Paul RiddenMay 30, 2014Kibo robot kit aims to teach young kids programming skills

The Kibo robot kit from KinderLab Robotics

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KinderLab Robotics has launched a new robot building and programming platform called Kibo that's designed for youngsters from 4 years and up. After customizing and personalizing a two-wheeled base unit, the kids can tell the robot what they want it to do by grabbing some colorful wooden blocks, putting them in order according to a specific function and scanning their bar codes into the base in sequence. Pressing a button will then start the program running and the robot creation springs to life.

Kibo is based on more than 15 years of research in learning technologies and child development, and sprouted from a project at Tufts University called Kiwi directed by professor Marina Umaschi Bers.

Together with tech industry veteran Mitch Rosenberg, she founded KinderLab Robotics and the newly-launched company received National Science Foundation funding in January of this year to look into taking Kiwi from hand-built prototype into commercial availability. For the final push to production, the Kibo team has turned to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.

"While there are robot kits available, they are designed by engineers and are made for children aged eight and upwards," Umaschi Bers explained. "From a developmental perspective, it’s important that children learn the basics behind programming and logic at an early age while engaging in open-ended play that encourages problem solving and experimentation. When you’re a five year-old, there’s not much you can build and control in your world, but with Kibo you can make a robot that looks and moves exactly the way you want it to."

The Kibo robot kit is designed for kids aged between four and seven. Its makers say that it not only appeals to children interested in technology and gadgetry, but also taps into arty types and those who enjoy making things using their hands. It allows young tinkerers to build a robot using supplied modular components, personalize it with art designs and then program it to do their bidding, without going anywhere near high end tech like computers, tablets or smartphones.

"It’s important that children grow up with the understanding that technology isn’t magic, but is something that they can learn to master," Rosenberg said.

A standard Kibo base has one motor for each of its two wheels, while a deluxe model gets a third motor on top that rotates a platform. All of the electronics of the battery-powered unit are housed in transparent plastic and are visible to the young robot builder. Each kit comes with colored wooden blocks sporting pictures, simple programming instructions and bar codes, which are put together in a sequence before being scanned into an optical reader to the front of Kibo's base to instruct the robot what actions to take, and in what order.

The mini-roboticist then presses a button and the Kibo follows the sequence of commands. "When it’s on, children can scan another beginning block and simply reprogram with a new program," the team told Gizmag. "To rerun, they press the single button again. It runs the most recently scanned program."

A Motion Kibo kit is being pitched to Kickstarter backers at US$219, and includes the robot body with two motor modules and two wheels, 12 wooden coding blocks and five cards to control the device's motion and sound. Other pledge levels include a deluxe kit with light, distance and sound sensors, 17 wooden blocks and 14 cards for $349, and an activity package for teaching robotics to small groups for $1,000.

If all goes according to plan, the first Kibo kits will be shipped out in November. Parents and teachers will also be given access to online and hard copy support materials, including design journals, worksheets and suggested games.

Team Kibo's pitch video is below.

Sources: KinderLab Robotics, Kickstarter

玩具机器人套件Kibo，编程天赋就要从小培养

kibo机器人套件，旨在从kinderlab机器人

图片教孩子编程skills

Kibo套件（4幅）
kinderlab机器人已经推出了一个新的机器人大厦和编程平台“基博的设计从4年的年轻人。在定制和个性化的一二轮的基本单位，孩子们可以告诉他们想要做什么抓住一些五颜六色的积木的机器人，把它们按特定的功能与扫描条形码为基础的序列。按下一个按钮，就会开始运行程序和机器人创造孕育生命。

Kibo是基于超过15年的研究学习技术和儿童发展，发芽在塔夫斯大学的一个项目被称为猕猴桃教授领导的滨海umaschi BER。

连同科技业资深人士罗森伯格，她创办kinderlab机器人和新推出的公司获得了美国国家科学基金会的资助在今年一月调查从手工建造的原型为商业可用性以猕猴桃。在生产的最后一推，Kibo团队转向了众筹平台Kickstarter。

”虽然有机器人套件可用，他们是设计工程师，是由八及以上年龄的孩子，“umaschi Bers解释。”从发展的角度看，孩子们学习的基础知识背后的编程和逻辑在一个早期的年龄，同时从事开放式游戏，鼓励解决问题和实验。当你一五岁，你没有什么可以建立和控制你的世界，但希望你能做一个机器人，外表和动作正是你想要的方式。”

Kibo套件是专为孩子们年龄在四和七。它的制造商说，它在技术和设备的兴趣吸引孩子不仅，而且水龙头到附庸风雅的类型和那些喜欢用自己的双手制作东西。它允许年轻人通过提供模块化组件构建一个机器人，个性化的艺术设计，然后进行编程来执行命令，而不去附近的高端技术如计算机、平板电脑或智能手机。

“重要的是孩子成长的理解，技术不是魔术，但是他们可以学习的主人，”罗森伯格说。

标准基博基地有一个电机，两车轮，而豪华型的三分之一电机旋转平台上。电池供电单位的所有电子设备都装在透明塑料中，对年轻的机器人来说是可见的。每个包都有彩色积木体育图片，简单的编程指令和条形码，这是放在一个序列之前被扫描到Kibo基地指导机器人采取什么样的行动前光学阅读器，以什么样的顺序。

迷你机器人然后按下一个按钮和基博如下命令序列。”当它在一开始，孩子们可以扫描块和简单的编程的一个新的计划，“球队告诉Gizmag。”再次，他们按单按钮。它最近扫描程序。”

运动Kibo套件被抛到Kickstarter的支持者在219美元，包括机器人本体两电机模块和两个轮子，12个木制的编码块和五卡控制设备的运动和声音。其他的承诺水平的包括光豪华套件，距离和声音传感器，17木块和14张349美元，和一个活动包教学机器人小组1000美元。

如果一切按计划进行，第一Kibo套件将在十一月运出。家长和老师也将提供在线和硬拷贝的支持材料，包括设计期刊，工作表和建议的游戏。

团队Kibo沥青下面的视频。