Hanson Robotics Announces “Little Sophia,” New Educational STEM Companion For Kids 7 to 13

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

Worldwide Kickstarter Campaign Launches to Fund Production of Little Sophia The Robot

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Hanson Robotics Limited (www.hansonrobotics.com), creator of the world’s most human-like robots, announces their next innovation in consumer robots: Little Sophia. Little Sophia is a tutorial companion that teaches STEM, coding, and Artificial intelligence (AI), with a playful personality and unmatched characteristics of the renowned Sophia the Robot.

Designed for kids (especially girls) ages 7-13, Little Sophia robot comes to life as your AI friend. With the power of character and storytelling, Little Sophia helps kids learn new things in robotics, science, technology engineering, math, coding, and AI. Kids can learn to program Sophia with Blockly and Python; and with her lessons on computer vision, deep learning, and robotics, Little Sophia is the perfect smart, educational companion. Moreover, Little Sophia interfaces with Raspberry Pi, allowing kids to learn electronics and robotics, and to help her become as smart and capable as their imagination will allow.

Standing 14’’ tall, Little Sophia makes dozens of facial expressions (happy, sad, surprise, grouchy, delighted, etc), and she sees and talks with you like a friend. She walks, talks, sings, tells stories and jokes, and recognizes faces. She not only responds to commands, but actively engages in conversations and follows your movement. Also, with her app on your phone, you can use her Augmented Reality (AR) feature to take fun selfies. With her smart software, Little Sophia is also the ultimate AI home assistant. And being an open platform for development of ever-smarter emotional AI, the Little Sophia is truly your friend for life.

“We are thrilled to announce the launch of our Little Sophia Kickstarter campaign to the public, and to provide an opportunity to empower young girls around the world by introducing STEM, coding and AI in a fun and adventurous way,” states Jeanne Lim, CEO of Hanson Robotics Limited. “Little Sophia delivers a high-quality, entertaining and educational experience that motivates and inspires young students to spend time learning with her.”

David Hanson, Founder of Hanson Robotics Limited adds, “Our vision at Hanson Robotics is to bring robots to life. Our team of AI developers, engineers, roboticists, scientists, and artists have designed Little Sophia with the expressiveness and engaging personality that made Sophia the Robot so appealing, further extending the reach of our character-driven AI technology.”

Hanson Robotics is launching a worldwide Kickstarter campaign to help bring Little Sophia to the world. Research has shown that over 75% of girls who participate in hands-on STEM activities outside the classroom feel a sense of empowerment, if it is encouraged and nurtured early in a child’s educational life. Hanson Robotics believes that being introduced to STEM, coding and AI as a child in a fun and interactive way will help to empower all children, but especially girls. Little Sophia, unlike other educational toys in the market, was crafted by the same prestigious scientists, roboticists, engineers and AI developers who built Sophia the Robot.

Please visit Little Sophia on our website and our Kickstarter campaign for more information.

About Hanson Robotics Limited
Hanson Robotics is an AI and robotics company dedicated to creating living, intelligent machines that enrich people’s lives. The company develops renowned robot characters, such as Sophia, the world’s first robot citizen, which serve as AI platforms for scientific research, education, healthcare, sales and service, entertainment, and other research and service applications.  Hanson Robotics’ scientists, artists, roboticists, and engineers strive to bring robots to life as true friends who deeply understand and care for people, and collaborate with us in pursuit of ever-greater good for all. For more information please visit www.hansonrobotics.com.

These guys turn puzzles into robots

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

ActivePuzzle is a robot-building game where blocks are puzzle pieces

TEL AVIV – February 26, 2019 – ActivePuzzle, an innovative technology company that develops imaginative and educational products for the early advancement of children, announced the release of the ActivePuzzle game, an interactive robotic puzzle for kids. Designed to harness children’s enjoyment of puzzles and robots, and turn it into constructive learning experiences, ActivePuzzle teaches kids STEM concepts, logic and problem-solving skills in an innovative method. Through puzzles and robots, kids maintain a sense of spatial and tactile awareness rather than the tunnel vision that accompanies standard 2D puzzles or video games.

“Technology should be taught in a language children understand,” said Meir Sela, the founder of ActivePuzzle. “I got together with a team of creative people who shared the same vision; we wanted to teach children technology using their own language, one that they learn before they even start talking… Puzzles!”

Expressing technology ideas using puzzles makes ActivePuzzle the simplest robotics on earth. ActivePuzzle doesn’t rely on coding or computer screens — simply snap puzzle pieces together to form robots. That makes ActivePuzzle a great platform for invention and innovation. ActivePuzzle is easy to get the hang of — if you can build puzzles, you can create robots.

ActivePuzzle comes in two different sets:

∙        ActivePuzzle Invent ($145 US retail)

16 puzzle pieces included: LED, motor, buzzer, voltmeter, IR transmitter, light sensor, temperature sensor, proximity sensor, potentiometer, IR receiver, logic-not, logic-and, logic-or, insulator, wave and battery. Also included are one USB cable, one wheel and one propeller.

∙        ActivePuzzle Advanced ($175 US retail)

22 puzzle pieces included: LED, motor x2, buzzer, voltmeter, IR transmitter, light sensor, temperature sensor, proximity sensor x2, potentiometer, IR receiver, logic-not, logic-and, logic-or, insulator, wave, arduino, conductor, A2D and battery x2. Also included are one USB cable, two wheels and two propellers.

Each puzzle piece implements a certain function: the battery piece supplies electric power to the circuit, the proximity sensor “sees” objects, the motor drives a wheel or fan, etc. ActivePuzzle robots are based on the Braitenberg Vehicle principle: input pieces trigger adjacent output pieces. For instance, when a light sensor puzzle is connected to a motor puzzle, the motor will run faster as the light on the sensor gets more intense.

ActivePuzzle is for children aged 8+ and for those with young minds who want to build robots and to learn how they work. Additionally, educators can use ActivePuzzle to teach STEM: the game is very intuitive and simple to learn, and there are a large number of scientific and technological concepts that can be taught using ActivePuzzle. One important characteristic of ActivePuzzle is its being a gender-neutral game: the puzzle language makes girls feel natural and confident, and the game activities strengthen their self-efficacy.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/activepuzzle/activepuzzle

Say Hello to Armz, Gearbugs Corps.’s Latest Smart Toy Invention

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten


NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. (PRWEB) FEBRUARY 27, 2019
Gearbugs Corp. just announced that they are raising funds via Kickstarter to finish the development and production of Armz, a smart toy that can be customized to play various types of game modes. The company set out to raise $10,000 on Kickstarter to finish development and produce the first batch of their latest smart toy invention.

Armz is a new, smart toy that is designed to be highly customizable. The heart and soul of Armz is the Smart Core™ which contains the motors and mechanisms that allow it to move, speak, and light up. In addition to the Smart Core™, Armz also comes with five different arm attachments that can transform the core into a personalized toy.

Gearbugs Corp has also developed an app that will be available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. By syncing the app to the Armz via bluetooth, players will be able to access multiple game modes that match one of the five attachments. The current lineup of game modes include the following: Remote Control Racing, Steering Wheel Racing, Sumo Wrestling, and Tank Battle.

While the gaming feature is one of the main features of Armz, it also meant to be much more than just a simple toy. When Armz is not out on the field for matches, it can be placed on its charging dock to serve as a mood lamp or night light. Users can also customize the voice of Armz with their own recording and program it to act as a virtual home assistant. Finally, a blockchain coding mode is also available to act as an educational tool to teach basic coding.

With all of the available features, Armz users are able to put their imagination to the test by referring to the blueprint on the application and creating their own side attachments via 3D printing technology. As users get more accustomed to Armz’s capabilities over time, people may find that there are certain attachments that are not yet available that may enhance the performance of Armz.

Armz is now available on Kickstarter with exclusive early bird prices starting at $95 (40% off retail value). After the campaign, Gearbugs Corps. anticipates manufacturing and delivery to be fulfilled by the end of August 2019. Any influencers or journalists interested in receiving a sample and reviewing Armz are encouraged to submit an inquiry through its Kickstarter page.

VTech® Makes Debut in Robotics Toy Category with Myla the Magical Unicorn™

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

New Interactive Toy Features Enchanting Play Experience, Letting Kids Customize Myla with a Magical Color Palette

NEW YORK, February 14, 2019 — Today VTech® announces the introduction of Myla the Magical Unicorn™, a colorful robotic unicorn toy that glitters with lights as she talks and sings, while introducing early concepts of color combination in a fun way. Marking VTech’s entry into the robotics toy category and remaining on-trend with the continuing popularity of unicorns, this majestic interactive friend encourages kids to use the magic brush to choose a color from the butterfly palette and magically apply the color to her eyes, wings and horn. Myla the Magical Unicorn is on display at the 2019 North American International Toy Fair®.

“We’re so excited to make our debut in the robotics toy category with such an innovative product,” said Andy Keimach, President, VTech Electronics North America. “Myla will be a must-have toy. Myla’s interactive features and her amazing accessories make her more than a toy, she’s a fun friend!”

To customize Myla, simply touch her magic brush to the butterfly palette to choose a color. Then touch the magic brush to her eyes, wings and horn to decorate Myla in a variety of colors and even practice color combinations. Kids can also braid Myla’s mane, brush her tail and complete her look by adding her crown and hair clips. For interactive fun, kids can sing a rocking duet with Myla and her microphone. When it’s time to go solo, pull the microphone away and Myla will stop singing but continue to play music.

Myla the Magical Unicorn is recommended for ages 4+ years and will be available in May exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide and on Walmart.com, with expanded national retail availability this Fall.#

About VTech®

VTech is a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for children. As a pioneer in the learning toy category, VTech develops high-quality, innovative educational products that enrich children’s development and make learning fun. With a rich 40 year history, VTech has not only established itself as a learning authority but also consistently remains at the forefront of innovation with multiple award-winning products, including prestigious Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award winners. The company also has a broad range of award-winning infant, toddler and preschool products available in 31 different languages worldwide, with more than 100 new products introduced every year. In order to further strengthen VTech’s position as a learning authority, new products are developed with critical insights from a dedicated team of in-house learning experts.

VTech Electronics North America, L.L.C. is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. VTech Electronics Limited is headquartered in Hong Kong with distribution globally.

For more information about VTech’s electronic learning products, visit www.VTechKids.com, www.facebook.com/VTechtoys on Facebook or follow @VTechToys on Twitter.

Elenco, maker of Snap Circuits® toys, unveils Teach Tech™ brand with coding, robotic, and green-energy kits

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

Wheeling, Illinois (February 14, 2019) – Elenco, the maker of the award-winning Snap Circuits® products, announces a new line of educational toys under the brand name TEACH TECH™, with a focus on hands-on, building fun. The first offerings within the TEACH TECH™ line feature robotic kits, including products that explore renewable energy and coding. Following the Learn by doing® philosophy found in all Elenco products, TEACH TECH™ enhances play quality with an emphasis on Do-It-Yourself building to boost confidence and critical thinking skills. Products within this line will appeal to all who enjoy using their hands to build and tinker and then bring their creations to life with movement, coding and programming. Future-minded kids can also investigate alternative power sources with kits that highlight solar, hydraulic, wind, or air power.

TEACH TECH™ unveils two innovative, coding robot kits at New York Toy Fair, as well as other electronic and alternative energy kits:

  • Tobbie II Kids can build a robot, then code and program with MakeCode or Phython Editor. With 6 legs and a fully-rotational body, Tobbie includes motor, infrared sensors, buzzers, and BBC Micro:bit.  Bluetooth-controlled and user-friendly.  DIY and Coding in one kit!
  • Mech-5! Truly innovative- screenless coding. A mission-based STEM coding robot with a mechanical coding wheel, instead of a computer. Mech-5 is “unplugged” – a new concept of coding without a computer or app. Just snap coding buttons onto the coding wheel to initiate movement such as forward, backward, turn, spin, or pause. Screenless coding

Elenco will officially introduce the TEACH TECH™ brand and unveil Tobbie II and Mech-5 at this year’s New York Toy Fair, with demonstrations of TEACH TECH’s green energy and other mechanical-robotic kits within the line. TEACH TECH™ will be available in all Elenco’s retail channels, including specialty stores, larger retailers, and online retailers. The official product launches for Tobbie II and Mech-5 are slated for Summer 2019.

New in Snap Circuits®

  • Green Energy! In line with the focus on renewable energy evident in the Teach Tech™ line, Elenco also introduces Snap Circuits® GREEN ENERGY – a reboot of the popular Snap Circuits® GREEN – updated with new parts and content for today’s exploration into alternative energy concepts, including electric cars, windmills, and hand-generated power.  Perfect for environmentalists and future engineers!
  • Toy Of The Year! SNAP CIRCUITS® BRIC: Structures, released in 2018, is a Toy Of The Year Finalist! BRIC combines SNAP CIRCUITS® with ordinary building bricks to make endless combinations of construction and circuitry. Winner of KAPi BEST EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT award at the Consumer Electronics Show, ASTRA Best Toys For Kids, and the inaugural recipient of the Seriously STEM award.
  • STEM-Approved! Elenco is proud to announce that their award-winning SNAP CIRCUITS® line of educational products and toys has earned the STEM APPROVED Trustmark from STEM.org.  In addition, Elenco has partnered with STEM.org for the upcoming SNAP CIRCUITS® GREEN ENERGY kit. STEM.org’s mission is to make quality STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education accessible to all.  For more than 15 years, STEM.org has been at the forefront of the global, Pre-K – 12th grade STEM education movement.

About Elenco: Family owned and operated for over 45 years, Elenco has provided educational/STEM products, along with hobby and test equipment to consumers and schools. Elenco’s award-winning SNAP CIRCUITS® products teach kids to have fun learning electricity, engineering, circuitry and more.  The award-winning SNAP CIRCUITS® brand has been endorsed by educators globally and used in schools, libraries, museums, after-school and homeschool programs, STEM and Maker programs, and at home. Elenco WEmake™ line includes educational, D.I.Y kits and tools that teach soldering and other basic electronics concepts and skills. Elenco is also the North American partner for world-renowned toy brands including Engino Construction and Edu-Toys Science Kits, and more.  Broadly distributed through a wide-range of retail channels, Elenco products can be found wherever fun, innovative, science-based activities are sold.

Our Mission: Our mission is to provide quality, innovative toys and educational products that are fun, affordable, engaging, and designed to instill a passion for learning and creating. We’re committed to inspiring imagination, invention, and exploration. We believe the best way to learn is by doing.

Visit www.elenco.com for more information

POWERUP Toys Debuts Three New Products at Toy Fair 2019

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

(New York) February 15, 2019 – POWERUP Toys (Toy Fair Booth #2789), the creator of the first smartphone-controlled paper airplane motor kit, is introducing three new products at Toy Fair 2019 – POWERUP 4.0, POWERUP RACERS, and OKO Multi View.

“As a child, I loved anything that flew, which is something so many children and adults can relate to,” said Shai Goitein, CEO and Founder of POWERUP Toys. “That’s why we at POWERUP are constantly creating new kits that add functionality and versatility to our motors. Also, we are excited about our first product that is outside of the motor kits area and brings the world of AR and the world around us into greater view.”

The POWERUP 4.0 is an ultra-durable propulsion motor that universally adapts to almost any paper airplane design and transforms it into a flying machine. Pilots (Individuals ages 14+) launch, steer, and land their planes using their Bluetooth-connected device and the POWERUP App (available for iOS and Android). The POWERUP 4.0 has two propellers for double the power and more maneuverability, an autopilot-controlled flight feature that makes flying in windy conditions ultra-easy, and new on-board sensors that collect real-time flight performance data. Pilots then analyze this data and tweak the design of their airplanes to optimize the flying experience, making it perfect to use at-home or in the classroom. The POWERUP 4.0 will be available online this fall. MSRP: $59.99

Children ages 8+ can take the road, water, or air by storm with the new POWERUP RACERS Motorized Origami Vehicles. The small, versatile propulsion motor transforms a paper creation into a motorized car, boat, or airplane – all using the same motor. Children fold their own paper car, boat, or airplane out of a sheet of paper, clip on the fully-charged POWERUP RACERS motor, and they are ready to drive, float, or fly their creations. The kit – which comes with a propulsion motor, three folding templates, wheels, and fastening clips – is perfect for home or can be used to teach aerodynamics and physics in the STEM classroom. The POWERUP RACERS will be available online this fall. MSRP: $24.99

With OKO Multi View, the newest multi-use smartphone accessory, children ages 8+ can explore the world around them like never before. Children insert their smartphone into OKO Multi View and wear it like goggles to transform the phone’s camera into an amazing Augmented Reality tool or use it like entry-level binoculars with capture capabilities. The spatial aspherical oculars create a high-quality, full-screen viewing experience to immerse children in AR apps on the fly. When using OKO Multi View as binoculars, children can see beyond what a traditional smartphone camera captures. If they find a scene they love, they can save it forever by taking a picture or video using their device – without removing the device from the goggles. The OKO Multi View will be available online this spring, MSRP: $29.99

To see these products in action, visit POWERUP Toys at Toy Fair 2019 in booth #2789. To see the full line of POWERUP Toys motors and accessories, visit: www.poweruptoys.com.

About POWERUP Toys 
POWERUP Toys lets consumers of all ages expand their sense of play and experimentation by adding power to familiar paper airplanes. POWERUP Toys brings homemade paper airplanes into the future by adding next generation mobile controls, propulsion, and tools to take imagination to new heights.

Screen-free Coding Shines At The 2019 Toy Of The Year (TOTY) Awards- Botley™ The Coding Robot From Learning Resources® Wins Innovative Toy Of The Year

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

VERNON HILLS, Ill., Feb. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Throughout its 35-year history, Learning Resources® has dedicated itself to developing toys on the forefront of what children need to learn and how they are best inclined to learn it — through play. Now, its efforts to provide the earliest possible screen-free coding experiences to kids have earned the educational toy company its first ever Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award. The award for Innovative Toy of the Year was given last night to Botley™ the Coding Robot at the annual awards gala presented by the Toy Association.  Botley engages children and sparks curiosity about coding in a fun, friendly, hands-on way, all without the use of a screen.

In 2018, Botley helped define a new category of screen-free coding toys. Last night’s TOTY tops a list of more than 13 accolades and awards for the screen-free coding robot including „Best of CES“ by Reuters and „Best Toy of the Year 2018“ by Parents magazine. Children as young as five can learn to code with Botley, detecting objects, programming if/then logic, following looping commands and taking on obstacle courses.

„Our company is proud to engage future coders, engineers and scientists, and we are thrilled to receive the Innovative Toy of the Year TOTY Award for Botley the Coding Robot,“ said Learning Resources CEO, Rick Woldenberg. „This recognition honors our commitment to inspiring a love of learning in all children.“

With other category finalists including Harry Potter™ Wizard Training™ from JAKKS Pacific, the K’NEX Thrill Rides Bionic Blast™ Roller Coaster Building Set, Wow! Stuff’s Mystery Flying Snitch and Thames & Kosmos’s Sensors Alive: Bring Physics to Life!, the coveted industry nod was given specifically to the 77-piece Botley the Coding Robot Activity Set, which allows kids to start coding with Botley right out of the box in addition to building obstacle courses, mazes and more.

Following Botley’s success, Learning Resources‘ new Coding Critters, already the winner of Parents magazine’s 2019 „Best of CES“ award, continues the company’s mission of introducing screen-free coding, now to preschoolers as young as four, through storybook coding adventures with adorable interactive pets. Both products will be on display at the 2019 New York International Toy Fair through February 19 in the Learning Resources Booth (#403). Also be sure to check out Learning Resources‘ Director of Product Development, Tom Runtz, on the STEM/STEAM Toy Panel with other leading industry experts Sunday, February 17 in Level 1, Hall 1E, room 1E09.

Learn more at www.LearningResources.com. Get social with @LearningResources on Facebook and Instagram and on Twitter @LearningsHandsOn. #CODING #STEM.

About Learning Resources:
We’re the toy cash registers that help kids learn to count. We’re the alphabet puzzle blocks that inspire a love of reading. We’re the coding mouse that schools use to prepare students for tomorrow. We are Learning Resources®—and our mission is to help kids love to learn. For over 30 years we’ve been the leader in educational toys, with more than 1,000 items sold in over 80 countries. Our toys are designed to help children build educational skills… and get ready to take on the world. For more information, visit www.learningresources.com, or follow the brand on Twitter @LearningHandsOn, Facebook @LearningResources and Instagram @learningresources.

Sphero gives hackers and makers a mobile canvas with launch of RVR—the go anywhere, do anything, fully programmable robot

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

BOULDER, Colo., February 19, 2019 ‒ Sphero, the industry leader in robotics fused with STEAM learning, announced today its Kickstarter launch of RVR – a ready-to-drive, fully programmable and customizable robot with endless coding possibilities. The campaign begins today on Kickstarter with pledge levels starting at $199 (MSRP for $249) and initial shipments will be available starting in September 2019. Backers who support the RVR project within the first week of launch will be eligible to be selected for an all-expenses paid trip to Sphero HQ in Boulder, CO to compete in an all-day RVR Hackathon on March 14, 2019.

RVR is drivable right out of the box, making it approachable and accessible to coders of all levels, including beginners. In addition, its advanced features are geared specifically for those looking for a more complex coding experience — the first of Sphero’s products to do so. For advanced coders, RVR can be fully customized through a universal expansion port, full suite of on-board sensors and an advanced control system.

“RVR is the kind of robot I wish I had growing up,” said Adam Wilson, Sphero co-founder and chief creative officer. “For makers, developers and anyone who loves to build things, RVR’s advanced capabilities bring to life everything that makes coding exciting. That creative experience is at the core of why we first started Sphero.”

RVR is fast, exceptionally nimble and fun to drive for coders of all abilities. It sports a fine-tuned, high- resolution motor encoder, allowing it to be driven with extreme agility, accuracy and torque that can easily scale a 45-degree angle.

Beyond its out-of-the-box base, RVR’s universal expansion port has the ability to connect to third-party hardware like Raspberry Pi, Micro:Bit or Arduino, allowing users to customize the robot however they want.

The robot is outfitted with several onboard sensors that will get any maker’s imagination going: a color sensor, light sensor, IR, magnetometer, accelerometer and gyroscope, as well as a roll cage and clear protective plate that are removable. RVR’s ambient light, color and 9-axis IMU are able to send and receive signals to interact with other Sphero robots. The large battery inside RVR is removable, making charging easier and faster.

“This is truly a professional-level robot, without the hefty price tag,” said Wilson. “By connecting your hardware of choice to the expansion port, the customization possibilities are endless and entirely up to you. For example, you can hook up a camera to RVR and program facial recognition to do a dance every time your best friend walks by.”

To support customization with the expansion port, Sphero is partnering with SparkFun Electronics to build kits that inspire users to take the RVR to the next level – from adding camera vision and GPS to building a complete autonomous vehicle. SparkFun is also backing the KickStarter through the „Get a Bot, Give a Bot“ initiative, where they will match the first 50 RVR’s purchased with a donation of 50 RVRs to schools.

With RVR, like all of Sphero’s products, users have access to the Sphero EDU app, which connects a vibrant, active community of DIYers, makers, programmers, hackers and educators to share tips, questions and commentary. This unique community enhances the product experience, providing users with resources to take on new challenges, solve problems, be creative and share creations. Sphero will roll out an initial wave of RVR content on the app in conjunction with its launch.

To learn more about RVR, visit http://sphero.com/RVR or the Kickstarter project site. Follow Sphero on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

ABOUT SPHERO: Founded in 2010 and based in Boulder, CO, Sphero’s ongoing mission is to inspire the creators of tomorrow. We’re available in 80+ countries around the globe and have sold more than four million robots to date… and counting. Touted as “the best day of school” for kids, we aim to be all that and more as we continue to explore new technologies in the realm of creative play. We firmly believe that play is a powerful teacher, and as long as we’re sparking imaginations around the world, we’ll keep fueling that fire.

ABOUT SPHERO EDU: Sphero Edu uses app-enabled robots to foster creativity through discovery and play, all while laying the foundation for computer science. The Sphero Edu program goes beyond code with collaborative STEAM activities, nurturing students’ imaginations in ways no other education program can. Cross-platform apps

are approachable for all skill levels, allowing us to reach as many minds as possible. To date, the Sphero Edu team works with more than 30,000 educators, in more than 20,000 schools across the globe. More than 1.3 million students have been positively impacted through Sphero Edu and its work to educate kids surrounding technology and computer science. For more information, visit sphero.com/education or follow @SpheroEdu on Twitter.

Vincross Announces Launch of MIND Kit, Modular Robotics Kit for Makers

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

With $10M in Series A+ funding, Vincross launches MIND Kit, first
robotics-only makers kit, available on Kickstarter

San Francisco, February 19, 2019 / PRNewswire / — Vincross
<http://vincross.com/>, a developer of accessible consumer robotics,
announced the launch of MIND Kit, a robotics developer kit for makers,
developers, robotics enthusiasts, and even first time students of robotic
development, which is now available for pre-order on Kickstarter starting
today.

The launch of MIND Kit is opportune in an environment when robotics is
garnering greater visibility of its future impact to society, but in
reality the opportunities to learn about or even develop complex robotics
doesn’t exist outside of the laboratory or children’s robotics development
kits.

In fact, 90% of Americans believe learning about robotics will
‘future-proof’ their professions, but just 5% of Americans have attempted
to develop a robotics program, according to a Harris Poll commissioned by
Vincross. The crux of the problem lies in 62% of Americans today feeling
that robotics hardware is inaccessible, according to the poll. MIND Kit
comes in at a time when too few public or community-based resources are
available, while robotics kits with drag-and-drop programming merely cater
to children, but offer nothing modular and sophisticated enough to build
practical, complex robots.

Driven by a mission to make robotics accessible, which started with HEXA,
Vincross’ six-legged all-terrain robot, MIND Kit takes Vincross vision a
step further. As the first and only robotics-optimized makers kit that’s
highly customizable, MIND Kit sports 54 programmable pins and six USB-C
ports, suited for building experimental IoT devices and robots that makes
access to robotics development closer to a reality where it’s no more
challenging than building mobile applications.

MIND Kit is the sum of three fundamental hardware modules that make up the
base of the kit including the CEREBRUM, the central processing unit
enabling complex AI computations including computer vision AI or
Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM); the SERVO CONTROLLER, which
powers as many as 20 servos motors simultaneously; and ENERGON, a battery
optimized to run both servo motors and AI algorithms with an output rate of
480 watts.

Under the hood powering MIND Kit, is MIND OS 2.0, Vincross’ updated
robotics-specific operating system that can be accessed through a simple
SDK, making it easier than ever to build your MIND Kit robot’s skills,
movements and applications, without requiring deep robotics development
skills. In addition, MIND OS is supported by the Vincross Forum, a
community of robotics developers sharing the knowledge and skills to
support other developers in their robotic builds.

For added functionality, users can attach additional plug-and-play modular
hardware accessories including lidar, mountable sensors, speakers, mic
arrays or even a tank base that allows your robotics build to drive over
uneven terrain.

In fact, early beta testers have transformed MIND Kit into lifestyle
accompaniments including a voice controlled IoT device with motorized arms
that act on command to passing the salt and pepper at your dinner table or
to assist with infant feeding; a consumer robotics product like a vacuum
cleaner that uses SLAM and computer vision to navigate around your floor
while brushing up dust autonomously; or even an eight-legged all-terrain
robot akin to HEXA.

“HEXA was the most sophisticated all-purpose consumer robot that empowered
even software developers to manipulate HEXA, but we saw a demand to make
robotics development just as easy for both developing hardware and
software,” said Tianqi Sun, CEO and Founder of Vincross. “MIND Kit was a
natural evolution from HEXA and hope to inspire more aspiring roboticists
out of the classroom and building real world use cases for robotics.”

Product Features

CEREBRUM – The ‘brain’ or CPU that powers the MIND Kit ecosystem including
its modular accessories, runs on an ARM Cortex-A53 Quad-Core 1.2GHz
processor.

SERVO CONTROLLER – The module that enables MIND Kit to run up to 20 servos
motors simultaneously. The Servo Controller along with the Cerebrum, when
clipped together, form the basis of MIND Kit as a robotics-optimized makers
kit.

ENERGON – a Lithium-ion battery that’s optimized to run both AI and robotic
motors efficiently.

MIND OS 2.0 – The first and only operating system on the market that’s
exclusively designed for robotics, has been updated and now makes it easier
than ever to develop software applications for your robot.

Customizable – With 54 programmable pins or 6 USB Type-C outlets built into
Cerebrum, hack MIND Kit to build highly sophisticated robots customized to
your desire.

Modular Accessories – With plug-and-play accessories, clip accessories
together to add more functions to your robotic build including Lidar,
4-Axis Robotic Arm, Tank Base (wheeled module with caterpillar track),
Speaker & Microphone Array, and Rover Base (four wheeled module).

Robotics-Optimized – The only robotics-tailored makers kit, MIND Kit can
control up to 20 servo motors at once, while also running SLAM, real-time
video processing, and reinforcement learning.

Vincross also announces $10 Million in Series A+ funding, lead by Lenovo,
with participation from previous investors including GGV and Seek Dource,
who share in Vincross’ vision of making robotics even more accessible to
people. The latest investment follows the company’s $6 Million Series A
round
<https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vincross-to-debut-all-terrain-consumer-robot-hexa-raises-6-million-series-a-led-by-ggv-300347625.html>
led by GGV Capital and participated by Zhenfund.

MIND Kit’s basic kit is available for on Kickstarter for $99 USD, including
Cerebrum, and will later retail for $150 USD. A combo kit, comprised of
Cerebrum, a Servo Controller, and Robot Battery, will be available for $199
on Kickstarter.

To learn more about MIND Kit, visit vincross.com/MINDKit

Maker Faire Ruhr in der DASA – Vampirjäger und zeitreisende Beamte

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

Wenn Wundersames aus 3D-Druckern kommt und das Jahrhundert von gestern in die Welt von morgen einlädt, ist wieder Maker Faire Ruhr. Phantastisches, Verrücktes und Digitales sind die Zutaten für ein Festival der Extra-Klasse. Die DASA Arbeitswelt Ausstellung präsentiert am 23. und 24. März in ihren dafür wie gemachten Hallen, was Zeitgenossen in der Garage, im Hobbyraum oder im Wohnzimmer alles zustande bringen.

Das weltbekannte Tüftel-Festival hat das Ruhrgebiet mittlerweile fest im Griff. Ob aus Bochum, Essen oder Schwerte – die Region ist ein Tummelplatz für schräge Ideen. DIY-Blog- ger, Experten für optische Täuschungen, Amateurfunker oder OpenSource Programmierer: Der Rohstoff nach Ende des Bergbaus sind reichlich findige Ideen. Wer mag, trifft auf eine Steampunk-Spezialistin aus Witten, auf das neue FabLab aus Hamm oder auf Größen der Szene wie Upcycling-Spezi Thomas Zigan von Tanz auf Ruinen oder die Dortmunder Platzhir- sche „Urbanisten“.

Neben jeder Menge Lokalcolorit gibt es beliebte und bekannte Attraktionen wie die nieder- ländischen Maschinen-Umbauer „Abacus Theater“ mit Gefährten, die jedes Foto bereichern, den Fotobus „Cliff McLaine“ für ein Erste-Sahne-Selfie oder den Dampfzirkus Papenburg mit Fahrzeugen, die bei der Vampirjagd hilfreich sein können. Nicht fehlen dürfen weder zeitrei- sende Beamte noch Maskottchen Makey.

Zum 500. Todestag von Universalgelehrten Leonardo da Vinci hat sich Zirkus Meer eine besondere Würdigung ausgedacht und überrascht die DASA-Gäste mit einer neuen Knobe- lei aus dem Dunstkreis des Genies. Erstmalig am Start sind außerdem die „Maker Girls“ aus Königswinter, die für noch mehr Frauenpower sorgen. Und WDR5-Küchenexperimenteur Sascha Ott sorgt mit verblüffenden Versuchen für jede Menge Action.

Insgesamt laden über 60 Stände zu einer bunten Rund-Tour zwischen IT und Design sowie Produktideen aus Hightech, Kunst und Handwerk ein. Workshops und Vorträge machen die Maker Faire Ruhr in der DASA zu einem gelungenen Erlebnis für Entdeckungsreisende.

Die Maker Faires präsentieren „Do it yourself“ Projekte aus aller Welt. Ziel ist es, die Idee des Selbermachens zu stärken, eigenen Technik ideen freien Lauf zu lassen und offene Au- gen zu haben für eine neue Verwendung von gebrauchten Gegenständen.

An beiden Tagen ist die „Maker Faire“ in der DASA von 10 bis 18 Uhr geöffnet. Der Eintritt beträgt 8 Euro, die Familienkarte kostet 16 EUR.

www.makerfaire-ruhr.com