Archiv der Kategorie: Fun

Harvard University Based Startup Launches New Robot, Root, That Teaches Anyone To Code

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All ages and skill levels can learn coding in an intuitive, interactive way.

 CAMBRIDGE, Mass. October 26, 2016 – Scansorial, a startup emerging from Harvard University, is on a mission to bridge the coding gap with the launch of their newest invention, Root: a fun, easy-to-use robot which teaches coding to anyone ages four to 99. Root has over 50 sensors and actuators with which it can draw, erase, play music, explore its world, and even defy gravity by using magnetism to drive on wall mounted whiteboards — making coding activities applicable to a range of topics, social, and way more cool.

With its interactive nature and easy setup, Root is the perfect tool for learning from authentic coding experiences at home, with teachers in classrooms, and has a social platform to share programs around the world. Root appeals to children as young as four and grows with them as a familiar and consistent platform — offering years of learning opportunities rather than days. As their coding skills improve, they’ll advance from programming with a blocks-based graphical interface (a child can use it even before they know how to read) to programming with fully text-based languages like Swift, JavaScript, and Python.

Another thing that makes Root special is the interplay with iPad. Not only is it programmed from an iPad, with Root’s app the iPad sensors can be used to interact with Root in real-time (for instance, the iPad can be programmed to act as a steering wheel.) Programs can be modified even while they’re running which facilitates the real-time debugging of code as children flexibly pause, step through, or add instructions at any point. Root also promotes agent-based thinking by showing exactly what the robot sees on the iPad.

“We have a big problem in our country, nine out of 10 parents want their kids to learn computer science but only one out of 10 elementary schools actually teach it. This leaves 58 million kids stuck in the middle not knowing how to get a computer science education,” Zee Dubrovsky, CEO of Scansorial.

“We are thrilled to support Root as it heads out to change the world of education. iRobot is committed to STEM learning and excited to see one of our alumni carry this passion forward in a startup aimed at bringing robotics and programming into homes and classrooms.“ Colin Angle, CEO of iRobot.

About Scansorial, PBC

Founded in 2016, Scansorial is a Public Benefit Corporation on a mission to make coding accessible for learners of any age. Scansorial makes robots, apps, and curricula that allow people to instantly set up, create, and share interactive coding lessons. Robots are the best way to engage in the journey of learning how digital stuff really works. Scansorial is a privately-held company headquartered in Cambridge, MA.

Root Team

The Root team has over 50 years of collective experience in launching and building consumer products (iRobot, Sonos, Apple) and software/education services (Microsoft, Disney, PLTW, Harvard, MIT). This includes launching four coding robots (Create, Kilobot, AERobot, Multiplo), launching two graphical coding environments (MIT App Inventor, Minibloq), and launching three consumer robots (Roomba, Scooba, Looj).

It is now possible to pre-order Root exclusively through Kickstarter through November 30. A limited number are priced at $145 which is only a fraction of its retail value. With a pledge of only $10, the campaign will put that money aside for schools in need that can’t afford Root. For any backers with deeper pockets, a pledge of $10,000 will put 60 Roots in a school of their choice and the campaign will promote these backers as a School Hero. Follow #SchoolHero to see who out there will step up to the plate and join this cause.

Kickstarter page: http://kck.st/2exTJN8

Pictures from Legoworld Utrecht 2016

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Real Warbots

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A fundamentally new approach to real-time strategy games! We transfer the mechanics of genre from the virtual world into the real world, on the real robots.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/382353368/real-warbots

Real Warbots is a strategy game for two or more players. Game mechanics is the same as computer real-time strategy games. As usual, players will collect resources, defend the base and eliminate the enemies. However, the game is not on the computer screen, but in the real world with the participation of real robots. Moreover, as there are robots, the control will be also different from the standard “clicking and dragging”.

There are three types of robots:   Scout, Worker and Tank

It is a seemingly well-known set of actions as in all RTS games; however, these are robots, and nobody is preventing players from racing with obstacles, hunting the cats, passing beer bottles or anything else that may spring into your mind.

Controlling robots

The player must make an algorithm of robot actions from simple blocks like shoot, move, turn etc. After that, the algorithm is wirelessly sent to the robot who begins to carry out his task. If the situation changes, the player makes a new algorithm, sends it to the robot and it starts acting in a new way.

The player is free to make algorithms of any difficulty. Someone will make them small, of several clicks, and will be sending new tasks to the robot all the time. Another player will spend some time before the game and make a big algorithm from maybe thousands of commands.

Which approach is right for you will show only practice and player experience.

Map.

Everything that the robots see by their sensors is displayed on the screen on the player’s map. Obstacles are shown as simple lines and help to understand where the robot can’t go. Other robots or resources are shown with the special icons.

It helps the player to understand the distance between robots and their surroundings even if he can’t see it by his eyes.

Personification.

Every robot has its own identification number given to him “at the factory” that will never be changed. That means every robot will be unique and have its own name.

The number of each robot will be placed in the general base and all its victories on official competitions will be written in the hall of fame of Real WarBots.

Accessories.

Apart from robots, there are several other things necessary for the game:

  • “Energy” and “Materials”.
  • Walls
  • Ammo for Robot-Tank
  • Beacons(optional)
  • Factory(optional)

Heroes.

Robots get experience points which can be spent on improving the various characteristics: hit points, speed, etc. or for the purchase of various perks.

Later, will be created the robots-heroes  with the best abilities, possibly on a completely different chassis, such as hexapods

Interface

Players are provided with software environment. It can be divided into several areas for convenience:

  • a working area, where you can make the algorithm from several blocks;
  • a map with obstacles which robots see around them;
  • a list of buttons for program blocks;
  • a list of player’s robots. Every robot has its own identification number, the part of which will be shown in the list

Kickstarter Site: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/382353368/real-warbots

Anki launches critically acclaimed Cozmo robot

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A Little Robot with a Big Personality, Cozmo Marks a New Era for Consumer Robotics

Anki’s Cozmoments Marketing Campaign Highlights the Emotional Connection Possible Between Robot and Human

October 17, 2016 – San Francisco, CA — Anki, the consumer robotics and artificial intelligence (A.I.) company, today announced it has launched Cozmo – one of the most sophisticated consumer robots on the market. “Unlike its less sophisticated predecessors in the toy market, Cozmo has advanced software to backup its smarts,” notes The Verge. Tech aside, Cozmo is a small bot with a big brain and an even bigger personality. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Cozmo has more personality and charm than any other robot toy I’ve played with,” and Gizmodo opines, “You can play with Cozmo for twenty minutes and forget all about it being a toy. It feels…real.” Cozmo is charming, a bit mischievous, and unpredictable. He recognizes and remembers people over time through games and playful interactions. Priced at $179.99, Cozmo is available in the U.S. at major retailers including Toys”R”Us, Apple Store, Best Buy, Amazon.com and Anki.com.

“Cozmo not only represents a significant engineering milestone, but is a physical manifestation of robots that have a deep personality and character like the ones we’ve come to love in Hollywood films,” said Boris Sofman, co-founder & CEO, Anki. “We are setting a new standard for the types of emotional experiences people can expect from consumer robotics products, and we are incredibly excited for everyone to meet Cozmo. Our robot is more than a breakthrough in entertainment as the technology within Cozmo will play an integral role in shaping other aspects of our lives.”

Always Game. Cozmo refuses to sit tight and wait for fun. He’s ready to play. The more Cozmo and his human friend get to know each other, the more skilled he’ll become as new activities and upgrades are unlocked. The free Cozmo app, which runs on compatible iOS, Android and Kindle Fire devices, comes packed with gameplay content and constantly introduces new ways to play. Cozmo even brings his own toys to the game — three interactive Power Cubes that he’s always willing to share. So whether he’s playing with his Power Cubes or challenging players with his favorite games of speed and skill, he’s always ready for action.

Similar to Anki’s robotic battle-racing hit, Anki OVERDRIVE, new content and game modes are introduced via free software updates, which ensures that the relationship with Cozmo will stay fresh and exciting year round. A software update, which includes new game mode and features, will be rolled out in December in time for the holidays.

Hundreds of Emotions. A Few Tricks Up His Sleeves. Cozmo’s emotions aren’t random. His personality, driven by powerful A.I., is brought to life with complex facial expressions, a host of emotions, and his own voice and emotive language. His vision system, which includes a camera on the front of his OLED face, allows him to constantly scan his environment and recognize people. His eyes even light up when he sees a familiar face. Cozmo also comes with his own dynamic soundtrack that matches his mood and corresponds with the games and activities, elevating playtime to a uniquely cinematic experience. This merger of robotics, deep A.I., game design, and a film-like approach to developing Cozmo’s character, brings to life an experience that has never been thought possible or implemented outside of a movie screen.

The Little Bot with Super-powered Smarts. There’s more to Cozmo than what meets the eye. His powerful technology lets him survey the world, explore it, and make decisions based on his mood. He is the product of over six years of steadfast research and development by a team comprised of some the best and brightest people across a variety of disciplines including PhD roboticists, world- class animators, renowned game developers, and a lead designer of the Batmobile. Powered by advanced robotics, A.I., and computer vision, Cozmo has a brain that processes more data per second than all the Mars rovers combined. More than three-hundred parts make up Cozmo, but his deceptively small size means he can fit in the palm of your hand.

Anki is also introducing the Cozmo Software Development Kit (SDK) Beta, a free, intuitive and connected robotics platform that’s as useful for makers and hobbyists as it is for educators and researchers. With the SDK, Anki is giving consumers unprecedented access to robotics in a highly versatile package. It’s powerful but easy to use, complex but not complicated, and can be used in industries ranging from entertainment to academia.

Cozmo retails for $179.99 and ships with one base charger and three interactive Power Cubes. For a full list of current device compatibility, visit here:

Keep up with @Anki news & connect with us at: Twitter.com/Anki, Facebook.com/Anki, YouTube.com/Anki, and Instagram.com/Anki!

3D printing will be super easy with Doodle3D Transform, now on Kickstarter

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Doodle3D, based in The Netherlands, is working on their second crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. They are launching their new 2D-to-3D design app called Doodle3D Transform, which makes 3D-design and 3D-printing childsplay. The campaign runs until the 21st of October and has currently achieved 50% of its target.

In the application, simplicity is key. What makes it stand apart from the many other 3D design applications, is the fact that the user designs 3-dimensional shapes based on flat (2D) drawings.

Because of its accessibility, anyone can use the app to create their ideas, no matter their age or background.

Doodle3D Transform runs on Android, Apple and Windows tablets and computers. Designs can be 3D printed with your own 3D printer, or by using one of the many 3D printing services. The Doodle3D WiFi-Box, which was successfully funded on Kickstarter in 2013, can be used to wirelessly print your designs. For more information visit www.doodle3d.com.

Spy v. sPi by Dexter Industries

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Dexter Industries launches a fun educational game that coaches kids to solve problems by challenging them to accomplish secret missions called Spy v. sPi. Dexter Industries, a growing U.S. educational robotics company developed Spy v. sPi, a capture-the-flag style engineering adventure that puts real purpose to basic design and programming skills. It can be played individually at home, or in teams in a classroom or a workshop. In it, every “spy” is assigned a series of missions, each requiring them to write code to control an assortment of sensors that will allow them to protect their “jewel” in different ways, or capture the “jewel” of a competing spy.

Spy v. sPi is based on the GrovePi, an easy-to-build robot kit that includes a rich collection of programmable, plug-and-play components — from sensors for things like distance, sound, light, and infrared, to buttons, buzzers and more. Thanks to the GrovePi’s combination of hardware and software, Spy v. sPi makes it easy to connect to a robot, start writing code, and get rewarding results right away.

We’ve developed Spy v. sPi’s missions with a full range of skills and experience in mind, so no prior programming or electronics experience is required. Each Spy will learn how to program the different sensors and components with step-by-step instructions, all while completing a mission. There are also missions for more advanced spies, and there’s no limit to how complex your solutions can get. Best of all, the entire program is designed by actual spies, so players will face real-life engineering challenges they’ll solve just like real spies do.
Spy v. sPi is designed for everyone — so we have two different programming languages you can use. Scratch is for beginners, and is a drag-and-drop programming language developed by MIT. Python is available for more advanced spies, and is an open source text-based programming language. The Missions are step-by-step instructions that first teach you the basics of Scratch and then help you move on to more advanced programming in Python.

Spy v. sPi Missions are activities in the form of a mission. Each spy will learn how to program the GrovePi and an assortment of sensors to accomplish different objectives, all within a story created by real spies! The Missions will come in a beautifully designed and illustrated full color printed booklet and online videos. It includes space to work on ideas and plan your solution to the challenge, as well as all the information you need to be a successful spy.

We believe the best way to learn is by doing — building something tangible to solve real world problems. Some learners thrive in a competitive environment, and for them, Spy v. sPi is perfect: you can play in teams or against an opponent. For solo learners or those that want a family game to play at home — some spies might want to equip their room with a spy device or alert them of entry by a sibling. Spy v. sPi Missions support both styles of learning and are fun for everyone! Learn more at dexterindustries.com/spy.

Maker Faire Berlin toppt Erwartungen – 17.500 begeisterte Besucherinnen und Besucher beim bunten Kreativfestival

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Hannover, 3. Oktober 2016 – Die zweite Auflage der Maker Faire Berlin sorgte für einen neuen Besucherrekord. An drei Tagen wurden 17.500 Besucher gezählt, unter ihnen viele Familien mit kleinen Kindern. Und die kamen auf ihre Kosten: An fast allen 200 Ständen konnte sich der Nachwuchs beim Experimentieren, Bauen, Programmieren, Löten, Basteln oder Schmieden ausprobieren.

Das Motto der Maker Faire heißt Selbermachen und die riesigen Hallen des ehemaligen Postbahnhofs, der Station, boten das passende Ambiente dazu: Während sich die Großen bei Vorträgen und Workshops über die schier unzähligen Möglichkeiten der Technikerfindungen und DIY-Ideen bei den rund 900 Makern informierten, hantierten die Kleinen hochkonzentriert und voller Hingabe mit Heißklebepistole, Lötkolben oder mit Hammer und Säge.

„Wer denkt sich so etwas Cooles aus?“ „Also, ich werde später auch mal Erfinder!“ Hörte man den jungen Besuchern zu und beobachtete sie bei den vielen Mitmachaktionen, muss man sich über die Ingenieure von morgen keine Gedanken machen. „Das Konzept der Maker Faire, vor allem den Nachwuchs für Technikbasteleien zu begeistern, ist hier in Berlin voll aufgegangen“, sagt Daniel Rohlfing, Senior-Produktmanager der Maker Faire. Mit rund 15.000 Besuchern rechneten die Veranstalter und die Erwartungen wurden nach drei Tagen Maker Faire sogar übertroffen.

Bereits am Freitag, dem Schülertag, verwandelte sich die Station in ein großes Kreativlabor. Über 2000 Schülerinnen und Schüler waren mit ihren Lehrkräften unterwegs, um zu sehen, was man mit 3D-Drucker, Fräse oder Laser alles machen kann. Auch die vielen Anwendungen mit den starken Minicomputern, den Arduinos und Raspberry Pis, fanden großen Anklang. Für wahre Begeisterungsstürme sorgten die Robocup-Turniere. Die Jugendlichen fieberten mit den Teams mit und feierten ausgelassen, wenn den kleinen Nao-Robotern ein Tor gelang.

Begehrte Fotomotive waren zudem die Wasteländer, die skurrilen Fahrzeuge im „Mad-Max-Style“, die mit ihrer Show auf dem Außengelände für Aufsehen sorgten. Bestaunt wurden aber auch die kleinen fahrenden R2D2-Droiden, das Endzeitauto oder der Kult-Drumsynthe­sizer MR-808. Darüber hinaus lud ein ausrangierter Volvo, umgebaut zum Legoauto zum Bebauen ein. Etliche bunte Legoklötzchen in immer neuen Variationen verschönerten das Auto.

Die nächste Maker Faire Berlin findet vom 9. bis 11. Juni 2017 erneut in der Station statt. Interessierte Maker können sich ab sofort mit ihren Projekten bewerben.

blinkgogo – Wireless program Arduino & Fun Robotic Learning Platform

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I just received this information from the blinkgogo team:

“Wireless program Arduino & Fun Robotic Learning Platform. Designed for STEM education, Open Source! APP controlled, based on  Arduino, supports Scratch. Let kids Play and Learn! ”

Blinkgogo is a open source fun STEM robotic learning platform based on Arduino. Blinkgogo supports wireless Bluetooth upload, APP controlled, Scratch.

This robot kit has everything you need to get started. You can demonstrate many standard robot functions right out of the box. It’s simple, easy to use and fun.

With Blinkgogo, you can build many standard robots for example Line Following robot, Light Seeking robot, Edge Detection robot, APP control robot.

It comes with 3D printed shell and compatible with LEGO blocks.

Blinkgogo also comes with a hardware expansion board for those who really want to go wild when it comes to trying new things and developing new robotics systems.

Blinkgogo comes with three step-by-step tutorials to help you learn programming.

  • Binkgogo play right out of the box Tutorial: Blinkgogo works right out of the box. You can demonstrate many standard robot functions. You can drive it by controlling it with your phone through it’s Bluetooth capability. Or have it follow a black line.
  • Blinkgogo for Beginners Tutorial:Blinkgogo comes with a number of step-by-step tutorials. It is easy to program with the scratch graphical programming language. For the more extreme programmers it also works with C++. And the Arduino IDE programming environment
  • Blinkgogo for Advanced Users Tutorial:Blinkgogo offers a lot for advanced users. Blinkgogo comes with a hardware expansion prototyping plate where you can mount servos and many other sensors.

It’s perfect for STEM education:

In the home

Perhaps your home has many toys already. However we believe to prepare for the future children need toys that are made to be modified and programmed. Children need to learn not just to be consumers but to actively participate in the building and modifying of things around them.

In school

Everybody knows that STEM education is important however most robotics platforms do not come with enough easy to use tutorials out of the box to be used by most non-engineers and still have enough flexibility to be still useful to those who excel in programming.

Why we made this kit?

Ever since I was a child I have always wanted to learn how to make electronics. Now that I am an electrical engineer my dreams are now a reality. However in the past when friends and asked if they could do electronics, my only answer was you need to go to school to be an electrical engineer.

Luckily time to change. Thanks to Arduino and other open-source platforms it’s not only possible for my friends to start their own hobby electronics products I can now start teaching my two children Harry and Tina. I have selfishly developed Blinkgogo specifically to teach my children electronics. But due to enthusiasm from my neighbors I have developed Blinkgogo into a product to share with the world. I hope you have as much fun with Blinkgogo as I did developing it and share it with my children.

We are on kickstarter now!

We are now crowdfunding on kickstarter now. We got over 60% funds within 24 hours. Please support us and let more kids can enjoy this all-in-one robotic learning platform!

Website:  www.blinkgogo.com

Video:              https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgj2axca16VY3bHaIBzzzuQ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blinkgogorobot/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlinkgogoRobot

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/111819239969740793655

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/makerstudio/blinkgogo-wireless-arduino-and-fun-robotics-learni?ref=4a4oio