Into the next dimension with fischertechnik

Veröffentlicht am 6. Februar 2019 von Sebastian Trella

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.

Mit fischertechnik in die nächste Dimension

Veröffentlicht am 6. Februar 2019 von Sebastian Trella

Antworten

Das Internet der Dinge gilt als die nächste Dimension des Internets und wird in den kommenden Jahren das Leben der Menschen nachhaltig beeinflussen. Bis zum Jahr 2020 wird es einer Statistik des Marktforschungsinstituts Gartner zufolge 20,4 Milliarden vernetzte Geräte auf der Welt geben. fischertechnik hat diesen Trend längst erkannt und bietet mit dem ROBOTICS TXT Smart Home Set (209,95 Euro, lieferbar seit Juni) ein Einsteiger-Set an, das die Welt des Internets der Dinge begreifbar macht. Damit begleitet der Spielwarenhersteller „Made in Germany“ den Weg in die digitalisierte Welt und unterstützt spielerisch den Aufbau von Programmierkenntnissen.

Mit dem Baukasten ROBOTICS TXT Smart Home trifft fischertechnik wieder einmal den Nerv der Zeit. Das Grundgerüst der stationären Sensorstation wird aus gängigen fischertechnik Bauteilen zusammengebaut und mit verschiedenen Aktoren und Sensoren ausgestattet: Mit der beweglichen USB-Kamera können junge Konstrukteure jede Bewegung per Snapshot festhalten. Ein Barometer misst den Luftdruck. Auskunft über Luftfeuchtigkeit und Temperatur gibt ein sogenannter Schimmelwächter. Dicke Luft oder Raum zum Atmen? Der Wohlfühlsensor informiert über die Luftqualität. Auch ein Lärmsensor und ein Frostwächter sind Teil der umfangreichen High-Tech-Station. Die LED-Anzeige oder Alarmtöne melden, wenn bestimmte Werte überschritten wurden oder die Kamera Bewegungen registriert hat.

Die jeweiligen Daten können gesammelt und grafisch dargestellt werden. Dies ist auch über eine große Entfernung hinweg möglich. Denn der ROBOTICS TXT Controller kann mit einer Cloud verbunden werden, die den Zugriff auf die Daten möglich macht – jederzeit und von überall her. Sind die Modelle mit einem WLAN-Netz verbunden, können sie ferngesteuert werden. Die Bedienoberfläche, ein sogenanntes „Dashboard“, macht es beispielsweise möglich, Temperatur oder Luftqualität am Heimatort vom Urlaub aus abzurufen.

Das 150-teilige Set enthält einen neuen Umweltsensor, einen Helligkeitssensor, eine USB-Kamera, zwei Encoder Motoren, zwei Taster und LEDs.

Erforderlich zur Programmierung und Steuerung der Sensorstation sind die Software ROBO Pro, der ROBOTICS TXT Controller und das Accu Set oder Power Set. Damit eröffnen sich jungen Konstrukteuren unzählige Möglichkeiten der digitalen Datenverwaltung und -programmierung.

Hintergrundinformationen, weitere Aufgabenstellungen und Programmiertipps sind im didaktischen Begleitmaterial zu finden, das im fischertechnik eLearning Portal kostenlos zur Verfügung steht.

Mit dem Set ROBOTICS TXT Smart Home macht fischertechnik einen einfachen Einstieg in die nächste Dimension des Internets möglich.

„toi+“: klein, aber oho!

Veröffentlicht am 1. Februar 2019 von Sebastian Trella

Antworten

Ravensburger präsentiert auf der Internationalen Spielwarenmesse 2019 „toi+“, eine Spielzeugkonsole, mit der das Spielerlebnis mit einem Spielzeug in der Hand verläuft, nicht auf dem Bildschirm. Herzstück ist der handtellergroße Core, der in toi+ Produkte eingesetzt wird. Er beinhaltet verschiedene Sensoren, eine Vibrationsfunktion, Prozessor, Lautsprecher mit mehrspuriger Soundausgabe,Bluetooth-Schnittstelle und einen wiederaufladbaren Akku. Der Core füllt ein Bewegungsspiel, ein Party-Spielzeug und einen Logiktrainer mit immersiver Technik, die Kinder ins Spielgeschehen eintauchen lässt. Die Spieler umgibt eine Welt aus stimmungsvoller Musik und Geräuschen. toi+ registriert jede Bewegung, jeden Positionswechsel, jede Handlung und Eingabe des aktiven Spielers. So gestaltet er den Spielverlauf durch intuitive Eingaben und Bewegungen aktiv mit. Folgende Produkte kommen voraussichtlich ab Herbst 2019:

toi+: The Core
Er ist das Herzstück der Reihe. Sobald er in eines der toi+ Produkte eingesetzt wird, entfaltet er seine Fähigkeiten. Der Core erkennt etwa jede Form von Bewegung, Beschleunigung oder Lageveränderung und reagiert mit Sound sowie Vibration auf die Aktionen der Spieler. toi+ Produkte funktionieren nur mit eingesetztem Core. ((UVP) 69,99 Euro)

toi+: Magic Compass
Der Kompass versetzt Kinder ab sechs Jahren in ein aktionsreiches Abenteuer im südamerikanischen Dschungel. Reihum bewegen sich die Spieler mit dem Kompass in Händen durch ein imaginäres Labyrinth. Doch Hindernisse blockieren den Weg: Sie müssen über Krabbeltiere hüpfen, Fledermäuse mit dem Kompass abwehren, ihn aus einem Spinnennetz befreien. Wo sind Wände und wo versteckte Türen? Erreichen die Abenteurer mit den richtigen Aktionen ihr Ziel? ((UVP 49,99 Euro)

toi+: Brain Board
Das Brain Board lädt Spieler ab acht Jahren zum Mentaltraining ein. Ambitionierte Denker finden darauf fünf Logik- und Gedächtnisspiele, die als haptische Karten mit szenischen wie abstrakten Illustrationen aufliegen. Die verschiedenen Sensoren von toi+ reagieren auf die Bewegungen des Spielers. So löst er die Denk-Rätsel durch gezieltes Kippen des Brain Boards. Der Trainingsmodus bietet mehr als 2.000 Aufgaben in drei Schwierigkeitsstufen zum Üben sowie verschiedene Gedächtnistests. ((UVP 49,99 Euro)

toi+: Furious Falko
Mit dem Core in sich erwacht „Furious Falko“ zum Leben. Mit seinen verrückten Ideen animiert er Kinder ab sechs Jahren zu Spaß und Bewegung, z.B. Luftgitarre mit ihm spielen, ihn Karussell oder Rennauto fahren lassen. Fingerspitzengefühl und geschickte Bewegungen sind gefragt, denn Falko registriert alles und reagiert mit frechem Kommentar. Der Geier hat Party-Actionspiele, Quizfragen und musikalische wie sportliche Herausforderungen im Repertoire. Das hält bis zu acht Kinder bei Laune – auch an Kindergeburtstagen.
((UVP 49,99 Euro)

“toi+”: small, but smart!

Veröffentlicht am 1. Februar 2019 von Sebastian Trella

Antworten

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® Reinventing Lawn Care with Terra™ Robot Mower

Veröffentlicht am 30. Januar 2019 von Sebastian Trella

Antworten

Terra introduces cutting-edge navigation technology with Imprint™ Smart Mapping and a unique wireless beacon system, for a more intelligent robot lawn mower

BEDFORD, Mass., Jan. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Having already changed the way people clean with the iconic Roomba® robot vacuum and Braava® family of robot mops, iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the leader in consumer robots, is reinventing how people care for their lawn with the Terra™ robot mower. Terra™ features state-of-the-art mapping and navigation technologies, high-performance, high-quality mowing, and easy installation. A video and photos of the robot were unveiled on iRobot.com today.

Terra is unique because it learns its environment using iRobot’s Imprint™ Smart Mapping technology. It mows like people do, intelligently navigating a yard cutting efficiently in straight, back-and-forth lines. Terra remembers where it is in the yard and where it still needs to cover. If the robot’s battery runs low, it will return to its base to recharge and then resume mowing until the yard is complete.

Terra will offer consumers a welcome alternative to existing robotic lawn mowers by eliminating the need for costly and labor-intensive boundary wires. Combining Imprint™ Smart Mapping technology and a newly developed wireless communications system, including standalone beacons, users just place the wireless beacons around their yard, drive the robot once around the perimeter, and schedule Terra to mow. Users have total control over where the robot goes and where it doesn’t go, so it will stay on the lawn and out of the flowers.

Because Terra is connected, users can use the iRobot HOME App to customize their robot – from adjusting the height of the grass to controlling precisely when the lawn is cut, day or night. The robot is designed with rugged features to help it operate in inclement weather and navigate tough outdoor terrain.

„iRobot is building an ecosystem of robots and technologies that help people do more both inside and outside of the home,“ said Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot. „The robot mower segment is well established in EMEA and has tremendous room for growth in other markets, including North America. With its ease of use and premium mowing features, Terra is poised to give consumers a whole new way to think about how they take care of their lawn.“

Availability:
The iRobot Terra robot mower will be available for sale in Germany and as a beta program in the U.S. in 2019. Specific availability and pricing will be announced at a later date. Please visit www.irobot.com/robot-lawn-mower for more information.

Electrocuting Robot by Ethan David

Veröffentlicht am 13. Januar 2019 von Sebastian Trella

Antworten

Ethan David just messaged me and sent me a video:

“ I made the robot using an arduino, a servo motor, and cardboard boxes. Most of the heavy lifting is taken care of in python doing the fast fourier transform on the sound detected by the microphone to find the frequency being played. This allows me to compare the frequency to the known frequency of the musical scale. It then becomes trivial to just program in the correct sequence of notes for the song and see if what I play matches it. „

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

Veröffentlicht am 31. Oktober 2018 von Sebastian Trella

Antworten

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

Veröffentlicht am 28. Oktober 2018 von Sebastian Trella

Antworten

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/