LittleBot Buddy is the 9th robot to come from the Slant Concepts line of LittleBots STEM kits. This addition is the most personable of all. Buddy is an interactive robotics kit that is simple to build and designed to help kids get excited about creating a robotic companion.
Buddy is the culmination of nearly 2 years of work. LittleBots has been experimenting with variants of Buddy since the first LittleBots kits were released. They finally found a design that was both highly interactive and simple to build.
Buddy works by observing the world around him. When something changes he generates completely unique reactions, just as a living creature would do. He is completely spontaneous. This helps Buddy to maintain kid’s attention longer as they build and work with him.
The kit can be built in under an hour, does not require any soldering, and has fewer than 15 screws. This makes is simple to build even for the most inexperienced users.
The main chip is arduino and can be reprogrammed using standard or graphical programming tools, such as the Arduino IDE or Makeblock.
Adding to the uniqueness of Buddy is the fact that he is 3D Printed. LittleBots made this choice to both create a cleaner design with fewer parts and to invite kids to edit and build on the robot. “When the robot is 3D printed kids know they are allowed to 3D print more parts using the printer in a classroom,” stated Gabe Bentz, lead designer of the LittleBots Project.
All together Buddy is a very interactive robotics kits that is simple to get started with but packs a good amount of complexity into a simple little package.
The kit is currently available for preorders on Kickstarter and was 25% funded within it first 12 hours of going live. Preorders are expected to start shipping in December 2019.
SPHERO AND LITTLEBITS JOIN FORCES TO BECOME THE EDTECH MARKET LEADER AND ACCELERATE PLAY-BASED LEARNING FOR KIDS
Over the past nine years, Sphero and littleBits have each created entirely new categories of hands-on learning tools that enable invention and STEAM education through play and technology. Combined, the two companies have reached over six million students and 65,000 teachers across 35,000 schools globally — and have sold more than $500 million in Sphero robots and littleBits kits. Today, littleBits joins Sphero to advance their common mission — inspiring the creators and inventors of tomorrow.
Through this acquisition, Sphero becomes the largest player in its market. With a comprehensive offering of hardware, software, curriculum, and training, it is positioned to shape the $150 billion education technology industry.
Sphero, with the addition of the littleBits line, will now feature a portfolio of over 140 patents in robotics, electronics, software, and the Internet of Things. Teachers will have access to hundreds of thousands of community-generated inventions and activities, and over a thousand lessons tied to NGSS, CSTA and Common Core standards. Sphero and littleBits will also rally their enthusiastic and loyal networks of distinguished educators around the world that they’ve cultivated through their ambassador programs – with over 67 Sphero Heroes and 50 littleBits Bitstar Educators.
„Sphero and littleBits are on a mission to make hands-on learning fun and memorable,“ said Paul Berberian, Sphero’s CEO. „Together, we’re able to make an even greater impact by delivering the best possible solution — whether it is programming a robot to solve a maze or building an electronic music synthesizer. There are infinite learning possibilities — and they’re all fun.“
According to a Harris poll1, 91% of teachers say they would like to integrate more hands-on learning in their classes, and research shows that students who enjoy weekly hands-on learning activities fare 40-70% better in science, math and other subjects2.
„When I studied engineering, it was top down, test-based,“ said Ayah Bdeir, founder of littleBits. „I hated it and wanted to quit every semester. Then I got exposed to the pedagogy of learning through play and my life changed; no one could peel me away from learning, inventing, creating. Together, littleBits and Sphero are now bringing this experience to kids everywhere.“
With this deal, Sphero plans to accelerate international growth and acquire other products and companies to further expand its portfolio of STEAM products and tools. The company will have offices in Boulder, New York, and Hong Kong with Paul Berberian as CEO. Ayah Bdeir will be moving on from littleBits to pursue her next adventure.
ABOUT SPHERO: Sphero has been inspiring the creators of tomorrow through creative learning and play since 2010. From its humble beginnings in Boulder, CO, Sphero has become the #1 robot in education, available in 40,000+ schools, clubs and institutions globally. With new offerings coming out all the time to help kids start, grow, and graduate with Sphero, our robots and products truly go #BeyondCode. Learn more atsphero.com.
ABOUT LITTLEBITS: littleBits products have been transforming the way kids learn so they can grow up to be tomorrow’s changemakers — no matter their age, gender, race, nationality, or ability. Millions of STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Math) kits have been sold in over 70 countries. littleBits Electronics, Inc. was founded in 2011 by Ayah Bdeir, TED Senior Fellow, MIT Media Lab Alum and Inc Magazine Top 100 Female Founders. Learn more at littlebits.com.
Leoni offers smart robot mounting solution for all picking, packing, and palletizing applications. Suitable for industrial robots in General Industry, flexible, lightweight and durable for repetitive processes, and increases lifetime of cables, reduces downtime
Leoni, a global provider of energy and data management solutions in the automotive sector and other industries, expands its product range in the field of cable management solutions dedicated for packaging applications.
With the LEONI B-Flex P³, the company now offers a flexible, slip-resistant attachment solution for industrial robots especially for the Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and globally, for the General Industry; serving Picking, Packing, and Palletizing applications. This means that the hose and cable package can be attached to the robot with easy-to-install, flexible holders. It is the second product Leoni launches in this product range. LEONI B-Flex Cobot, launched in 2017 is a similar product specifically designed for collaborative robots.
The basic principle behind the LEONI B-Flex P³ solution consists of two components; the hook-and-loop straps and the flexible round or flat holders. The hook-and-loop strap is threaded into the matching insertion slots on the holder for installation on the robot. The holders are positioned in the chosen location on the robot and the dresspack is inserted between the hook-and-loop strap and the holder. As a last step, the hook-and-loop strap needs to be pulled tight and closed.
This quick and simple tool-less installation is just one of the advantages of this solution. LEONI B-Flex P³ can also be used on diverse surfaces, sections and circumferences without the risk of slippage. The mounting solution is also lightweight and has very few protrusions thanks to its low-profile design. In addition, it is based on very high reliable components as all of them are based on thousands of dress packages installed in different field of industries, most particularly Automotive, which is highly demanding on robot movements and it is absolutely maintenance-free.
About the Leoni Group Leoni is a global provider of products, solutions and services for energy and data management in the automotive sector and other industries. The value chain encompasses wires, optical fibers, standardised cables, special cables and assembled systems as well as intelligent products and smart services. As an innovation partner and solutions provider, Leoni supports its customers with pronounced development and systems expertise. The market-listed group of companies employs more than 95,000 people in 32 countries and generated consolidated sales of EUR 5.1 billion in 2018.
(San Francisco, California, June 12, 2019) The Revolution Robotics Foundation is reimagining educational robotics and has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its new robot kit: the Revolution Robotics Challenge Kit. This kit and its accompanying free mobile app will provide kids and mentors with a more accessible and affordable robotics learning tool and platform.
“We envision a world where more kids participate in robotics than any other organized sport,” said Jared Schrieber, President and Co-Founder of the foundation. “As a true non-profit, we are dedicated to leveraging and developing open source technologies that make STEM learning challenges and robotics competitions accessible, fair and fun for kids globally.”
“The future of workforce development will require programs that teach students real-life problem-solving skills through hands-on learning activities like what Revolution Robotics has created,”said Jason Morrella, Executive Director and Co-Founder. “Just a few out of a million kids who play sports growing up will ever be able to make a living at it, but there are amazing, fulfilling and rewarding careers in science, technology and engineering for 100% of the kids who learn to build and program these robots.”
The non-profit foundation was established in early 2018, with a focus on designing an open source and affordable educational robotics platform to achieve their mission, instead of a kit being sold primarily to generate revenue for for-profit companies. The new Revolution Robotics Challenge Kit is a ground breaking, low cost robot kit that costs hundreds of dollars less than other robot kit options available to students and schools previously.
The Challenge Kit is a complete robot-building package, offering over 530 pieces – including the Raspberry Pi based brain, five powerful motors, an ultrasonic sensor, accelerometer, gyro sensor, bumper switch, gears, axles and hundreds of structural pieces. The accompanying Revolution Robotics app will provide kids ages 8 -13 an easy-to-use drag and drop programming interface to configure, code, and control their robots with any iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. More experienced robot builders and programmers can also enjoy the thrills of writing more complex code via Python.
As shared by David Dudas, Head of Engineering, “It’s designed for both classrooms and the home, and is much more than just a really cool toy robot. The robot’s brain includes a Raspberry Pi board and will be able to accommodate several different types of sensors and motors. Plus, we’ve developed a free mobile app that will let kids code and drive the robots they create with their phones and tablets.”
In 2020 the foundation will begin a new competition program built upon single day local and regional competitions, with challenges that change throughout the year to ensure students are always solving new problems, learning new concepts and creating new designs. Students will be able to compete around the world, including signature international championship events in multiple countries.
The Revolution Robotics Foundation is a true non-profit focused on revolutionizing youth robotics by making products and programs affordable, accessible, educational, fair and fun. Through an open-source platform, student focused competition program, and extensive resource system, the Foundation seeks to prioritize the interests of participating students and the teachers and mentors supporting them. The founding team envision a world where more kids participate in robotics than any other organized sport, while celebrating student learning and achievement.
Root robot is uniquely designed to help kids learn coding at home and in school
BEDFORD, Mass., June 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the leader in consumer robots, has announced the addition of the Root coding robot to its product lineup through the acquisition of Root Robotics. With technology initially developed by a founding group within the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, Root is a fun and easy-to-use educational robot that uniquely teaches coding and 21st century problem-solving skills to children as young as four years old. This acquisition supports iRobot’s plans to diversify its educational robot product offerings, further demonstrating its commitment to make robotic technology more accessible to educators, students and parents.
The Root coding robot is a two-wheeled, mobile platform. The robot operates on flat surfaces at home, like tables, floors, and countertops, and vertical surfaces in a classroom, like a magnetic whiteboard. When paired with the companion mobile application, users can instruct Root to draw artwork, scan colors, play music, respond to touch and sound, climb whiteboard walls, and explore the fundamentals of robotics. Root uses three levels of coding language, from simple graphical blocks for young children to full text coding for more advanced users.
„The acquisition of Root Robotics allows iRobot to broaden the impact of its STEM efforts with a commercially available, educational robotic platform already being used by educators, students and parents,“ said Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot. „Root also helps increase the reach of iRobot’s educational robot line by offering a proven system for people of all ages, including students in elementary school.“
„The Root coding robot is an incredibly powerful tool for learning to code because it intuitively scales to users‘ abilities,“ said Zee Dubrovsky, co-founder of Root Robotics who will now become general manager of Educational Robots at iRobot. „A four-year-old can begin coding Root using simple pictures and symbols that translate to robot actions. Once a child has mastered graphical coding, they can seamlessly toggle to the next two levels, which introduce hybrid coding, followed by full text coding. This scalable approach is what has been missing from other educational coding robots.“
The acquisition of Root Robotics is not expected to contribute materially to iRobot’s 2019 financial performance. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About iRobot Corp. iRobot®, the leading global consumer robot company, designs and builds robots that empower people to do more both inside and outside of the home. iRobot® created the home robot cleaning category with the introduction of its Roomba® Robot Vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot® is a global enterprise that has sold more than 25 million robots worldwide. iRobot’s product line, including Roomba® vacuuming robots and the Braava® family of mopping robots, feature proprietary technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping and navigation. iRobot® engineers are building an ecosystem of robots and technologies to enable the smart home. For more information about iRobot®, please visit www.irobot.com.
For iRobot Investors Certain statements made in this press release that are not based on historical information are forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to iRobot Corporation’s expectations concerning management’s plans, objectives and strategies and the expectations for the financial contributions from the acquisition. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. iRobot undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by iRobot, see the disclosure contained in our public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Cubelets® robot blocks by Modular Robotics are a fast and easy way to inspire kids to become better thinkers. Simply snap Cubelets together to easily create your own robots, no programming required. The behavior of your robot is determined by your construction. How your robot behaves emerges from what blocks you use and how you orient them.
Cubelets are unique in that you can code any Cubelet to do something new. Programming the various parts in parallel helps you learn about how systems work. It provides intuitions about how parts interact to become something bigger than themselves.
More on these interesting Cubelets and the modular robots you can build with them will follow soon on robots-blog.com as we have a kit in our hands and have just started to play with it!
Low Voltage Labs LLC, a maker of STEM products for Raspberry Pi and soldering kits, has purchased the line of robots from Plum Geek Robotics. Low Voltage Labs owner Eric Thompson will continue to work with Kevin King, the creator of the Plum Geek robots, to ensure the smooth transition of Low Voltage Labs taking over the robotic product line.
Low Voltage Labs is already manufacturing WinkBot, and expect to have the first robots available in April of 2019. WinkBot, a robot that is programmed with Arduino, can use basic programming to follow lines, seek lights, detect barriers, and more. It is the perfect robot for those learning to program code. Users learn the basics of the C language in a fun, non-complicated way.
Low Voltage Labs has also started production on the Ringo robot. Also programmed with Arduino, Ringo was designed to inspire people learning to write code to breath life and real personality into their own robotic pet. Ringo is loaded with sensors, allowing users to code hundreds of possible behaviors. Ringo will be available in May of 2019.
For more information on STEM kits or robots, please visit lowvoltagelabs.com.
New LEGO® Star Wars™ BOOST Droid Commander set lets fans build, code and play with three iconic Star Wars droids – whether they’re a young Padawan or Jedi Master
May 4, 2019: Today, the LEGO Group unveils the latest addition to its much-loved Star Wars™ range – and it’s something even Yoda’s Force sense didn’t see coming. The new LEGO Star Wars BOOST Droid Commander set offers all the creativity and coding fun of LEGO® BOOST alongside the chance to build three of the film franchise’s most iconic droids: R2-D2; the Gonk Droid; and the Mouse Droid.
It’s the first time the intuitive drag-and-drop LEGO BOOST coding technology has been used in a LEGO licensing product. With the technology overhauled to match the LEGO Star Wars galaxy, the result is a whole new play experience in which kids and parents can team up to build, code and play with the droids, then create their own Star Wars stories and battlegrounds with inspiration from 40+ interactive missions. What’s more, every time they play with this LEGO Star Wars brick galaxy of lovable droids, they will also be honing their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) skills, which are ever more important for children in today’s digital world.
Julia Goldin, Chief Marketing Officer, LEGO Group, said: “We’ve been fuelling the imagination of young Padawans and Jedi Masters for twenty years and wanted to take the Force to a new level. By introducing LEGO BOOST and creative coding into the LEGO Star Wars galaxy, kids now have the chance to develop essential 21st century skills while immersing themselves in the amazing world of Droid Commanders. Our children are the problem solvers of tomorrow and STEAM skills will be essential to help them conquer the challenges of the future.”
The LEGO Star Wars BOOST Droid Commander set is the latest example of how the LEGO Group is using product innovation to help boys and girls gain vital STEAM skills like creativity, critical-thinking, problem-solving and communication – all while enjoying the thrill of playing with their favourite LEGO Star Wars characters.
Launching globally September 1, 2019 just in time to mark the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, all three droids (R2-D2, Gonk Droid and Mouse Droid) included in the set are great fun to build, code and play with, and completely customisable for every child.
The set includes a color & distance sensor, interactive motor, Bluetooth (Move Hub) and 1,177 pieces – enough to build all three lovable R2-D2 robot, Gonk Droid and Mouse Droid, each coming with their own personalities, skills, and authentic Star Wars sounds and music. It will be age graded 8+ and the recommended retail price will be $199,99/€199,99.
R2-D2 measures over 7” (20cm) high and 5” (14cm) wide. LEGO® Gonk Droid measures over 7” (18cm) high, 3” (9cm) wide and 6” (16cm) long. LEGO Mouse Droid measures over 5” (14cm) high, 3” (9cm) wide and 6” (17cm) long.
Free LEGO® BOOST Star Wars™ app is available for selected iOS, Android and Fire smart devices. Using the app, young commanders can build the droids, insert the Bluetooth-controlled Move Hub into the droid they want to see solve each of the 40+ missions, and bring it to life using the intuitive drag-and-drop coding environment.
About the LEGO Group: The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.
The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”.
Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more than 140 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com
Robotics company Amigo
Robotics announced that it launched a new home interactive robot, Amigo One, on
April 30, 2019. This is an intelligent robot for home entertainment and
educational scenes. Currently, the company is launching crowdfunding on
Kickstarter, offering special discounts to early bird supporters.
“We believe that robots
will enter the daily life of thousands of families in the near future, and we
will help to accelerate the progress in an imaginative way.” A spokesman from
Amigo Robotics introduced the creative robot. „Decomposing the robot and
selling it in a modular form will greatly reduce the barrier to enter into the
family life. First of all, you can get an interactive and versatile robot
chassis at a very low price. Then Amigo Robotics will continue to develop different
function modules that fit into the robot chassis, such as camera module, voice
interaction module, projector module, robotic arm module, and even sweeping
robot module, etc. Users can purchase different modules as needed to equip different
functions.“
In addition, the Amigo
One uses four omnidirectional wheels to move the robot chassis flexibly which
will enhance the entertainment. At the same time, multiple Amigo One robots can
build multiplayer competitive game scenes, providing a good parent-child
entertainment. In addition to being a home entertainment robot, it can be
connected to a computer for visual robot programming, providing an interesting
way to develop kids‘ programming skills.
At this stage, Amigo
Robotics already designed a slick and cute robot chassis with omnidirectional
wheels and LED display module which is compatible for the Amigo One chassis. In
order to give users the flexibility to control the Amigo One, we have
deliberately delivered a joystick. At the same time, Amigo Robotics offers a
special price of 79 Singapore dollars (about 59 US dollars) for early bird
supporters. I hope that all supporters will continue to follow us on the new
modules developed by Amigo Robotics. I believe these new modules will bring
more new surprises to users and supporters!
For more information,
visit the following Web sites:
At Franka Emika (FE) – a deep-tech company from Munich, Germany – we redefined robotics with the world’s most advanced robotic system Panda Powertool. In pursuit of high-performance and accessibility, we have combined human-centered design with trustworthy German engineering, giving rise to a masterpiece of technology. Highest mechatronic integration, exceptional soft-robot performance, as well as advanced and extendable functionalities have unleashed unprecedented usability, best affordability and unlimited scalability.
HMI
2019
After redefining robotics and establishing a
community, we are launching at this year’s Hanover Fair a novel digital
robotics platform Franka World that will allow the connection between the
physical and digital worlds. FE’s booth with futuristic design features 6
partner stations demonstrating unique features and use cases that visitors can
experience live.
What
is Franka World?
Franka World enables community interaction between
researchers, partners, customers, developers, suppliers and… robots to push the
frontiers of Industrie 4.0. Everyone will be able to easily gain integrated
access to products, services and management of entire robot fleets, independent
of their physical location.
Hundreds
of apps from leading developers
Partner companies and developers can participate by
applying their expertise and developing new integrated hardware, such as
end-effectors and vision systems, together with their matching Apps. On the day
of the launch the store already features over a hundred robot apps and this
number will grow over 5 times within the first year. Hardware and software will
be available from a single source through the Store. Customers will purchase,
use and deploy apps relevant to their use cases, while Partners and Developers
can generate revenue streams accordingly.
About
Franka Emika’s robot Panda
Panda is currently the fastest selling industrial robotic system in the world. For Panda, Franka Emika received the German President‘s Award for Innovation in Science and Technology and was the only German company to make it onto the cover of TIME Magazine’s „Best Inventions 2018“ edition. Designed, developed and made in Germany
