CircuitMess STEM Box – Learn the skills of the future with electronic projects delivered to your doorstep

Technology has become an integral part of our lives, but just a small number of people on the planet actually have the tools, access, or knowledge to create new technology. CircuitMess is here to change that with the STEM Box

CircuitMess STEM Box is a unique learning experience that will teach you the skills of the future. Autonomous driving, Sound synthesis, Voice Recognition, Wireless communication, Gaming, and Machine learning – these are just some of the topics you’ll learn about with STEM Box.  Every three months, you’ll get a new interesting product based on a different topic delivered at your doorstep. 

CircuitMess announced the following 6 products that will be a part of the STEM Box: 

Spencer – a codeable DIY voice assistant similar to Amazon Alexa that will show you the technology behind speech recognition and AI 

Jay-D – a DJ Mixtable that will teach you how sound synthesis works 

Wheelson – a DIY robot car that will show you how autonomous vehicles work 

ByteBoi – a build-it-yourself game console that will explain what video game engineering is and how microcomputers work 

Chatter – CircuitMess’s unique communication devices that will teach you about wireless communication 

Clockstar – a machine-learning -powered smartwatch 

STEM Box’s Kickstarter campaign is launching on Monday, June 29th 2020 with a goal of 15.000,00 USD  The estimated delivery date for the first STEM Box is November 2020. (Just in time for Christmas!) 

Third Kickstarter project for a Croatian ed-tech startup 

This is CircuitMess’s third crowdfunding campaign, following two very successful ones. 
CircuitMess started with a Kickstarter campaign for MAKERbuino – a DIY game console. The first campaign raised more than $100,000, followed by a Kickstarter for MAKERphone – a DIY mobile phone that raised more than $300,000 in 2018. 

Since then, CircuitMess has delivered more than 15,000 devices to customers all around the globe. 

“We’ve figured out that our customers really like our work and want to learn even more. That’s why we decided to create the STEM Box. I am really proud of our Trustpilot page where we invite all of our customers to post honest and unfiltered reviews”, says Albert Gajšak, the CEO of CircuitMess. 

About CircuitMess 

CircuitMess is a technology startup founded in Karlovac, Croatia in 2017 by Albert Gajšak and Tomislav Car after a successful Kickstarter campaign for MAKERbuino. 
Currently, CircuitMess is employing 15 young ambitious people and have recently moved to a new office in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, in search for more smart people that will help them create new electronic products and bring technology to the crowd in a fun and interesting way. 

Nabot by Ximpatico

Nabot is a programmable robot that can autonomously perform tasks such as sanitizing packages, mopping the floor, vacuuming, collecting small objects, and playing with pets. Nabot is both the robot to play with and a tool to explore the world of AI and coding. Nabot was previously marketed as a remote control robot but we upgraded it with artificial intelligence and a coding interface and turned it into a smart and autonomous robot. Nabot can introduce children to the coding concepts and make them interested in STEM fields. It can also be a great assistive technology for the disabled and elderly and help them with activities of daily living. That has been the topic of Ph.D. research of the founders.

How does it work?

Nabot’s coding interface consists of blocks, which users will drag, drop, and attach them together to write a code for Nabot. These coding blocks enable the user to move the robot forward/backward, rotate the robot left/right, move each of the joints individually or all together, create custom categories of objects and write code for when the robot detects an object from a certain category, mark/assign objects to one of these custom categories, create variables and use them in various math equations, and other basic programming logic blocks such as if, else, repeat, loop, while. There is also a more advanced Python API for hackers to program complicated and useful tasks.

User’s privacy is our priority. Nabot does not send or store any information outside the user’s phone. All the processing is done on the phone and the application doesn’t even need an internet connection (except for logging in).

About Ximpatico

We are Ximpatico, a venture-backed startup based in the US with offices in San Jose, CA and Orlando, FL. Founders are a couple of Ph.D. graduates in computer science and engineering behind the state-of-the-art in AI and robotics. We developed a cutting-edge AI technology back in 2016 in our research lab.

Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ximpatico/nabot-ai-trainable-and-programmable-robot?ref=brgm6n

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ximpatico/nabot-ai-trainable-and-programmable-robot?ref=brgm6n

New LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor lets creators build and bring to life anything they can imagine

  • Builders can create and code one of five personality-packed robots or dream-up and build their own creations
  • Robot Inventor uses drag-and-drop coding language based on Scratch as well as Python to support those new to robotics
  • Over 50 new challenges and fun activities to help all abilities build coding confidence in a fun, exciting way

June 12th, 2020 – Billund: Today, the LEGO Group has announced the first addition to the much-loved LEGO® MINDSTORMS® theme in seven years. The new LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor 5-in-1 set unleashes a new world of fun, creative coding possibilities and provides the ultimate playful learning experience for young inventors and creators.

For over two decades, LEGO MINDSTORMS has inspired those of all ages to test and build their confidence with technology through play. By combining the LEGO building system with robotic and coding elements, builders can create anything they can imagine, while developing the STEM skills that 7 in 10 parents say are essential to their child’s future success.

This latest evolution of the much-loved theme continues this commitment to helping children develop STEM skills in a fun and exciting way at home. The new LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor 5-in-1 model gives builders aged 10+ the power to bring one of the set’s five unique designs to life or take their own builds to the next level by programming them to walk, talk, think and do more than ever before. Kids can also code their own remote-control features for the models in the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor app or connect their own controllers to the app using Bluetooth.

Packed with 949 pieces and new LEGO Powered UP components, the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor will be available in Autumn 2020 from LEGO.com, LEGO Retail Stores and retailers globally. The LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor 5-in-1 set will be priced at £329.99/$359.99/€359.99 and includes digital building and coding instructions for these five unique robots:

  • Blast – this master robot is a stoic action hero. It can fire or hammer its way through obstacles and grab items. Builders can be the ultimate commanders, programming it to scan its environment and fire darts if it senses danger. Perfect for guarding your room!
  • Charlie – this quirky sidekick helper can give out high fives, dance, play the drums, deliver small gifts, and charm friends with its smile.
  • Tricky – the sporty bot is the ultimate athlete. Code it to complete the perfect slam dunk or master a plethora of robot sports: basketball, bowling or soccer – the list goes on and on.
  • Gelo – a real life four-legged robot. Its unique mechanism means it can walk, avoid obstacles, and even perform tricks.
  • M.V.P. – The Modular Vehicle Platform gets the job done. Create and code your own remote control and build the M.V.P. into a buggy, a crane, a shooter turret or even a brick-eating truck to pick up LEGO bricks left by the other robots.

Lena Dixen, Head of Product and Marketing Development at the LEGO Group, commented: “Since the launch of LEGO MINDSTORMS over 20 years ago, we’ve been committed to helping children and adults develop STEM skills through play. We are extremely excited to introduce a new MINDSTORMS product that offers even more creative opportunities for those of all ages, and we thank our fans for continuing to show us what is possible with LEGO MINDSTORMS. We are continually inspired by the creations the community share with us and hope that the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor inspires many more children and playful adults to explore the exciting world of robotics and coding.”

LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor (51515)

The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor Kit is intended for builders and coders ages 10+ to discover and expand on their STEM skills at home.

  • 949 pieces
  • 5 unique models to build and code
  • The largest robot Blast stands at over 14” (36 cm) tall
  • The free LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor coding app for kids uses coding language based on Scratch and supports Python for more advanced coders.
  • The application works across PC Windows 10 + macOS, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones as well as specific Fire OS devices.

New elements:
The new Intelligent Hub is an advanced yet simple-to-use device featuring 6 input/output ports for connecting a variety of sensors and motors. The Hub can also be used with LEGO Technic and System elements to create fun robots, dynamic devices and other interactive models.

  • LED 5×5 matrix
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • 6 axis gyro/accelerometer
  • Includes a micro USB port for connectivity with compatible devices
  • Speaker
  • Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery included

Colour sensor – able to distinguish between eight colors and measures reflected and ambient light from darkness to bright sunlight

Distance sensor – detects obstacles, programmable LED ‘eyes’ and an integrated 6-pin adaptor for third-party sensors, boards and DIY hardware.

4 x medium-angular motors feature low-profile design, integrated rotation sensor with absolute positioning

New 7 x 11 teal baseplate

New black wheels

New frames

Weiterlesen

The STEMBoT Educational Robot Engages and Empowers Students

Here at STEMBoT Inc (SBI), we design super fun educational robots and tools that make learning things like math and computer programming exciting! STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) is the future and our product, the STEMBoT 2, is the best tool to stimulate students to want to learn at school and at home. The STEMBoT 2 Kickstarter launched on April 8th, has raised over $10,000 and has already reached its fundraising goal! 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stembotinc/the-stembot-2-educational-robot?lang=de

After nearly a decade of success at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and several other high-level institutions, we have decided to redesign and share our educational robot, the STEMBoT, with the ever-growing STEM education market. We believe that all students should have ample opportunity to realize their potential. STEMBoTs have engaged thousands of students in computer programming, geometry, learning language prepositions, civil rights movements, and so much more. “We already have four high school students that want to enter into engineering because of their experience with the STEMBoTs. I’ve seen such a huge difference in my kids. Both at school and in their personal lives.” - Susan De Roy, Robotics Club @ Willa Cather Elementary 

STEMBoTs are a powerful engagement tool for students, and are very easy for teachers to use. With our long term STEM education partners and your support, SBI is excited to get the STEMBoT into every school in the United States by 2030. 

The STEMBoT 2 is a highly robust product that is suitable for Kindergarten- to College-level users. “The system is powered by an ARM Cortex-M4 microcontroller pre-programmed with MicroPython, a Python 3 interpreter developed for embedded systems.” – Logan McIntyre, Lead Engineer of STEMBoT Inc. The STEMBoT that students use to add fractions in elementary school is the same STEMBoT that students also use to master python programming in high school and college. We think that’s pretty cool. 

Make A Robot Kit – Accessible yet Intelligent, MARK is where you start your AI education journey

Parents & educators worldwide understand the importance of equipping the next generation with vital skills of the future – robotics, coding & AI. However there is a lack of resources which make learning about artificial intelligence accessible, hands on & fun! So TinkerGen has developed a kit which provides a learning experience for kids and hobbyists.

Make A Robot Kit, aka MARK, is an artificial intelligence robot which allows learners to achieve an exciting range of applications, from interacting with pet animals to experimenting with how autonomous vehicles work

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tinkergen/mark?ref=a1k448&gclid=CjwKCAjwqpP2BRBTEiwAfpiD-0HAuoBTKXEpC0CEZsX_ngOIiaintixDlix01PRnLHBi1_PQiW3YRxoCAhcQAvD_BwE

Supported with an abundant range of course materials, beginners start with a hands on assembly of their own robot, moving onto graphically coding their MARK to implement a self-driving car through street sign recognition & collision avoidance. As stated by MARK developer & TinkerGen course designer Dmitry Maslov, a main feature of MARK is, “making machine learning concepts and workflow more transparent, easier to understand and use for teachers and students.” 

An electromagnetic attachment allows sorting application which teaches kids the concept of automated logistics. While 5 pretrained model categories are included so many applications can be easily and quickly implemented, students will also be able to train their own image recognition models.

The pretrained model categories include:

  • road signs
  • domestic animals
  • zoo animals
  • common objects
  • Numbers

With slingshot and grabber attachments, and the ability to recognise almost any object, a whole new world of play is discovered. The whole family can get involved, multiple MARKS can battle in a sumo style fight, breeding productive competition, On the other hand, you could use MARK to feed, amuse and tease your pet with treats.

Features to Highlight:

  • Machine Vision Capability
  • Object & Image recognition
  • Self driving car application
  • Interactive with humans, pets, and the environment
  • Graphical programming support
  • Develops hands on robotics skills
  • Extendible & Customisable
    • Attachment points for accessories
    • Connection ports for extra input/output modules 

About TinkerGen: 

TinkerGen is a STEM Education company which grew from an open source hardware manufacturer in Shenzhen – Seeed Studio, so we know our tech, but we’re here to serve the education community. We make the process for educators convenient, so kids can quickly get to the fun mind expanding bits of tinkering and creating! We believe that helping kids to develop STEM skills is really beneficial for their future, and also a proven way to bridge the privilege gap that unfortunately exists in our society today.

Maker-Spirit in Corona-Zeiten – Erste weltweite virtuelle Maker Faire am 23. Mai

Hannover, 7. Mai 2020 – Aufgrund der Corona-Pandemie wurden nahezu alle Maker Faires in 2020 abgesagt. Darunter auch die achte Maker Faire Hannover, die vom 12. bis 13. September im HCC geplant war. Statt von Angesicht zu Angesicht treffen sich die Maker jetzt online. Das US-Maker-Faire-Team organisiert am 23. Mai ein 24-Stunden-Event, bei dem die Macher aus aller Welt ihre Ideen virtuell vorstellen können. Im Fokus stehen dabei die Covid19-Projekte.

Deutschlands größtes DIY-Festival, das sich in Niedersachsens Hauptstadt in den vergangenen Jahren zu einem Publikumsmagneten für die ganze Familie entwickelt hat, wurde auf den 11. und 12. September 2021 verschoben. „Leider werden wir die Maker Faire Hannover in der aktuellen Situation nicht wie geplant durchführen können. Somit haben wir uns schweren Herzens dazu entschieden, die Veranstaltung in diesem Jahr auszusetzen“, bedauert Daniel Rohlfing, Leiter Events und Sales, Maker Media. Im vergangenen Jahr bestaunten in Hannover 17.500 Besucherinnen und Besucher die vielen spannenden Ideen der internationalen Maker-Szene.

Einfach machen
Mit ihren unkonventionellen Erfindungen machen die Makerinnen und Maker gerade in der Corona-Zeit von sich reden. Weltweit hat die Community auf den Mangel an medizinischer Versorgung und Ausrüstung reagiert. Die Macher haben ihre 3D-Drucker und ihre Nähmaschinen aktiviert und mit ihrem ganz eigenen Spirit gemeinsam innovative Produkte geschaffen.

Drucken gegen Corona
In Deutschland ist das beispielsweise die Initiative „Maker vs. Virus“. Hier haben sich etliche Maker und Fablabs zusammengeschlossen, um sich gegenseitig zu unterstützen und ihre Ressourcen besser zu organisieren – etwa bei der 3D-Druck-Fertigung von Gesichtsschutzmasken, den sogenannten Face Shields. Im Rahmen des WirvsVirus-Hackathons von der Bundesregierung hat ein interdisziplinäres Maker-Team sogar ein komplettes Beatmungsgerät als Prototyp entwickelt.

Maker-Spirit im Netz erleben
Diese Covid19-Projekte stehen auch im Fokus der ersten virtuellen Maker Faire, die am Samstag, den 23. Mai, als 24-Stunden-Event weltweit in allen Zeitzonen vom US-Maker Faire-Team organisiert wird: der Bildschirm als Bühne für die einfallsreichen Konzepte und ihre Macher. Auch das deutsche Maker Media-Team beteiligt sich an der digitalen Show. Weitere Infos gibt es hierzu unter: makerfaire.com. Wer dabei sein will, kann sich hier anmelden: https://makerfaire.com/virtually-maker-faire-call-2020-for-makers/

Auf dem Laufenden bleiben
Wer sich für die Maker-Bewegung interessiert, kann sich auf der Webseite www.maker-faire.de auf dem Laufenden halten. Ein monatlicher Newsletter informiert über aktuelle Themen, neue Termine und allgemeine DIY-Nachrichten. Folgen Sie uns auch auf Facebook, Twitter und Instagram .

Alle Maker Faires in D/A/CH werden vom deutschsprachigen Make Magazin präsentiert.

Lenovo Robot Vacuum T1

Leistungsstarker Saugroboter schafft mehr Zeit für die schönen Dinge des Lebens


Der neue Robot Vacuum T1 von Lenovo
Berlin, 21. April 2020 – In puncto Zeitersparnis und Komfort sind Saugroboter wertvolle Helfer im Haushalt. Mit dem Robot Vacuum T1 hat der Technologieexperte Lenovo sein Portfolio um einen innovativen Wisch- und Saugroboter mit automatisierter Entladungsfunktion erweitert. Der leistungsstarke Haushaltshelfer ist ab sofort im Handel erhältlich.
 
Der Robot Vacuum T1 sorgt selbstständig für staub- und schmutzfreie Räume. Der Nutzer wählt ganz bequem ob er staubsaugen, wischen oder beide Reinigungsfunktionen kombinieren will. Die gewünschte Reinigungsfunktion kann praktisch via App auf den jeweiligen Bedarf und die Raumverhältnisse angepasst werden. Die smarte Steuerung ist auch über Alexa und Google Assistant möglich.
 
Automatisierte Entladungsfunktion
Mit dem 5200mAh starken Li-Ionen-Akku gelingt eine Reinigungszeit bis zu 150 Minuten und damit eine Reichweite von bis zu 200 Quadratmetern. Ist der Akku leer, fährt der Robot Vacuum 1 automatisch zur Ladestation zurück. In vier bis fünf Stunden ist der Akku vollständig aufgeladen und führt automatisch das Reinigungsprogramm zu Ende. In der Pro-Variante ist zudem eine automatisierte Entladungsfunktion für den aufgesaugten Schmutz in der Ladestation eingebaut.
Automatisierte Entladungsfunktion bei der Pro-Variante
 
Intelligente Steuerung und Orientierung
Insgesamt 29 Sensoren sorgen für intelligente Steuerung und Orientierung im Raum. Lenovo verbaut eine LDS-Laser-Navigation, die es dem Robot Vacuum T1 ermöglicht, die Entfernung zu Hindernissen genau zu berechnen. Der integrierte Kantensensor warnt vor Treppenstufen und bremst rechtzeitig ab. Auch kleinere Hindernisse wie Türschwellen, Kabel oder Teppichböden stellen keine Hürden dar. In Zahlen ausgedrückt, schafft der Saugroboter eine Steigfähigkeit von bis zu 20 Millimetern.
 
Design mit Funktion
Die Höhe des Staubsaugerroboters fällt mit 98 Millimetern gezielt flach aus. So kann der Wisch- und Saugroboter unter Möbel fahren und damit auch unter Sofa oder Bett für einen sauberen Boden sorgen. Insgesamt sind bei dem innovativen Saug- und Wischroboter alle Komponenten auf wenig Raum verbaut: Mechanik, Technik, Staubbehälter (400ml), Wassertank (110ml) sowie Akku-Technologie des Roboters finden auf 350/350/98 Millimeter Platz.
 
Der Robot Vacuum T1 ist ab sofort bei cyberport erhältlich.
 
Weitere Informationen unter www.tekpoint.com

Kosmos Roboter Monty wird zum Seiltänzer

Roboter Monty ist ein wahrer Balancierkünstler: Problemlos läuft der kleine
Balancier-Roboter auf einem schmalen Seil, ebenen Flächen oder einem
Finger entlang! Sein Geheimnis: ein Kreiselinstrument – auch Gyroskop
genannt – das sich in seinem Kopf rasend schnell dreht. So bleibt Monty immer
im Gleichgewicht. Spielerisch lernen Kinder ab sechs Jahren so physikalische
Grundsätze kennen.

Kinder bauen den Balancier-Roboter Monty und den mitgelieferten Balancierrahmen
aus den KOSMOS Systembauteilen selbständig zusammen. Mit Hilfe der farbig
illustrierten Anleitung ist der Aufbau ein Kinderspiel und in wenigen Minuten erledigt.
Auf den Nachgehaktseiten finden die jungen Forscher spannende Versuche zu dem
Gyroskop in Montys Kopf und erfahren mehr darüber, wo die Gyro-Technik im Alltag
eingesetzt wird. Außerdem erweckt ein spannendes Comic-Abenteuer den kleinen
Roboter zum Leben. Mit seinen verblüffenden Fähigkeiten bietet Monty einen
spannenden Einstieg in das Thema Robotik und Physik.

Inhalt: Roboter aus Kosmos-Systembauteilen, im Kopf des Roboters eingebautes
Gyroskop, Motor, Balancierseil, Balancierrahmen aus Kosmos-Systembauteilen,
Sticker-Set zum Bekleben, Anleitung (20 Seiten)

https://www.kosmos.de/experimentierkaesten/roboter-programmieren/11000/monty

Kosmos Roboter-Arm Modellbausatz

Präzision und Schnelligkeit
Mit Experimentierkasten Roboter-Arm selbst bauen und steuern

Der Roboter-Arm schwirrt durch die Luft, greift nach einem Bauteil, setzt dieses exakt ab – und wieder geht’s von vorne los. Die Präzision und Schnelligkeit sind beeindruckend – auch in der Miniatur im Kinderzimmer. Mit dem neuen KOSMOS Experimentierkasten Robotor-Arm können Nachwuchsingenieure ab zehn Jahren ihren eigenen Robotor-Arm zusammenbauen und steuern.

Die anschauliche Anleitung beschreibt Schritt für Schritt wie aus dem Modellbausatz Achsen, Motoren und Greifer entstehen. Ganz ohne Klebstoff werden die Kunststoffelemente gesteckt, geklickt oder geschraubt. Geschafft! Im zweiten Schritt entsteht aus den Elektronikbauteilen und der Steuerplatine der Controller. Damit lassen sich die Achsen und Motoren millimetergenau steuern und die LED im Greifarm schalten. Jetzt ist es an der Zeit, den Roboter in Betrieb zu nehmen. Die Anleitung beschreibt alle möglichen Bewegungen, die der RoboterArm ausführen kann – aber auch, welche Fehlerquellen auftreten könnten.

https://www.kosmos.de/experimentierkaesten/physik-elektronik/10316/roboter-arm