LEGO has announced a low-end, tethered robotics system called “WeDO” designed to be used in classrooms of elementary-aged children. It won’t replace Mindstorms, but instead serve as an intermediate step between the more fully featured robotics platform and regular, non-robotic LEGO.
The WeDo system will be available at the first of the year. Prices have not yet been announced. I wonder if we could get together with LEGO and sponsor a few kits for some Brooklyn schools.
From their press release:
The complete LEGO WeDo package includes:
• 158 brightly colored LEGO elements, including gears, and levers
• One LEGO USB Hub connects directly to a Mac/PC laptop, desktop, OLPC XO or Intel Classmate
computer to allow control of hardware input (tilt and motion sensors) and output (motor),
thereby bringing models to life
• One motor, one motion sensor and one tilt sensor
• Dragâ€andâ€drop iconâ€based software that provides an intuitive and easyâ€toâ€use programming
environment suitable for beginners and experienced users alike, developed by a leading
provider of engineering hardware and software, National Instruments
• Activity pack CDâ€Rom provides up to 24 hours of instruction and includes 12 activities based on
four themes: Amazing Mechanisms, Wild Animals, Play Soccer and Adventure Stories. Running
alongside programming software, activities are introduced via animations. Teacher notes and
glossary are also included.
Press Release and additional info [Lego.com via Bros. Brick]
I remember in 3rd or 4th grade (somewhere around 1993) I signed up for an after-school program where we learned to program LEGO using Logo. Good memories, although I’m sure the stuff we were able pales to what is available now. But, I am a career programmer now. LEGO wasn’t my first introduction to programming, but it certainly didn’t hurt. I’d be happy to donate if you set up some kind of fundraiser.
Cool, Pork. My contact at LEGO said they think it’s an awesome idea and will get back to me next week about making it happen, if possible.
As a sysadmin/DBA/guy with a four-year-old stepson and a kid on the way, let me just say
WANT WANT WANT
Another DO WANT from me – I’m an early years education student so this is really exciting to me. I love that it’s been designed to incorporate a lot of the core curriculum areas, including literacy and language skills. And it just sounds like so much fun, which is so important.
brooklyn schmooklyn
let’s get these over to the progressive radical awesome east village community school pronto!!!!
Count me in both the “want” camp and the “will donate to put these in kids hands” bunch.
I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the FIRST Robotics program, but they introduced the FIRST Lego League 6 years ago, using lego mindstorms. I think it’d be great if they started up a third league for Elementary school students using these.
For the first time, I feel like I was born too early. I had Little People in preschool. My Legos came without elementary school funding.
my daughter is almost 1 year old. GROW UP FASTER DAMN YOU, SO I CAN BUY YOU LEGO ROBOTICS! and um, show you how to use it and that.