a2f2

Kickstarter is an online crowd funding website full of projects, big and small, that are brought to life through people’s direct support. Since launch in 2009, 9.1 million people have pledged more than $1.8 billion, funding 89,000 creative projects.

You can get behind the Formula AllCode Kickstarter and pledge your support when the project launches in early August. Keep an eye out at www.matrixtsl.com for more details.

Short News: VEX IQ User Guide, Build Instructions & Build Tips Poster

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This might be interesting especially for all the teachers here: Now you are able to buy additional copies of Building Instructions and User Guides–> for a really good price. No more need to use the copier before class!

http://www.vexrobotics.com/…/…/vex-iq-printed-materials.html

MakerBloks Launches Four New Games, Including iOS App

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MONTREAL, May 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Today, MakerBloks introduces four new games, including a new iOS tablet app, to empower the next generation of makers and inspire STEM education. With MakerBloks, more than 40 million children across North America can now create, build and design real electronic circuits, without any prior technical knowledge.

MakerBloks Logo / MakerBloks Launches Four New Games, Including iOS App (PRNewsFoto/MakerBloks)

MakerBloks are reactive color-coded, magnetic blocks that guide children through the basics of electronic circuits in a simple, fun and immersive way. To keep kids engaged, MakerBloks is introducing four games to pre-order on Kickstarter, including:

  • Light and Sound Intro Kit – featuring the basics to building circuits
  • Music Kit – featuring keyboard, microphone and flute games
  • Spy Kit – featuring voice changing and burglar alarm games
  • MakerBloks World – an interactive tablet game that combines the virtual and physical worlds

MakerBloks World is a state-of-the-art tablet game that combines the virtual and physical worlds. The tablet’s front camera uses unique MakerBloks visual recognition software to read and react when a child assembles the blocks correctly, all in real-time. With MakerBloks World, the child advances through an educational game that uses puzzles, rocket launchers, and imaginative settings such as candy land, water world and outer space, creating a truly immersive way to teach kids how to build and use electronic circuits.

„With over 15 years specializing in designing children’s games and toys, I understand how games should look, function and feel,“ saidFrancois Poirier, CEO and founder of MakerBloks. „I also know how important longevity is. Parents want their kids to use games and toys for as long as possible. The best part about MakerBloks is its ‚hack-ability‘ – the instructions are just the beginning. Teaching kids about science and technology is a great start, but helping them to be more resourceful, more creative and to feel empowered is what MakerBloks is really about.“

Founded in 2014, MakerBloks was inspired while Francois was shopping for a game or toy for a six year old that was fun, easy-to-use and educational. Since everything was either too complex or had no educational component, MakerBloks is designed for children starting at six years old. Each kit features:

  • Colorful blocks that magnetically connect together on all four sides
  • A guide that explains what each block’s electronic symbol means
  • A set of instructions that is optional! Follow the instructions or troubleshoot your way to success!
  • A hacking hint: every game can be assembled multiple ways – the possibilities are only limited by your imagination

MakerBloks is available for pre-order today on Kickstarter, with intro kits starting at $45 and advanced kits, including intro kit and additional blocks, begin at $85. The MakerBloks iOS tablet app will be available for download once the kits begin to ship in Fall 2015.

For more information about MakerBloks, please visit http://makerbloks.com/en

About MakerBloks

Francois Poirier founded MakerBloks in 2014 after he realized that there are no simple ways to teach young children about electronics. Pairing beautiful design with functionality and fun, MakerBloks gives parents the tools to set their child up for successful learning in science, technology, engineering and math. Easily identified and connecting flawlessly every time, MakerBloks start with a battery, but are powered by imagination.

Meet Codie

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Codie is a robotic toy and a custom-built graphic coding language. Codie is an educational tool which fits into the playing style of the children and augments their experience — blurring the line between learning and play. While playing with Codie, the children become familiar with logical thinking that all technology is based on while gaining invaluable problem solving skills along the way. Codie provides educates on algorithmic thinking without the constraints of traditional educational tools.

The Codie app makes it fun for children to learn algorithmic thinking. We organized complex robotic code into colorful blocks children can arrange and connect with arrows showing the direction of execution. While having fun, they learn the basics of coding, using real programming patterns, including: if-else structures, loops, varia-bles and subroutines.

The Codie robot is an affordable and fun toy that pairs with the intuitive app. This sturdy robot is stuffed with equipment and sensors that make it responsive and fun. Codie will provide entertainment for the whole family for many hours to come. Codie comes fully assembled, just take it out of the box, pair it with your smartphone via wireless Bluetooth connection and play. The body of the Codie robot is carved out of high-quality wood and every single unit is hand-crafted.

Technology needs to be part of every child’s education and schools have realized that they need to expose children to technology at an early age. Constraints in our educational system result in the inability to pay attention to every child’s own unique needs. At Codie, we want to inspire these young bright minds to be interested in learning about technology while having fun at the same time. Codie is not just a toy, but rather a creative tool. It’s a companion that augments other games. Playing with Codie is a high-quality learning experience, and it allows your child to understand coding in a fun and interactive way. Children get empowered by the knowledge they get with Codie and the whole process feels natural and seamless. Codie grows with your child. It provides more sophisticated programs as your child surpasses the basics. While playing with Cody your child will become familiar with the logic of computer coding — providing a foundation of understanding they will draw from for the rest of their lives.

more information here: http://www.getcodie.com/

Wonder Workshop launches FREE digital magazine for kids

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Wonder Magazine brings hundreds of hours of play with activities, challenges and updates for robots Dash & Dot

Las Vegas, NV—January 5, 2014 – Wonder Workshop (www.makewonder.com), a company building delightful robots for children to learn to code, today announced the launch of Wonder Magazine, a free bi-weekly digital magazine for children and their families. As children around the world start their exploring coding and play with robots Dash & Dot, Wonder Magazine will provide the ongoing challenges and activities to extend the play experience to hundreds of hours.

Children will love the magazine for the new activities that bring open-ended play experiences, and challenge them to explore creative problem solving with the robots. Parents will find topics to engage their children in conversations about the robots and coding. Wonder Magazine intends to keep the fun going forever in every home with Dash & Dot.

The first edition of Wonder Magazine will be released in English to customers on January 15, 2015, and customers can sign up for the magazine at makewonder.com/magazine. It will be delivered on a bi-weekly basis directly to the Wonder Workshop mobile applications and customer email inboxes. The magazine’s content will focus on creative news ideas for playing with Wonder Workshop’s robots, Dot and Dash. Sections of the magazine will include:

• Making Wonder series (featured play idea with video)
• Ask Dash, Ask Dot
• Wonderful projects (featured projects from kids around the world)
• Adventures of Dash & Dot
• Hello World (coding lesson)
• Build-a-Bot (building and crafts with Dash & Dot)
• Wonder Labs (engage with the Wonder Workshop team)
• Funny Corner, Events and Announcements

“Now that Dash & Dot are arriving into homes around the world, we’re excited to offer new and engaging ways for children to play and learn with them,” said Vikas Gupta, co-founder and CEO of Wonder Workshop. “Our team is excited to introduce Wonder Magazine to help kids and families explore more activities with the robots every week.”

Last year, Wonder Workshop delivered over 30,000 robots to 20 countries in one month in December 2014. At $4M in pre-orders, Wonder Workshop is the largest crowdfunded consumer robotics product ever. All pre-orders were delivered to customers in time for the holidays of 2014. Dash & Dot are now available for purchase and immediate delivery exclusively on makewonder.com and Amazon.com.

Wonder Workshop’s developer API is live in the hands of early developers building apps and fun experiences for the robots. Wonder Workshop ships to 20 countries including the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, European countries, India, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Wonder Workshop was founded in 2012 by veterans from Amazon, Apple and Google to create robots that can be friends of children around the world, and help every child learn to code at a young age. Dash & Dot were used by schools around the United States for “Hour of Code,” and were invited to the White House for the launch of the program in 2014. Dash & Dot can be found on makewonder.com and on Amazon.com. Dash & Dot are programmed using applications provided by Wonder Workshop on iPad 3 and up, iPad mini and iPad Air. Developers looking to build applications for Dash & Dot on both iOS and Android are welcome to visit Wonder Workshop at developer.makewonder.com for more details.

Dash & Dot by Wonder Workshop

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Wonder Workshop makes learning to code meaningful and fun for children. Dash & Dot, a pair of robots, combine play and learning for children ages 5 and up. For more information, visit our website at http://makewonder.com.

Dash is an explorer.
• Drives around.
• Senses objects in front and behind.
• Hears and responds to sounds.
• Comes to life with sound, lights, and head motion.

Dot is an instigator.
• Responds to how it is moved.
• Sends a signal for Dash to see where it is.
• Hears and responds to sounds.
• Transforms with sounds, lights, and imagination.

Dash & Dot connect wirelessly over Bluetooth and come with four iPad and Android experiences:

  • Go gets you started and exploring the world of Dash & Dot in no time. Simply connect with Bluetooth and get off and running. This app is a portal for online ideas and content.

  • Path takes Dash on adventures as kids draw a path for Dash to take. Unlock themes and special animations. This app teaches basic sequencing and event- based programming.

  • Blockly is a visual programming tool that lets kids control Dash & Dot, making them move and interact with each other. This app teaches sequencing, events, conditionals, and loops.

  • Xylo is a music app that uses the xylophone accessory. Compose songs and program Dash to move around while playing music. This app teaches sequencing and loops.

Accessories for Dash & Dot help give them additional looks and abilities. They include a xylophone, a pusher bar, a smartphone mount (to take videos with any smartphone), bunny ears, and a tow hook.

Dash is $199. The Wonder Pack, including all robots and accessories, is $349. They are available for purchase at the Wonder Workshop website here: http://makewonder.com.

Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Parks partnership helps launch MeArm – a mini robotic arm for the masses

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A pocket size robot arm to make robotics, electronics and programming accessible to the masses has smashed its Kickstarter goal.  A miniaturised version of an industrial robot arm, MeArm is simple enough to build and use with primary school children, but also enables advanced levels of robotics education.

Being open-source, MeArm’s entire design and code files are freely available to download so that makers everywhere can share and enrich their knowledge. There are already well over 250 MeArms ‘in the wild’ in every continent except Antarctica.

MeArm can be cut entirely from an A4 sheet of acrylic and built with standard low-cost servo motors. Kickstarter success will enable the launch of the MeBrain, an innovative platform that make it possible to build something low cost ‘with nothing but a screwdriver and enthusiasm’ from May 2015.

In order to bring robotics to the masses, MeArm’s founder and open source enthusiast Ben Gray sought the expertise of Des19ncor, a design consultancy based on Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Parks (LUSEP).

“We saw a great opportunity to help Ben create a viable long term business” said Martin Croft, Des19ncor’s MD, who has since registered MeArm as a new venture in LUSEP’s Innovation Centre.

In addition to the partnership with De19ncor, MeArm has also benefited from the creative expertise in the Studio, the University’s graduate commercialisation hub. Collaboration with the Department of Computer Sciences will strengthen the ultimate goal of MeArm’s widespread adoption by schools, colleges and universities to encourage STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.

As support for MeArm builds, a stretch goal to upgrade kits to include hexagonal screws and tools has already been achieved and the project is well on the way to having a wireless support option. Further stretch goals have since been added, including Bluetooth support and app development. “It’s been fantastic to receive such an enthusiastic response for MeArm,” said Ben Gray.  He added, “With even more support, we could create an interface with the credit card-sized computer, Raspberry Pi which is already blazing a path into engagement in STEM education.”

Pixel Pals Educational Electronics Kit – Integrated Learning Tool

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Chip – the first in a line of beginner friendly products debuts on Kickstarter

Chip, a Pixel Pals educational electronics kit, is the first in a line of beginner friendly products that goes beyond learning soldering skills. He can be incorporated into Arduino based projects as well as using the Pixel Power board in e-textiles. The kits are designed to be multifunctional, yet affordable.


The first character, Chip featured in this Kickstarter campaign, focusses on LEDs and basic circuitry. Once soldered, it can standalone with the Pixel Power board and serve as a fun toy or light. Chip can also plug into an Arduino Uno Rev 3 or into a breadboard where Chip can be incorporated into more advanced electronic projects or programming lessons.

Soldering Sunday created the Pixel Pals soldering kits to fill the gap between introductory and advanced projects. Each Pixel Pal will focus on a particular electronics component which will require soldering; but are Arduino compatible so that they can be programmed for other projects are used.

The kits are also designed to be affordable for organizations and parents who want to encourage STEAM education but are hindered by the large price tag of many existing educational products. The Kickstarter campaign, if successful, will help keep the production costs down.

Kickstarter is an all or nothing proposition. Soldering Sunday hopes to reach its goal of $2,500 to cover mass production cost of the Chip, Pixel Pal Soldering kit. The project runs from
November 3 to December 3, 2014.

To keep up to date with the project, follow Soldering Sunday on Twitter (@SolderingSunday), Facebook (www.facebook.com/SolderingSunday) or on their website (www.solderingsunday.com)

Also consider visiting the project on Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com/projects/solderingsunday/chip-an-electronics-kit-with-character) donating $1 on Kickstarter to receive updates.