Paul RiddenJanuary 15, 2015Wigl bot moves to music, teaches kids to program

When Wigl's built-in microphone registers a recognized note in auto mode, the bot responds by lighting its LEDs and moving in a specific way

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Building and playing with robots can be a whole lot of fun for kids of all ages, but making the robot do your bidding by creating lines and lines of code can be a bit, well, dull. Wigl takes a different approach. Rather than generate commands using a smartphone or computer, young programmers just need to pick up an instrument and hit the right note. The little bot then responds with bustin' moves, flashing lights or special dances.

Electrical engineer Vivek Mano built the first Wigl prototype in July 2013 and then started testing the concept at a school in Portland, Oregon.

"I want to effectively alter the way kids approach learning," Mano told Gizmag. "Seeing a child's eyes light up when they realize that sound that they're making (via musical instrument) can control something is powerful. It's not something they're used to. That gets them curious as to what else is possible and (hopefully) will lead them down that rabbit hole."

When Wigl's built-in microphone registers a recognized note in auto mode, the bot responds by lighting its LEDs and moving in a specific way thanks to the battery-powered electric motors driving its wheels. The note A played on a recorder or flute, for example, might move it forward, a C could result in a right turn or a D might put it in reverse. Mano says that Wigl can register notes from any instrument that produces musical notes, though it's unable to "distinguish individual notes from percussive instruments, such as drums."

In programming mode, the bot sits still and listens to the notes being played. The toots or twangs instruct Wigl on what actions to perform when the "enter" note is played. Kids learn the basics of programming and problem solving by working out how to instruct Wigl to make its way around an obstacle course or reverse into a parking space. Different notes result in different actions, and planning the order of those notes makes Wigl move in specific ways. The system also encourages robot-controlling musicians to play better. If Wigl hears a bum note, it doesn't perform as expected or doesn't move at all.

After 18 months of hands-on time with kids in schools, museums and exhibitions, Mano took his idea to crowdfunding portal Indiegogo in November last year. Unfortunately, the project failed to reach the US$10,000 target at campaign close. Development, however, continues.

Mano currently has fully-functional Wigl alpha units that are used for demos, presentations and events. He told us that he's working with an industrial designer on the bot's outer plastic housing and "recently won TiE Pitchfest and is using that momentum to start exploring funding opportunities."

He's also working on creating content for schools to complement the robot in a 6 - 8 week course, geared towards alternative elementary education establishments like Waldorf and Montessori.

"In the immediate future, I hope to raise $50,000 to get Wigl to production (plastics tooling, electronics, etc)," he told us. "With this seed money, I can better approach schools with technology programs that are interested in more creative approaches to learning. We have two paths ahead of us:

a) Sell Wigl as a stand-alone, pre-built robot. This is geared more towards the home consumer and music schools and would be closed-source.

b) Sell Wigl as a kit to be built, along with a curriculum that ties in many different subjects. This would involve open-sourcing the hardware and software, and would most likely incorporate the Arduino bootloader for ease. Arduino code is very similar to C code (almost interchangeable at some points) and is a highly marketable skill to learn."

More information on the project is available via the source link below, and you can see Wigl trying its best to dance to bagpipe music in the video below.

Source: Wigl

Wigl机器人：教熊孩子写代码玩乐器

保罗riddenjanuary 15，2015wigl BOT移动音乐，教孩子program
当wigl的内置麦克风注册认可注意在自动模式，BOT的回应是照明LED和移动在一个特定的方式< / P >图像画廊（10张）
建筑和玩机器人可以为所有年龄段的孩子有很多乐趣，但使机器人执行你的命令创建一行行的代码有点，嗯，平淡。wigl采取一种不同的方法。而不是生成命令使用智能手机或电脑，年轻的程序员只需要拿起一个仪器，并打正确的说明。小机器人然后响应美国的举动，闪烁的灯光或特殊的舞蹈。

电气工程师维韦克马诺建于2013七月第一wigl原型，然后开始在波特兰、俄勒冈的一所学校的概念测试。

“我想有效地改变孩子的方法方式学习，“Mano告诉Gizmag。”看到孩子的眼睛亮起来，当他们意识到，他们正在制造的声音（通过乐器）可以控制的东西是强大的。这不是他们所用的东西。让他们好奇的是，什么是可能的，（希望）将带领他们沿着兔子洞。”

当wigl的内置麦克风注册认可注意在自动模式，BOT的回应是照明LED和移动在一个特定的方式，由于电池供电的电动马达驱动它的轮子。例如，在一个录音机或长笛上演奏的音符，可能会向前移动，一个可以导致一个正确的旋转，也可以把它放在相反的。马诺说wigl可以注册记录任何产生音符的乐器，尽管它无法“区分个人笔记的打击乐器，如鼓。”

在编程模式下，机器人坐着听音符演奏。根或鼻音指导wigl上执行什么操作的时候，“进入”的音符。孩子们学习基本的编程和解决问题的工作，如何指导wigl使其周围障碍物或反成停车场。不同的音符产生不同的行为，并规划这些笔记中的秩序是以特定的方式移动wigl。该系统还鼓励机器人控制音乐人玩得更好。如果wigl听到一个流浪汉的注意，它没有达到预期效果或根本不运动。

< P > 18个月后的实践的时间与孩子们在学校、博物馆和展览，马诺把他的想法众筹门户网站Indiegogo去年十一月。不幸的是，该项目未能达到10000美元的目标，在活动结束。的发展，然而，仍在继续。

马诺目前拥有功能齐全的wiglα单位，用于演示，演示和事件。他告诉我们，他对BOT的外层塑料外壳和“最近获得的领带pitchfest工业设计师的工作是利用这一势头开始探索资金的机会。”

他也努力创造内容为学校补充机器人在6 - 8周的课程，面向基础教育设施替代华尔和蒙台梭利。

“在不久的将来，我希望能筹到50000美元，获得wigl生产（塑料模具，电子产品，等等），”他告诉我们。”有了这个种子的钱，我可以更好地接近学校的技术方案，有兴趣在更有创造性的方法来学习。我们面前有两条路：< / P >
一）出售wigl作为一个独立的、预先建立的机器人。这是面向更多的家庭消费和音乐学校将关闭源。

B）出售wigl作为包被建造，随着一个课程，许多不同学科的关系。这就涉及到开源硬件和软件，并将最有可能把Arduino Bootloader缓解。Arduino的代码是C代码非常相似（在某些点上几乎可以互换）是一个高度市场化的技能学习。”

更多信息项目是通过源的链接，你可以看到wigl努力在下面的视频<<风笛音乐舞蹈。/ P >

来源：wigl

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