WeDo Robotics for Children - LEGO & NI

NI and LEGO has introduced the new LEGO Education WeDo classroom robotics platform, which is powered by NI’s LabVIEW graphical design software. LEGO Education WeDo is a new product that facilitates a hands-on, minds-on learning experience that redefines robotics for elementary school. Using WeDo software, students of ages 7 to 11 can build their own robots, and also learn basic programming skills. WeDo software operates on the Intel Classmate PC (Windows XP), the One Laptop per Child XO (Linux), PC (Windows XP or Vista) and Mac (Apple Mac).

LEGO Education WeDo for Children

LEGO Education WeDo encourages teachers to issue curriculum based challenges that students must solve. WeDo is designed to cover a broad range of curriculum areas, topics covered include:

• Language and literacy: narrative and journalistic writing, storytelling, explaining, interviewing and interpreting
• Mathematics: measuring time and distance; adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, estimating, randomness; using variables
• Science: working with simple machines, gears, levers, pulleys; transmission of motion
• Technology: programming; using software media; designing and creating a working model

LEGO WeDo Airplane

Working in teams, the children invent their own solution by building a LEGO model and programming it to perform a certain task. Cause and effect learning is enhanced by the models remaining tethered to a computer; similar to scientists in working labs, children can test and adjust their programming in real time. After reflecting on what did and did not work students can consult with peers, adapt programming, adjust models or begin again.

LEGO WeDo Package

The complete package of LEGO Education WeDo includes:

• 158 LEGO brightly colored elements, including gears, and levers
• One LEGO USB Hub connects directly to a PC, standard, XO or Classmate laptop 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
• Drag and drop icon based software that provides an intuitive and easy‐to‐use programming environment suitable for beginners and experienced users alike
• Activity pack CD-Rom provides up to 24 hours of instruction and includes 12 activities based on four themes: Soccer, Adventure Stories, Wild Animal Park and Mechanical Toys. Running alongside programming software, activities are introduced via animations. Teacher notes and glossary are also included.

LEGO WeDo Software

Designed to serve children in both emerging and developed markets, LEGO Education WeDo will first be available in the United States and Brazil beginning January 1, 2009. Further market launch dates have not been solidified.

References:

• http://www.lego.com/education/download/FinalWeDoLaunchPressRelease063008_2.pdf
• http://www.lego.com/education/download/Flyer_WeDo_9580_US.pdf
• http://www.lego.com/education/download/WeDoFactSheet_v1.pdf
• http://www.ni.com/wedo