Algobrix - teaching children to play coding

Programming promotes thinking in children, shapes their intelligence and teaches them to act on algorithms. If the child has an analytical mindset, then studying at school and in higher education will not be a burden for her. Nevertheless, how do you teach your child to numbers, especially if you are a complete profaner in coding? It seems that the answer to this question has already been found. Today we head to Pittsburgh (USA), where Algobrix Coding Blocks has introduced an interesting Algobrix training game designed to teach your children programming, developing their algorithmic thinking, giving concepts about parameters, learning proper coding, helping with syntax, helping to learn and learning much more.

Features of the novelty

Kids between the ages of 4 and 14 are quite inquisitive and regular games will get boring soon. Computer games are also not a way out of the situation, because they do not instill thinking and do not develop logic. Their bulk is designed to pass approximately the same levels and solve common problems. Unfortunately, with the development of logic and solving the problems of the game, unable to cope. That is why toys and completely game sets have begun to emerge recently, teaching children how to code in a simple and accessible way.

Not so long ago, computer games appeared to be a very interesting thing, capable of taking them to a whole other level. Earlier, we talked about the portable gaming keyboard controller All-In-One - Power Vessel, which successfully combines QWERTY keyboard, joystick, mouse, Hi-Fi audio system, gamepad and is fully compatible with iOS, Android, Fire TV, Mii Box and Shield TV. The South Korean company FUNDIAN Team developed all this in a compact form factor (more about the unusual keyboard can be found at the link).

Today's novelty will teach children programming, guiding them through its main stages through motion control of a specialized robot. The producer company offers young programmers to start coding, without delving into the depths of numbers and conditions, and using specialized blocks that are put together by type of puzzle. Each time the condition is fulfilled, when the "Run" button of the control unit is pressed, the child will observe the result of his work. In this case, the novelty is compatible with all work on toys Lego.

There are also specialized works of Algobots in this game. Their design is made in the spirit of Lego toys and consists of blocks connected to each other. Each of the bots has a control unit responsible for interpreting the code. Thus, the robot can move forward, backward, rotate in place clockwise or anti-clockwise, make sounds or glow. The kit can include the following bots:

• AlgoBuddy - the simplest model, able to shine and make sounds;
• AlgoBeast - has a wheel and a trailer, can spin, play movements, make sounds;
• AlgoMonster - can "eat" elements of the designer with an improvised "mouth";
• Rooster - received a form of chicken can move and make sounds;
• AlgoStar - the most popular bot because it can move, make sounds, glow;
• AlgoDali - can draw, depending on the complexity of the program your baby will give him;
• AlgoCanon - has the shape of a tracked ATV, can feed and move blocks;
• Elevator - raises and lowers other figures due to the availability of special tanks for their capture and transfer;
• Pirate Ship - can also move blocks by lifting and lowering them to the desired height;
• Painter is a bot artist, more difficult than Dali is, as he draws figures on a special desk in a notebook.

Algobrix Brain is concentrated in a special rectangular block that connects to other blocks as well as to a computer. It includes special circuits that are responsible for its functions. Its dimensions were 25.7 * 80 * 64 mm. The details of the "entry" sensors include: light, with dimensions 24 * 32 * 9,6 mm (length * width * height); approximation, with parameters 32 * 48 * 28,8 mm; sound - 16 * 48 * 12,8 mm and touch - 48 * 16 * 19,2 mm. "Output" sensors include audio speakers - 32 * 48 * 12.8 mm (width * length * height) and LED lighting - 23 * 16 * 9.6 mm. They identify the functions that robots may have.

Functional blocks are inserted into a special foundation and determine what specifically Algobot will do - play, sound, stop, shine with a simple RGB light, shimmer with three RGB colors, wait, make simple movements, ride. There are special parts that multiply or summarize functions when added to the code, or those that force the same motion to be infinitely repeated. The functional block has dimensions - 55 * 55 * 25 mm (length * width * height). He also received his chip, which is responsible for the smooth running.

The parameter blocks are set to functional and determine how Algobot will perform this or that action. For example, a child wants the bot to glow for 2 seconds. To do this, it adds a parameter with the number "2" and determines the color that should light up. There are 15 units: Results, Operator, Signal, Reads Signal, Counter, Sound, Stop, LED, Color, Power, Motor, Duration, Freeze Motor, Move Robot, Robot. In case of incorrect assembly of the circuit, a red light begins to light on the function block when the parameter is set to the wrong socket. As a cheat sheet for each game is a diagram with the decoding of how to build properly a particular code.

Cards for games have several levels of training for young programmers: basic (includes training of functions, parameters, motors, sequences of commands and various movements); average (teaches integration of LEDs, cycles, multi-threading and navigation), advanced (shows how to properly solve complex problems of integrating sensors, pointers, the passage of complex missions). Exercise boards contain a map with drawn routes and exercises that young programmers must complete to complete successfully them.

Design and characteristics

The novelty has a stylish bright game design with a combination of different colors to keep kids interested: yellow, blue, white, pink, red, black, purple, orange, green. There are no other color variations.

Specifications:

• Type - an educational game for coding;
• Composition - works, functional blocks, parameter blocks, game cards, exercise boards;
• Bots - AlgoBuddy, AlgoBeast, AlgoMonster, Rooster, AlgoStar, AlgoDali, AlgoCanon, Elevator, Pirate Ship, Painter;
• Functional blocks - play, sound, stop, shine with a simple RGB light, shimmer with three RGB colors, wait, make simple movements, ride;
• Parameters - Results, Operator, Signal, Reads Signal, Counter, Sound, Stop, LED, Color, Power, Motor, Duration, Freeze Motor, Move Robot, Robot;
• Material - plastic;
• Compatibility - Lego, Arduino;
• Colors - yellow, blue, white, pink, red, black, purple, lilac, orange, green.

When it comes out and how much it will cost

The novelty raised 2307% more money than it had originally needed for its release. Production has started and the first deliveries should start in late summer - early autumn this year. Nothing is known about the date of entry into international markets. The estimated retail price of the starter kit is 1 285, the average retail price is 1 335, the expanded retail price is 1 415, and the fullest is 1 665.

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