VEX Robotics hat VEXcode für ein neues Jahr des Programmierens aktualisiert! VEXcode 4.0 für VEX IQ,VEX EXP und VEX V5 bringt den Benutzern einige aufregende neue Funktionen! Diese Bemühungen zielen darauf ab, die Benutzererfahrung zu optimieren und zusätzliche Optionen für die Barrierefreiheit zu unterstützen. Entdecken Sie die neuen Funktionen für jede Plattform unten und in den begleitenden VEX Library-Artikel!
Neue Funktionen in VEXcode IQ 4.0
VEXcode IQ 4.0 führt wichtige Updates ein. Zu den bemerkenswerten Ergänzungen gehören Switch Blocks, die einen nahtlosen Übergang von blockbasierter zu textbasierter Codierung auf einem physischen Roboter ermöglichen, verbesserte Speicher- und Ladefunktionen für webbasierte VEXcodeund neue Barrierefreiheitsoptionen wie „Blöcke vorlesen“. Diese Updates wurden entwickelt, um die Benutzererfahrung zu optimieren und Anfänger und fortgeschrittene Benutzer zu unterstützen.
VEXcode EXP 4.0 bietet umfassende Updates, die das Bildungserlebnis für Lehrer und Schüler verbessern sollen. Diese Version bietet volle Unterstützung für den CTE Workcell, der eine nahtlose Integration von Industrierobotik in den Unterricht ermöglicht. Die neue Funktion „Blöcke wechseln“ ermöglicht einen reibungslosen Übergang von blockbasierter zu textbasierter Codierung und erleichtert so fortgeschrittenes Lernen. Darüber hinaus ermöglichen webbasierte drahtlose Projekt-Downloads effizientere Arbeitsabläufe, indem sie es Benutzern ermöglichen, direkt über ihren Webbrowser eine Verbindung zu einem EXP Brain herzustellen. Verbesserte Barrierefreiheitsfunktionen wie (Vor-)Leseblöcke,anpassbare Stimmen und kontrastreiche Themen machen VEXcode inklusiver und benutzerfreundlicher. Der aktualisierte AI Vision Sensor unterstützt jetzt AprilTags und AI Classifications, wodurch die autonomen Fähigkeiten verbessert werden. Mit diesen Verbesserungen unterstützt VEXcode EXP 4.0 weiterhin eine breite Palette von Bildungsanforderungen, von Anfängern bis hin zu fortgeschrittenen Roboterprogrammierungen.
VEX Robotics updated VEXcode for a new year of coding! VEXcode 4.0 for VEX IQ, VEX EXP, and VEX V5 brings users some exciting new features! These efforts aim to streamline user experience and support added accessibility options. Explore the new features for each platform below and in their accompanying VEX Library articles!
New Features in VEXcode IQ 4.0
VEXcode IQ 4.0 introduces major updates. Notable additions include Switch Blocks, which enable a seamless transition from block-based to text-based coding on a physical robot, enhanced save and load features for web-based VEXcode, and new accessibility options like Read Blocks Aloud. These updates are designed to streamline the user experience and support beginners and advanced users.
VEXcode EXP 4.0 offers comprehensive updates designed to elevate the educational experience for teachers and students. This release includes full support for the CTE Workcell, enabling seamless integration of industrial robotics into the classroom. The new Switch Blocks feature allows for a smooth transition from block-based to text-based coding, facilitating advanced learning. Additionally, web-based wireless project downloads enable more efficient workflows by allowing users to connect to an EXP Brain directly from their web browser. Enhanced accessibility features like Read Blocks Aloud, customizable voices, and high-contrast themes make VEXcode more inclusive and user-friendly. The updated AI Vision Sensor now supports AprilTags and AI Classifications, enhancing autonomous capabilities. With these enhancements, VEXcode EXP 4.0 continues to support a wide range of educational needs, from introducing beginners to advanced robotic programming.
• Stilvolles Design: Der Oberkörper wurde stilvoller gestaltet, mit versteckten Schrauben und Motoren und ohne lose Kabel.
• Einfachere Montage: Die neue Version bietet eine einfachere Montage.
• Verstärkte Motoren: Die Schultern sind jetzt mit stärkeren Motoren ausgestattet.
• Verbesserte Imitationsfunktion: Zuvor konnte pib nur horizontalen Bewegungen folgen. Die aktualisierte Version kann nun auch vertikale Bewegungen verfolgen.
• Aufgerüstete Elektronik: Die Elektronik wurde auf einen Raspberry Pi 5 aufgerüstet.
• Dockerisierung: pib ist jetzt dockerisiert, was die Installation auf verschiedenen Softwaresystemen ermöglicht. Dies war ein Community-Erfolg, insbesondere während im Rahmen des letzten Hackathons.
• Digitaler Zwilling: Ein digitaler Zwilling wurde entwickelt, der Simulationen und maschinelles Lernen ermöglicht.
Kontinuität und Kompatibilität
Nicht alles hat sich geändert. Die Kamera und das Display bleiben gleich, und es wurde darauf geachtet, die Kompatibilität mit der vorherigen Version zu erhalten. Aktualisierte Tutorials werden vorbereitet, um eine einfache Montage sicherzustellen.
Das Meetup hatte auch einen Gastredner von EduArt Robotik, der EduArt, den Roboter, vorstellte. Nach den Präsentationen und Diskussionen ließen die Teilnehmer den Abend gemeinsam bei Pizza und Getränken ausklingen und nutzten die Chance, sich mit anderen Robotik-Enthusiasten auszutauschen.
At the last Robotics Meetup Nuremberg, significant updates about the humanoid robot pib were announced: a new version is set to be released in August.
Changes from Last Year’s Version:
• Stylish Design: The upper body has been redesigned to be more stylish, with hidden screws and motors, and no loose cables.
• Easier Assembly: The new version offers simpler assembly.
• Enhanced Motors: The shoulders are now equipped with stronger motors.
• Improved Imitation Feature: Previously, pib could only follow horizontal movements. The updated version can also follow vertical movements.
• Upgraded Electronics: The electronics have been upgraded to a Raspberry Pi 5.
• Dockerization: pib is now dockerized, allowing installation on various software systems. This was a community effort, especially during the last hackathon.
• Digital Twin: A digital twin has been developed, enabling simulations and machine learning.
Continuity and Compatibility
Not everything has changed. The camera and display remain the same, and efforts have been made to maintain compatibility with the previous version. Updated tutorials are being prepared to ensure easy assembly.
The meetup also featured a guest speaker from EduArt Robotik, who introduced EduArt, the robot. After the presentations and discussions, everyone enjoyed pizza and drinks while networking with fellow robotics enthusiasts.
Update for the AI system IDS NXT: cameras can now also detect anomalies
In quality assurance, it is often necessary to reliably detect deviations from the norm. Industrial cameras have a key role in this, capturing images of products and analysing them for defects. If the error cases are not known in advance or are too diverse, however, rule-based image processing reaches its limits. By contrast, this challenge can be reliably solved with the AI method Anomaly Detection. The new, free IDS NXT 3.0 software update from IDS Imaging Development Systems makes the method available to all users of the AI vision system with immediate effect.
The intelligent IDS NXT cameras are now able to detect anomalies independently and thereby optimise quality assurance processes. For this purpose, users train a neural network that is then executed on the programmable cameras. To achieve this, IDS offers the AI Vision Studio IDS NXT lighthouse, which is characterised by easy-to-use workflows and seamless integration into the IDS NXT ecosystem. Customers can even use only „GOOD“ images for training. This means that relatively little training data is required compared to the other AI methods Object Detection and Classification. This simplifies the development of an AI vision application and is well suited for evaluating the potential of AI-based image processing for projects in the company.
Another highlight of the release is the code reading function in the block-based editor. This enables IDS NXT cameras to locate, identify and read out different types of code and the required parameters. Attention maps in IDS NXT lighthouse also provide more transparency in the training process. They illustrate which areas in the image have an impact on classification results. In this way, users can identify and eliminate training errors before a neural network is deployed in the cameras.
IDS NXT is a comprehensive AI-based vision system consisting of intelligent cameras plus software environment that covers the entire process from the creation to the execution of AI vision applications. The software tools make AI-based vision usable for different target groups – even without prior knowledge of artificial intelligence or application programming. In addition, expert tools enable open-platform programming, making IDS NXT cameras highly customisable and suitable for a wide range of applications.
Updates Include Imprint® Smart Mapping for Roomba i3 Series, Siri Commands, Clothing & Towel Detection for Roomba j7 Series
BEDFORD, Mass., March 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), a leader in consumer robots, today announced that it has started rolling out its iRobot Genius 4.0 Home Intelligence software update to Wi-Fi connected Roomba® robot vacuum and Braava jet® robot mop customers. The company is on a mission to design superior cleaning experiences that go beyond just smart. iRobot Genius 4.0 is the next step in transforming the smart home into a thoughtful home.
With the iRobot Genius 4.0 update and Imprint Smart Mapping, customers can now create customizable Smart Maps for their Roomba i3 and i3+ robot vacuums, enabling them to send their robot to clean specific rooms via the iRobot Home app or through their preferred voice assistant.
iRobot Genius 4.0 includes updates that provide powerful new functionality, like Imprint® Smart Mapping for Roomba i3 and i3+ customers, as well as customization and convenience features like Room-Specific Cleaning Preferences, Siri Shortcut Integration, Child & Pet Lock, and Do Not Disturb. The update also expands the list of objects the Roomba j Series can recognize and avoid to include clothing and towels.
The company also announced that the Roomba i3 and i3+ will be sold as the Roomba i3 EVO and Roomba i3+ EVO robot vacuums in the Americas moving forward. These Roomba i3 models automatically include the Imprint Smart Mapping update and are being sold at a new, lower retail price, starting at $349 USD for the Roomba i3 EVO and $549 USD for the Roomba i3+ EVO.
„The beauty of iRobot Genius is that our robots get smarter over time and continuously provide customers with new ways to clean where, when and how they want,“ said Keith Hartsfield, chief product officer at iRobot. „As iRobot develops new features and experiences, the updates are pushed out to customers‘ robots at no cost. From the day a customer welcomes a Roomba robot vacuum or Braava jet robot mop into their home, they know that they’ll always benefit from new features and functionality. They are also getting a robot that works harder for them, so they don’t have to. With more than 60 million personalized recommendations provided to customers to date, our robots are proven to learn, respect and work around individual schedules and needs.“
The iRobot Genius 4.0 update delivers these thoughtful mapping, voice and app features across iRobot’s Wi-Fi connected robot lineup:
Tell Roomba i3 and i3+ to Clean the Rooms You Want: With double the intelligence provided by Imprint Smart Mapping, customers can now create customizable Smart Maps for their Roomba i3 and i3+ robot vacuums, enabling them to send their robot to clean specific rooms1 via the iRobot Home app or through their preferred voice assistant. They can also now receive estimated cleaning times and create cleaning routines based on their preferred schedules, rooms and automations. This update is available to Roomba i3 and i3+ customers in the Americas and APAC now and is expected to be available in EMEA by the end of Q3 2022.
Clean Each Room the Way You Want: Everyone’s home is unique, with individual rooms varying in size, flooring, furniture and traffic level. That’s why users who own Imprint Smart Mapping-capable robots2 will have more control of how their robot cleans with Room-Specific Cleaning Preferences. Need your Roomba to take an extra pass in the entryway where shoes are kept but quickly clean other rooms? No problem. Looking for your Braava jet m6 to dispense more cleaning solution when tackling the kitchen, but not in the hallway? You’ll be able to do that too.
Use Siri to Clean – Everywhere: With approximately 600 supported Alexa® and Google Assistant® commands, robots that can be scheduled to clean specific rooms with your voice, and the only robots that can be told to clean specific areas like around the kitchen counter, iRobot is expanding its market-leading voice capabilities to include Siri. After all, you should have choices when it comes to verbally communicating with your robot, and with Siri Shortcut Integration, you’ll get just that. Like existing Alexa ® or Google Assistant ® shortcuts in the iRobot Home App, owners of Wi-Fi connected Roomba robot vacuums and Braava jet robot mops who use an iOS device will have the option to connect their robot to Siri in the iRobot Home App. Want to vacuum your whole home? Set up your own custom phrase, and just say „Hey Siri, ask Roomba to clean everywhere.“
No More Accidental Starts: Has Fido ever accidentally started your robot? Or maybe a curious child unintentionally found the robot’s „Clean“ button? Problem solved with Child & Pet Lock via the iRobot Home App, an option that temporarily disables the physical „Clean“ button on Wi-Fi connected Roomba and Braava jet robots.3 Once activated, the robots can only be controlled through the iRobot Home App, eliminating the need to quickly end an accidental start.
Never Be Distracted or Woken Up: Introducing iRobot’s NAP Commitment (Never Awake People or Pets). With the Do Not Disturb feature, customers can use the iRobot Home App to define windows of time in which the robot should not run, whether that be when someone is asleep or in a meeting. Do Not Disturb provides peace of mind that your robot will respect life’s quiet times. This feature has been rolled out to existing customers globally.
Less Clean-Up Before You Clean Up: Having already avoided 3 million objects in people’s homes since being introduced last year, the Roomba j7 and j7+ will also be able to detect and avoid clothing and towels left on the floor, letting customers feel confident the job will get done without needing to pick them up beforehand. These objects expand the visual vocabulary of the Roomba j7 and j7+, which already recognizes and avoids shoes, socks, cords, headphones, and pet waste. iRobot will continue enabling the Roomba j7 Series to identify and avoid even more objects that might prevent mission completion over time.
Availability:
All iRobot Genius 4.0 software updates will be rolling out globally to Wi-Fi connected Roomba and Braava jet customers through the end of June 2022 with the exception of Do Not Disturb, which is now available globally, and Imprint Smart Mapping for Roomba i3 and i3+, which is now available for customers in the Americas and APAC regions – and expected to be available for customers in EMEA by the end of Q3 2022.
The Roomba i3+ EVO robot vacuum with Clean Base® Automatic Dirt Disposal is available for purchase immediately in the U.S. and Canada starting at $549 USD on www.irobot.com and at select retailers. The Roomba i3 EVO robot vacuum can also be purchased without the Clean Base starting at $349 on www.irobot.com and at select retailers.
