LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Introduces Mobile Programming With New EV3 Programmer App For Tablets

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NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Today the LEGO Group announced the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 Programmer App, a new application that allows builders to create programs for MINDSTORMS robots directly from iOS and Android tablet devices. Featuring a streamlined selection of the most-used commands, the EV3 Programmer App allows for more interaction away from the desktop or laptop computer, giving users even more freedom to explore and tinker with the MINDSTORMS platform.  The EV3 Programmer App will be available in free versions for iOS and Android tablets in English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Danish, Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean and Russian in late November 2015. The app is not a standalone experience, but designed for LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3, the LEGO construction set that allows you to build and program robots that do what you want them to do (U.S. SRP $349).

The EV3 Programmer App consists of the 11 most popular programming blocks in the LEGO MINDSTORMS software, including action blocks, flow blocks and comment blocks. After writing and saving a program within the app, a user can progress to more advanced programming by opening it in the LEGO MINDSTORMS desktop software.  To provide additional inspiration for beginner robot makers, the app will feature building missions, videos and building instructions for five starter robots that represent a variety of building and programming experiences all while delivering the fun factor for which LEGO building is known.

„By extending MINDSTORMS robotic programming to tablets, we are embracing the ‚anywhere, anytime‘ of mobile devices to unleash even more creativity in building and programming with MINDSTORMS,“ said Filippa Malmegard, LEGO MINDSTORMS community manager. „When we untether the experience from the desktop, programming really becomes a playful extension of building, allowing users to add a new behavior or interactivity to their LEGO creations. This extra level of mobility will make the EV3 Programmer App an accessible and convenient programming starter experience for a new generation of users, while at the same time adding play value for our existing MINDSTORMS Community.“

From Play to Prototype: LEGO MINDSTORMS at World Maker Faire and Smithsonian Innovation Festival
To further inspire the next generation of innovators, the LEGO Group is showcasing the creativity and innovation of the MINDSTORMS Community at two high profile events this weekend, World Maker Faire, September 26-27, in New York, NY, and the Smithsonian Innovation Festival, September 26 – 27, in Washington, DC. At each event, MINDSTORMS makers will demonstrate inventions they’ve built using MINDSTORMS building sets as prototyping tools in addition to showcasing a variety of fun LEGO robots.

A number of recipients of LEGO Prototyping Kits from this summer’s Play to Prototyping Challenge, launched during the National Week of Making in June, will participate in World Maker Faire. LEGO MINDSTORMS Community Manager Filippa Malmegard will also moderate a panel on the topic „From Play to Prototype“ where featured builders will discuss how LEGO bricks and elements can serve as a creative prototyping platform for new concepts and inventions ranging from prosthetics to 3D printers. (Saturday, September 26, 3:45PM – 4:15 PM)

At the Smithsonian Innovation Festival in Washington, DC, Shubham Banerjee, the 14-year-old founder of Braigo Labs will demonstrate his braille printer built entirely from LEGO MINDSTORMS and share his process of invention with attendees.  Alongside Shubham, Cameron Kruse, Fulbright alumni and LEGO MINDSTORMS builder will demonstrate a prototype for his baseball mudder, a machine that can apply the same amount of mud to each new baseball, eliminating inconsistencies in the ways mud was applied to new baseballs before they were used in a game. Both Shubham and Cameron will participate in 15 minute Q&A interviews as part of the event as well.

The EV3 Programmer App for tablets will be available through the App Store and Google Play in late November 2015. For more information on LEGO MINDSTORMS and examples of robots built using LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3, please visit www.LEGO.com/MINDSTORMS.

Team from Brooklyn, New York, and Naples, Italy, wins XPRIZE and Google’s STEM-based competition for kids, “MOONBOTS”

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Two Cousins, Ages 10 and 12, Will Travel to Japan to Meet Google Lunar XPRIZE Teams

LOS ANGELES (September 24, 2015) – XPRIZE, the global leader in incentivized prize competitions, and Google today announced Moonshot, cousins ages 10 and 12 from Brooklyn, New York, and Naples, Italy, is a grand prize winner in the 2015 MOONBOTS Challenge, also considered the “Google Lunar XPRIZE for Kids.” MOONBOTS is an international competition that encourages the next generation of space explorers and innovators by inviting kids ages 8-17 to design, create and program their own lunar rover, based on a legend or theory that inspires them about the moon.

Moonshot virtual team members Dario Cipani, 12, who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y with his mom and team captain Sara Cipani; and Sasha Cipani, 10, who lives in Naples, Italy; didn’t let distance and time zones get in the way of their shared love of the moon. They worked together online from their respective countries to build and program a one-of-a-kind simulated lunar mission using the LEGO MINDSTORMS robotic platform. Their inspiration was Luna, Dario’s sister and Sasha’s cousin, and the idea that the moon we all share can bring people together — just as it brought their family together.

Next month, they cousins will take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan together to meet the official teams competing for a $30 million dollar Google Lunar XPRIZE, a global competition to land a privately funded robot on the moon.

“Team Moonshot showed ingenuity and innovation in their robotic building and programming, and were creative and imaginative in the way they interpreted their moon ‘tale,’” said Chanda Gonzales, senior director, Google Lunar XPRIZE. “Dario and Sasha were incredibly engaging, and their mission will provide inspiration for kids all over the world.”

In addition to developing their lunar rover, the cousins contributed to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education by sharing their innovation with underprivileged children through Associazione Quartieri Spagnoli Onlus – a nonprofit organization in Italy.

The kids’ competition attracted 235 teams from 29 countries, who entered phase one by submitting a written or video entry about what inspires them about the moon. Teams are comprised of 2-4 members (ages 8-17) and one team captain at least 18 years old. A panel of judges selected 30 teams to qualify for phase two, each of which was provided one of three platform systems (LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3, VEX IQ, MECCANO Meccanoid G15 KS) to build and program a unique simulated robotic mission based on the moon tale they submitted in phase one. In addition, they were asked to contribute to STEM education by sharing their innovation with children and adults in their community.

Along with Moonshot, other grand prize winners are: Mecaliks of Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico; Team GalacTECHs of Tustin, Calif.; and Linked Lunas of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Since 2010, MOONBOTS has challenged thousands of young people from around the world. In addition to XPRIZE and Google, competition partners include FIRST® LEGO® League, Cogmation Robotics, VEX Robotics Inc., Spin-Master Ltd., the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation (RECF), GeekDad, GeekMom, Robomatter Incorporated and Dexter Industries. More information, including the full list of finalists, can be found at moonbots.org.

 

About the Google Lunar XPRIZE 

The $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE is an unprecedented competition to challenge and inspire engineers and entrepreneurs from around the world to develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration. To win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a privately funded team must successfully place a robot on the moon’s surface that explores at least 500 meters and transmits high-definition video and images back to Earth. For more information, visit lunar.xprize.org/.

 

About XPRIZE 
Founded in 1995, XPRIZE is the leading organization solving the world’s Grand Challenges by creating and managing large-scale, high-profile, incentivized prizes in five areas: Learning; Exploration; Energy & Environment; Global Development; and Life Sciences.  Active prizes include the $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE, the $15M Global Learning XPRIZE, $10M Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, and the $7M Adult Literacy XPRIZE. For more information, visit xprize.org.

Robo Wunderkind launches on Kickstarter

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San Francisco, September 24, 2015 – Robo Wunderkind is a programmable robotics kit for children of all ages. On Monday, September 21, it was launched on Kickstarter, with early bird pledges starting from just $79. Robo Wunderkind is revolutionizing how coding is taught through robotics. Kids of all ages find it easy and enjoyable to play with!

Robo Wunderkind is a set of blocks for building robots. On the outside, Robo blocks are child friendly and safely encase the sophisticated electronics contained on the inside. These electronic components transform regular blocks into programmable robotic components. By just snapping blocks together, even a five year old can build a robot. The fun doesn`t stop there: kids can playfully program the robot in an intuitive app. Modular, colorful, and LEGOTM compatible, this is the toy that opens up children`s eyes to the world of technology.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/startrobo/robo–wunderkind–a–programmable–robot–for–kids–of–a

Rustem Akishbekov, the founder and CEO of Robo Wunderkind, initially came up with the idea of a child-friendly programmable robot while trying to teach his friends the basic of coding and robotics. When he realized how complicated it was for new-to-programming users, he set out to make learning coding and robotics as fun and simple as playing with LEGOTM.

“We want to revolutionize the toys our kids play with, we want them to be more than pieces of plastic,” explains Rustem Akishbekov. “The LEGOTM brick hasn`t changed over 60 years while everything around it has. Now is the time for a smart toy like Robo Wunderkind that will help kids develop the skills they need for the future.”

Robo Wunderkind connects to Android and iOS devices via Bluetooth. Kids can use the app’s visual drag-and-drop interface to program it. This early learning method means that children aren´t hindered if their reading level is still developing. Once children have mastered the basics of coding, they can move on to program their robot with Scratch, a fun programming language for kids developed at MIT.

Robo Wunderkind is unique because children need not have any prior programming experience to get going. Furthermore, the cubes‘ magnet-free and secure connection system makes Robo Wunderkind stand out from the crowd. Robo Wunderkind’s innovative design has been turning heads in Europe, earning robotics award from Futurezone and the German robotics company Festo, as well as multiple startup awards.

Robo Wunderkind comes in three sets. Kickstarter prices started at $79. There is a sliding price scale depending on the cube quantity and complexity. The cubes’ colors relate to their function: red is a proximity sensor, blue is a motor, orange – the main controller, and so on. The most advanced set comes with a digital camera and a weather sensor. With these special functions, your children can give weather forecasts or even surprise you with their first filming endeavors. Robo Wunderkind has been designed so that flat LEGOTM adaptors can be attached, making the blocks compatible with LEGOTM. Children can then personalize the robots they have built with LEGOTM blocks or figures.

Anna Iarotska, COO and Head of Business Development at Robo Technologies says, “Kickstarter is the perfect place to launch Robo Wunderkind, as it hosts a community of people who value innovation, creativity, and fun. We look forward to seeing what the kids out there will build with Robo Wunderkind”.

With their Kickstarter campaign, which will run until October 29, the team is hoping to raise $70,000. The funds they raise will go directly towards producing the very first batch of robots, with shipping scheduled for Summer 2016.

About Robo Technologies, Inc.

Rustem Akishbekov founded Robo Technologies, Inc and brought Anna Iarotska and Yuri Levin on board in 2013. The company is based in Vienna, Austria and San Francisco, California. The founders have gathered together a team of passionate engineers and designers who have been working on the project for two years.

In the summer of 2014, the team was part of the first worldwide hardware accelerator HAX. The progress made there was incorporated into Robo, earning them the „Robot of the Year“ Award from Festo and the Austrian Startup of the Year Award.

Robo Wunderkind startet Kickstarter-Kampagne

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San Francisco, 21. September 2015 – Robo Wunderkind, ein programmierbarer Roboter-Baukasten für Kinder aller Altersgruppen, startet heute seine Kampagne auf Kickstarter. Die ersten Unterstützer erhalten ein Starterpaket für nur $79 (ca. €69).

Kindern bietet Robo Wunderkind völlig neue Möglichkeiten, die Grundkenntnisse des Programmierens mit Hilfe von Robotern einfach und spielerisch zu erlernen.

Ein Robo-Wunderkind-Set besteht aus mehreren Würfeln, aus denen sich verschiedene Roboter bauen lassen. Die Außenseite der Würfel ist kinderfreundlich und schützt die elektronischen Komponenten im Inneren, die aus den Bausteinen programmierbare Elemente machen. Die Würfel lassen sich einfach miteinander kombinieren – bereits fünf Jahre alte Kinder können so ihre eigenen Roboter konstruieren. Doch damit nicht genug: Mit einer einfach zu bedienenden App können sie dann den Roboter spielerisch programmieren. Modular, farbenfroh und mit LegoTM-Steinen kombinierbar: Robo Wunderkind ist ein Spielzeug, das Kindern eine neue Tür in die Welt der Technologie öffnet.

Den Link zur Kickstarter-Kampagne finden Sie auf http://kickstarter.startrobo.com.

Rustem Akishbekov, der Gründer und CEO von Robo Wunderkind, hatte die Idee, einen kinderfreundlichen und programmierbaren Roboter zu entwickeln, als er versuchte, seinen Freunden die Grundlagen der Robotik und des Programmierens beizubringen. Dabei realisierte er, wie kompliziert die ersten Schritte für Neueinsteiger sind – und setzte sich zum Ziel, Robotik und Programmieren so einfach, intuitiv und lustig zu machen, als würde man mit LegoTM spielen.

„Wir möchten das Spielzeug, mit dem unsere Kinder spielen, revolutionieren. Wir möchten, dass es mehr ist, als nur Plastik”, sagt Rustem Akishbekov. „LegoTM-Steine haben sich in den vergangenen 60 Jahren nicht verändert. Aber alles darum herum hat sich verändert. Es ist an der Zeit, dass wir unseren Kindern mit Hilfe von smarten Spielsachen wie Robo Wunderkind dabei fördern, die Kenntnisse zu entwickeln, die sie in Zukunft brauchen werden.“

Robo Wunderkind lässt sich mit Android und iOS-Geräten via Bluetooth verbinden. Auch Kinder, die noch nicht lesen können, können ihre Roboter mit einer App mittels Drag-and-drop Interface programmieren. Sobald Kinder ihre ersten Programmier-Schritte erfolgreich gemeistert haben, können sie ihren Roboter auch mit Scratch steuern – einer lustigen Programmiersprache, die am MIT speziell für Kinder entwickelt wurde.

Einzigartig an Robo Wunderkind ist auch, dass Kinder keinerlei Programmier-Kenntnisse haben müssen, um loslegen zu können. Auch zeichnen Robo Wunderkind seine magnetfreien Würfel und sein sicheres Verbindungssystem aus. Das einzigartige Design hat in Europa bereits viel Aufmerksamkeit erhalten, wurde von Futurezone und der deutschen Roboter-Firma Festo ausgezeichnet, und hat mehrere Startup-Preise gewonnen.

Robo Wunderkind wird es in drei Sets geben. Preise auf Kickstarter starten bei $79 (ca. €69). Pakete mit zusätzlichen Würfeln und komplexeren Modulen werden ebenfalls erhältlich sein. Die Farbe der Würfel steht in Bezug zu ihrer Funktion: so beinhalten etwa rote Bauelemente einen Entfernungssensor, blaue einen Motor, und orange den Haupt-Controller. Das größte Set beinhaltet auch eine Digitalkamera und einen Wetter-Sensor.

Mit diesen Spezialfunktionen können Kinder zum Wetter-Forscher werden oder erste eigene Roboter-Filmprojekte starten. Robo Wunderkind wurde so entworfen, dass LegoTM-Steine und -Figuren daran befestigt werden können – so sind der Kreativität keine Grenzen gesetzt!

„Kickstarter ist die perfekte Plattform, um Robo Wunderkind zu starten. So erreichen wir eine Gemeinschaft von Menschen, die Innovation, Kreativität und Spaß wertschätzen“, sagt Anna Iarotska, COO und Leiterin des Bereichs Geschäftsentwicklung von Robo Technologies: „Wir freuen uns schon sehr darauf, zu sehen, was Kinder mit Robo Wunderkind alles bauen werden.“

Das Team hofft, durch seine Kickstarter-Kampagne, die bis 29. Oktober läuft, €62.000 ($70.000) von Unterstützern einzusammeln. Diese Mittel werden direkt in die Produktion der ersten Roboter-Generation investiert, die im kommenden Sommer ausgeliefert werden soll.

Robo Technologies GmbH

Die Robo Technologies GmbH, mit Sitz in Wien und einer Niederlassung in San Francisco, Kalifornien, wurde 2013 von Rustem Akishbekov gegründet; Anna Iarotska und Yuri Levin stießen bald danach dazu. Zusammen mit einem Team von leidenschaftlichen Entwicklern und Designern haben die Gründer in den vergangenen zwei Jahren Robo Wunderkind entwickelt. 2014 nahm das Team am weltweit ersten Hardware-Accelerator HAX teil. Die dort gesammelte Erfahrung verhalf Robo Technologies bereits zu mehreren Auszeichnungen, darunter dem “Roboter des Jahres”-Preis von Festo sowie dem “Austrian Startup of the Year”-Award.

 

Dobot: Bring Industrial Precision To Low Cost Robots

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Unsatisfied by low cost, low precision and poor functionality desktop robotic arms on the market, a group of six hardcore robot makers decided to quit their high-paying industry jobs, and build their own. Named its first product Dobot, the team’s mission is to bring industrial precision to consumer, affordable robotic arms that can actually DO the job.

Fully designed and assembled in China, a new desktop, 4-axis, stepper motor, high precision robotic arm Dobot is launching its first Kickstarter campaign on September 15th, 2015 (Beijing Time).

 

The robot has tackled a series of technical difficulties struggled by other analogs. Here’s a list of its feature highlights:

 

  • High mechanical accuracy (0.02mm)
  • High repeat precision (0.2mm), 50 times better than uArm
  • Stepper motor equipped with high accuracy reducer
  • High strength aluminium alloy surface and processed by anodic oxidation treatment
  • Mechanical structure assembled by the state of art CNC cutting technology, ensuring its superb agility, stability and durability
  • Seven control methods including PC, mobile app, voice, vision, leap motion, geature and EEG (mind control, see demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxU7ZhStuPA)
  • Easy click-and-drag control interface for beginners and also programmable for advanced makers, using Processing, Arduino, and C/C++ as primary languages
  • Affordable price starting with $399

 

For making it even more friendlier to both makers and the general public, Dobot’s design is well-fit for desktop applications, see its tech specifications:

  • Number of Axes: 4
  • Weight: 3kg
  • Payload: 500g
  • Range: 270 degree rotation
  • Position repeatability: 0.2mm
  • Material: aluminium alloy 6061
  • Controller: Arduino Mega2560
  • Communication: UART/Bluetooth
  • Power Supply: 12V 5A DC

 

The team has premiered its prototype at the 2015 Shenzhen Maker Faire, and has received positive feedback from makers, robot experts and open hardware communities ever since. “…the motion is really precise…it’s not just a toy, it can also be used to build stuff.” Says the CEO of Arduino, Massimo Banzi. On the popular DIY sharing platform Instrucables, its step-by-step instruction on building a robotic arm has received more than 23k likes in the first four days and got featured on the first page.

 

Upon their launch on Kickstarter, the team is very optimistic on the future performance of Dobot, marching their way to helping the world’s robot lovers to explore the beauty excitement of making stuff.

 

About the Team

The team was founded in June 2014 by a group of industrial robot engineers based in Shenzhen. The team’s CEO, Jerry (Peichao) Liu, and the head of engineering Art (Xulin) Lang both graduated from Shandong University in mechanics engineering. Jerry received its Masters from China Academy of Sciences, majoring in mechanics engineering and joined a robot company focusing on industrial robots for medical applications. Art during his Masters program, solely designed Delta parallel manipulator, Scara robot and a few others. After school, as the head of Scara robot project, he worked with Foxconn. All the founders all acquired extensive industry experience in robotics before joining the team. They have deep belief in bringing industrial precision robots to everyone’s desktop and in the future will launch a series of new models.

WiFi DyIO Robotics Controller and BowerStudio Software

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*Kickstarter launching on September 15, 2015 at
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/neuronrobotics/wifi-dyio-robot-controller-w-24-channels

The WiFi DyIO (dynamic input and output device) is a wireless
micro-controller with 24 channels for robots, precision lasers, medical
equipment, 3D printers, motors, cameras, data sensors and more. With the
second generation WiFi DyIO, you can control all your devices with a
computer or Android phone—even with little programing knowledge. And
because WiFi DyIO simply coordinates the processors on your computer
wirelessly to your robot, it operates with JAVA programing language from
across the room, or around the globe.

The controller works seamlessly with Neuron Robotics Cooperative’s
<https://neuronrobotics.com> free, open-source
software, BowlerStudio, which allows the virtual design and testing of
different robotics systems and parts. There are powerful modeling tools for
adept programmers, as well as easy-to-use, customizable templates for
first-time designers. Features include coordination with 3D printers to
quickly and effortlessly print custom limbs, bodies and other parts.

The DyIO/BowlerStudio system is simple and intuitive for classroom lessons
with 8-year-olds, and powerful enough for a Ph.D robotics engineer. Its
software was used to perform surgery within an MRI
<http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/medical-robots/inside-an-mri-a-nonmetallic-robot-performs-prostate-surgery>
and the DyIO itself is used to teach classes at Worcester Polytechnic
Institute.

DyIO and BowlerStudio have been featured on 3DPrint.com, 3ders.org and is a
semifinalist for the Hackaday Prize.

The first generation, USB-connection DyIOs are available at Microcenters
throughout the U.S. and are being used in college and grade school
classrooms. In order to take the functional WiFi-enabled prototype into
production, Neuron Robotics Cooperative is looking to Kickstarter for
$35,000.

Starfish underwater Drone

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For the average person, the word drone likely brings one of several images to mind. One of those is the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles more commonly used by the military.

People with various levels of training and intelligence can now buy various versions of „copter“ drones, depending only on their budget. What logically follows are reports of people crashing their new toys (some costing $1,000 or more) into people or buildings, perhaps a testament to how little thought has gone into the idea.

Even Amazon is toying with the idea of using drones to deliver orders of laundry detergent or whatever it is that a conventional courier service can’t get to you fast enough before you run out.
The point is, when we think of drones, we typically think about one direction and that is up.

SheerTech, a Canadian industrial design company, is about to expand our directional thinking with a nifty little device that’s sure to be a hit with the underwater diving community.
It’s calling its invention the Starfish Underwater Quadradiver Robot and it won’t take you long to figure how this entirely capable device could quickly become an indispensable tool on a recreational dive boat (or any boat where fun and utility are the objective).

The Starfish—we’ll shorten the name from here on—connects its human operator on the surface with a 300-foot umbilical cord (which obviously defines how deep the device will go).
But as divers will already know, 300 feet is a long way down and there’s a good deal that can be done between the surface and that depth.
Connected to an IPad or Android device, the Starfish is naturally buoyant (which makes the surface set-up that much easier). The four 12-volt thruster motors are used to maneuver both downward and laterally and there’s a video camera as well as a maneuverable grappling hook capable of securing items weighing up to 500 pounds before the operator pulls the Starfish to the surface.

Mario Thibert, a master diver who once owned his own dive boat, is one who sees the potential of Starfish for the underwater diving community.
Writing on his website Thibert (http://www.crowdfunding-reviews.com) looked at Starfish from the diver’s perspective, and applauded the idea.
„This is not just a gadget for finding things at the bottom of the lake,“ writes Thibert. „This is a business.“
Thibert writes from experience, having owned a dive boat that operated on the St. Lawrence River, one of the busiest summer dive spots in the area off the province of Quebec, Canada.
„At the end of the day, we’d drive around in the boat near popular wrecks where there could be 150-200 divers on a weekend and we’d ‚drift‘ around where the boats would have been,“ Thibert writes. „People would drop things—a lot of stuff—when they were going down the moor line at a 45 degree angle and we’d pick up stuff like dive computers, BCDs, regulators, tanks, you name it.“

 

On the downside of that exercise, as divers well know, there’s a lot of work associated with just scouting around, not least of which is the need for a dive buddy.
With Starfish, trolling for treasure would become a lot easier—and potentially a lot more profitable.
Even at $2,000 per unit (the Kickstarter campaign runs until October 14) a dive community that’s accustomed to moderately hefty price tags will see the value.
Indeed, Thibert admits he paid $1,500 for a tethered camera alone.
„This is really an amazing product,“ he writes on his review site. „For a scuba diver, $2,000 is peanuts for something like this. There’s a lot of value here.“

The Starfish Underwater Quadradiver Robot is featured on Kickstarter (link https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1066181261/starfish-underwater-quadradiver-robot).

OpenROV releases Trident, a new affordable underwater drone.

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OpenROV launches Trident, an all-new, low-cost underwater consumer drone. Part of an ongoing mission to democratize ocean exploration, this model is simple enough to “plug in and go,” and capable enough to use for scientific research and serious exploration. Orders can be placed on Kickstarter starting today, September 14, 2015.

Trident - In Water (2)
OpenROV has already established a rich community of makers, explorers, and ocean enthusiasts with its popular OpenROV kits. The company began in 2012 when co-founders Eric Stackpole and David Lang came up with the design for an expedition to find gold lost in an underwater cave. Noticing there weren’t any affordable underwater ROVs on the market, they realized that they were tapping into a burgeoning trend that enabled citizen explorers and scientists.

 
Writes David Lang about this movement towards accessible research tools, “The cost of asking interesting questions and then sharing those results with the wider world has been drastically reduced. New discoveries can come from anyone, and from anywhere.”

 
The first OpenROV Kickstarter project was a big success – making almost $100,000 more than their $20,000 goal. Since then they have grown significantly, shipping over 1,700 OpenROVs to more than 32 countries around the world.

 
The Trident underwater drone weighs less than 3kg, and is small enough to fit in a backpack or underneath an airplane seat. It can dive to 100m depth. It’s hydrodynamic shape allows it to move both quickly and precisely. Trident sends live video back to the surface by way of a thin, neutrally buoyant tether, and is controlled by a laptop, smartphone or tablet at the surface.

 
Potential applications for Trident are numerous, including: marine biology projects, dive site surveys, boat inspections, and underwater exploration.

 
Trident’s unique shape and design make it ideal for projects such as 3D mapping that require it to move along transects – long straight lines for surveying large areas. The HD video stream allows the pilot to view the underwater world in a way that has never before been possible, and Trident’s ease of operation makes flying the robot fun and exciting for anyone – regardless of technical skill. The OpenROV team has spent the past three years designing, testing, and developing Trident with the end user in mind. Expected delivery is November 2016.

 
At his TEDx talk earlier this year, co-founder Eric Stackpole remarked, “I like to picture a world where hundreds of thousands of people have access to these kinds of tools for exploration. What happens when you put this kind of ability to explore the world in the hands of everybody?”

 
Trident is a giant step in that direction.

 

More information: http://openrov.com

Dexter Industries Launches First Ever Robot Subscription Service!

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GoBox is a GoPiGo Raspberry Pi robot with a new Mission and a new sensor delivered to your door every month, starting this Holiday 2015 season.

Washington, D.C. September 1, 2015 – Dexter Industries, an educational robotics company, today launched GoBox, their fourth Kickstarter project. GoBox is a monthly subscription of robot Missions that are designed for a child (ages 7 and up) to do with the help of an adult. The intent of GoBox is to make learning computer programming and technology accessible to everyone. It doesn’t require any prior knowledge of robotics, and takes you step-by-step through building your own robot and learning how to program it to do all kinds of cool things!

The first month’s GoBox Mission comes with a complete robot kit, the GoPiGo, for you to build and start learning how to program. The GoPiGo is based on the Raspberry Pi, a $35 single board computer developed by a UK foundation designed to teach young people how to program. Each month, subscribers will get a new sensor to attach to your GoPiGo robot, along with a Mission complete with beautiful illustrations and links to helpful videos.

This past Father’s Day, ten parent-child teams gathered at NOVA LABS, a community Makerspace in Reston, VA, to try GoBox for themselves. Parents of all skill levels worked side-by-side with their child to build their GoPiGo robot car, and decorate and program it to look and act like an animal of their choice. Within a few hours, there were cheetahs, bats, moths, and spiders crawling around the floor of the lab!

“I’ve really never done anything like this before with my son, and it was so easy and fun – I couldn’t believe it!” said participant Lily Griffin, mother of 12-year old Ryan.

Dave Bock, a software developer, came to get one of his triplets more interested in technology. “It was fun to see the creative side come out, along with learning technical concepts about motors and programming.”

Key Features of GoBox:
* No prior experience or knowledge required – beginners welcome!
* Monthly Missions that slowly build on each other and keep you engaged – the key to success!
* Missions use Scratch, an easy-to-use drag/drop language developed by MIT.


About Dexter Industries
Dexter Industries, a growing educational robotics company, was founded in 2010 by John Cole to develop products that make open source robotics technology more accessible to everyone.

GoBox Kickstarter link: www.DexterGoBox.com

More information on the GoPiGo Raspberry Pi robot car: http://www.dexterindustries.com/GoPiGo

“Matrix have a Formula for success with latest Kickstarter”

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West Yorkshire technology firm, Matrix Technology Solutions are poised to launch their first ever Kickstarter campaign with a state of the art robot buggy and robotics course they are hoping to launch early next year.

Formula AllCode as it is known, is a robotics course which includes a high spec, Bluetooth enabled robot compatible with Android, iOS, Windows and Raspberry Pi devices.

The project consists of:

  • The Formula AllCode robot itself
  • A FREE PDF course in robotics
  • Accessories used to learn including graphical mat and maze walls

Find out more here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/11644483/486244280?token=3567a2f2

Kickstarter is an online crowd funding website full of projects, big and small, that are brought to life through people’s direct support. Since launch in 2009, 9.1 million people have pledged more than $1.8 billion, funding 89,000 creative projects.

You can get behind the Formula AllCode Kickstarter and pledge your support when the project launches in early August. Keep an eye out at www.matrixtsl.com for more details.