Make Munich – The Maker and Do-It-Yourself Festival

Make Munich is Southern Germany’s largest maker and do it yourself festival, which will take place for the fifth time in Munich next March. It has been firmly established in Munich since 2013 and will even be expanded by a second exhibition hall in 2019.

On 2nd/3rd March 2019, the makers will present their creative ideas, inventions, projects, technologies and their open, colourful culture of innovation. At the exhibition booths and in many inspiring lectures, the Maker scene will be experienced in its entire variety. But it’s not just about spectating, it’s also about doing it yourself and experimenting: In numerous hands-on workshops „new makers“ are taught all the skills they need to be creative and inventive and to produce their own things using modern technologies. The Munich Maker Festival is a colourful public event for all ages. You can touch and try out high-tech here. The mega topic of digitisation can be experienced by everyone in a comprehensible and creative way.

The diverse topics at Make Munich include electronics, Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, digital tools, robotics and fashion technology. Maker start-ups show the way to professionalisation. FabLabs and Makerspaces present their ideas and creative communities. Also projects and initiatives from the circular economy, repair culture, bio-hacking and design & craft present themselves to the public. A completely new feature is a separate large area for the „Young Maker“ young talents.

In addition to 180 exhibitors, more than 10,000 visitors from Germany and the neighbouring countries Italy, Switzerland and Austria are expected.

Our long-standing partner and main sponsor, Allnet GmbH, will be networking the maker scene with established medium-sized companies from its surroundings in a dedicated area in the new „Kohlenbunker“ hall on the Saturday of the fair. As the new main sponsor, Siemens AG is also on board to promote the maker culture and innovations across society. As a close educational cooperation partner, Munich University of Applied Sciences will present many exciting university maker projects. Other colleges and universities will also present their FabLab initiatives and ideas.

Make Munich short info: What: South Germany’s largest Maker and Do It Yourself Festival When. When? Sat/Sun 2nd/3rd March 2019 Open: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Where: Zenith hall + Kohlenbunker hall, Lilienthallee 29, 80939 Munich, Germany Entrance fees: Children up to 10 years free of charge, teenagers 8 €, adults 15€, families 30 €

http://www.make-munich.de


Meet Hundreds of Robots in Motion: PingPong

Build any robot!  Create every motion!

A new paradigm of easy, fun, affordable and super-extensible robot platform

Robot Factory developed an unique singular module based robot platform called PingPong, which can create hundreds of robots with an easy assembly and provide an opportunity to enjoy fun activities at an affordable price.

Many car shaped robots are capable of driving, crawling or walking robots are usually expensive and complicated to make. It also takes up a lot of time to assemble. Everything starts from the idea of creating a robot platform with huge extensibilities, easy operations and inexpensive prices. Robot Factory presents a new paradigm in the history of robotics toy, PingPong: a single module based robot platform.

PingPong is a single modular robot platform. Each Cube has BLE 5.0 CPU, battery, motor and sensors. By combining Cubes and Links, the user is able to build any robot model they want within several minutes. Robot Factory solved many technical problems to bring this innovative platform, making it possible to construct running, crawling and walking robots with a single module. Other than synchronization, group assembly and charging problems, the company took care of PinPong Cube grouping issues as well. On top of that, velocity and absolute angle motor control technology became available; older versions of smartphones had great compatibility; smart devices and IR remote controllers can be used to move the robots simultaneously. In addition, controlling hundreds of Cubes with a single device is now possible, utilizing successive Bluetooth networking technology. As a result, an easy, fun, new robot platform finally came into light at affordable prices and unlimited extensibility. Robot Factory strives to make PingPong a new standard in robot entertainment, SW education and the makers market.

Into the next dimension with fischertechnik

The Internet of Things is seen at the next dimension of the internet, and will sustainably influence people’s lives in the coming years. By the year 2020, there will be 20.4 billion connected devices in the world, according to a statistic by the market research institution Ganter. fischertechnik has long recognised this trend and is offering a beginner’s set with the ROBOTICS TXT Smart Home Set (199.95 Euro, available from June), which makes the Internet of Things comprehensible. The “Made in Germany” toy manufacturer is therefore accompanying the road to the digitalised world and providing playful support in gaining programming skills.

With the ROBOTICS TXT Smart Home construction kit, fischertechnik has once again captured the spirit of the times. The base frame of the stationary sensor stations is assembled with established fischertechnik components and equipped with various actuators and sensors: young constructors can capture every movement in a snapshot using a moveable USB camera. A barometer measures the air pressure, a so-called mould-guard provides information about the humidity and temperature. Is there something in the air or is there room to breathe? A wellness sensor provides information on air quality. A noise sensor and frost guard are also part of the comprehensive high-tech station. A LED-display and alarm signals sound an alert when certain values have been exceeded, or if the camera has registered movement.

The respective data can be gathered and displayed in a graph. This can also be done from a larger distance, as the ROBOTICS TXT Controller can be connected to a cloud, allowing the data to be accessed from anywhere, at any time. If the models are connected through Wi-Fi, they can also be remote-controlled. The user interface, a so-called “dashboard”, allows the temperature or air quality at home to be checked while on holiday, for example.

The 150-part set contains a new environment sensor, a brightness sensor, a USB camera, two encoder motors, two switches and LEDs.

The software ROBO Pro, the ROBOTICS TXT Controller and the Accu Set or Power Set are required in order to programme and control the sensor station. This opens up countless opportunities for young constructors to manage and programme digital data.

Background information, further tasks and programming tips can be found in the didactic accompanying material, which can be accessed for free through the fischertechnik eLearning Portal.

With the ROBOTICS TXT Smart Home set, fischertechnik enables a simple introduction to the internet’s next dimension.

“toi+”: small, but smart!

At the International Toy Fair 2019, Ravensburger presents “toi+”, a toy console where the playing experience takes place using a toy in your hand, and not on a screen. Key component is the palm-sized Core, which is inserted in toi+ products. It contains various sensors, a vibration function, processor, loudspeaker with multi-track audio output, Bluetooth interface and a rechargeable battery. The Core brings immersive technology to a movement game, party toy and logic trainer. Elementary school age childrenare immersed in a world with atmospheric music and sounds. toi+ registers every movement, change in position, action and entry of the currently active player. As a result,children shape the game progress actively through intuitive entries and movements. Following products are expected to be launched in autumn 2019:

toi+: The Core
It is the key component of the series. As soon as it is inserted in one of the toi+ products, its functions are activated. The core recognizes any type of movement, acceleration or change in position and reacts with sound and vibration to the actions of the players. toi+ products only function with inserted Core. (EUR 69.99 (RRP))

toi+: Magic Compass
The compass sends children ages six years and up on an action-packed adventure in the jungle. Players move in turn through an imaginary labyrinth holding the compass. But obstacles block the path: they have to hop over insects, protect themselves against bats with the compass and free it from a spider’s web. Where are walls and hidden doors? Do the adventurers reach their destination with the right actions? (EUR 49.99 (RRP))

toi+: Brain Board
It invites players ages eight years and up to mental training. There are five logic and memory games, which are available as haptic cards with scenic or abstract illustrations. The various toi+ sensors react to the movements of the player. Logic challenges are solved by a specific tipping of the Brain Board. The training mode offers more than 2,000 tasks in three levels of difficulty for practicing and memory tests. (EUR 49.99 (RRP))

toi+: Furious Falko
With the core inserted, “Furious Falko” comes alive. With his crazy ideas, he motivates children of elementary school age to have fun and be active, e.g. playing air guitar with him, letting him ride a carousel or racecar. Instinct and skilled movements are in demand, because Falko registers everything and reacts with cheeky comments. The vulture has party action games, quiz questions and musical and sportive challenges in store. Appropriate for up to eight children – even on children’s birthday parties. (EUR 49.99 (RRP))

iRobot and Google Collaborate to Advance the Next-Generation Smart Home

BEDFORD, Mass., Oct. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the
leader in consumer robots, has announced a collaboration with Google to
integrate robotic and smart home technologies that will advance the
next-generation smart home.

Consumer robots like the iRobot Roomba® i7+ robot vacuum are ideally suited
to enable intuitive and personalized smart home experiences based on an
ability to learn a home’s floor plan. With Imprint™ Smart Mapping, the
Roomba i7+ remembers multiple floor plans and room names so users can
customize cleaning jobs. Using the Google Assistant, users can also direct the
robot to clean a specific room with a simple voice command, like ‚Hey Google,
clean the kitchen‘.

Working together, iRobot and Google will seek additional ways to integrate
their platforms, providing customers with the choice to opt in to new
innovative smart home experiences that leverage a broader understanding of the
home’s space. For example, the spatial awareness of the home that Roomba
maintains may help to simplify smart home setup and enable powerful new
automations.

„iRobot is delivering products that help people keep a cleaner and smarter
home,“ said Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot. „Robots with mapping and
spatial awareness capabilities will play an important role in allowing other
smart devices in the home to more seamlessly work together. We’re looking
forward to working with Google to explore new ways to enable a more thoughtful
home.“

„Over the past year, we’ve been working hard to make it easier to control all
the devices and appliances in your home with the Google Assistant with just
your voice,“ said Michele Turner, director, Smart Home Ecosystem, Google.
„We’re excited to be exploring with iRobot how its unique spatial awareness
technology can work with the Assistant to offer customers a more intuitive and
personalized experience in their homes.“

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®
Vacuuming Robot in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold
more than 20 million robots worldwide. iRobot’s product line, including the
Roomba and the Braava® family of mopping robots, feature proprietary
technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping and navigation.
iRobot’s 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 research and
development activities, collaboration with third parties and management’s
plans, objectives and strategies. 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.

SOURCE iRobot Corp.

Museum Speelklok Utrecht – Robots love music

The international exhibition entitled ‘Robots love Music’ reveals that historical and modern-day robots not only have a brain, but also have a heart!

It’s not just the museum that will be showcasing robots; this autumn, the entire city of Utrecht will go robotic. At various locations around town, Museum Speelklok, universities, venues, and musicians will organise a wide variety of robot events.

Robots with a heart and soul?

They certainly exist! Through time musical ‘robots’ have been evolving from simply mimicking human movements to composing music independently and even improvising, just as we do.

Which musical robots?

They will come in all sizes, shapes and varieties from every corner of the world: ancient robots, interactive robots, metal robots, supersonic robots, life-size robots, cabinets with concealed robots and lots of invisible musicians. All of them will play music ‘live’.

Straight from the USA, the ultramodern and amiable music-making robot Shimon will arrive. The impressive man-size 18th-century Clarinet Player of Dutch making, which wound up in the USA, will make a special trip to Utrecht for the exhibition. From the film of the same name, the French automaton Hugo can be admired in its role as the cinematic link between the world of humans and machines.

Can robotic musicians move you? Find out for yourself at the interactive exhibition Robots love Music. Open from the 21st of September 2018 untill 3th of March 2019.

https://www.museumspeelklok.nl/exhibition-robots-love-music/

https://www.museumspeelklok.nl/exhibition-robots-love-music/

 

 

LegoWorld Utrecht 2018 Photos

Maker Faire Eindhoven 2018

Free VEX Coding Studio Youtube Webinars

Ready to transition your coding skills to VEX Coding Studio? Carnegie Mellon University is hosting a free, four week webinar series detailing everything you’ll need to know to transition from RobotC!

Be sure to tune in to Carnegie Mellon’s YouTube stream (almost) every Thursday, from September 13th to October 11th for your introduction to VEX Coding Studio. We’ll cover topics such as updating firmware, configuring motors and sensors, and programming with VEX C++ and Modkit. If you have any additional topics that you want covered on-air, be sure to ask beforehand on Twitter @CMUCMRA !

To set your YouTube reminders or to see a detailed weekly outine of these webinars, visit the Carnegie Mellon University Website.