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Makeblock Motionblock Robot Kit review

REVIEW – I have always been a fan of all things robotic, and it seems that my 5-year-old son has the same addiction. Over the past 2 years, I have probably purchased over a dozen robots for him. This time around, I got the chance to test and review the Makeblock Motionblock Robot Kit which is much too advanced for my son, so now daddy gets to have some fun!!

What is it?

Featuring a modular and programmable design this Motionblock kit makes robot building easy and fun, including the capability to build and design beyond the designs included in the user guide. The parts in the kit include intelligent servos for fluid and flexible movement. You can construct a Mechanical Arm Synchronizer that allows you to have the robot mimic movements and you can use the built-in motion recording function to teach your robot predetermined actions. Makeblock also provides a free app and coding software that adds to the limitless possibilities.

What’s in the box

This kit comes with a main outer box that contains two inner boxes labeled Box 1 and Box 2.


Box 1
1 x User Guide
1 x Quick Start Guide
Rotating Block
3 x Suction Cup
1 x Upper Cover
1 x Lower Cover
Mechanical Claw
1 x Pen Holder
1 x Upper Cover
1 x Lower Cover
1 x Left Claw
1 x Right Claw
1 x Bevel Clever
Wheels
2 x Accelerator
2 x Ornament
6 x Slave Axis
6 x Master Axis
6 x Wheel
Swinging Blocks Wrappers
4 x Upper Cover
4 x Lower Cover
4 x U-Shaped Ornament
4 x Silicone Sleeve
8 x Silicone Case
4 x Servo Adapter
Controls
1 x Master Control
5 x Servo
1 x Battery
1 x Charging Stand


Box 2
Ornament
2 x Armor Set
2 x Fist
1 x Foot
Ejection Block
1 x Balls Container
1 x Cover
5 x EVA Balls
1 x Baffle
1 x Lower Cover
1 x Upper Cover
1 x Barrel
1 x 70MM Ball
1 x Putter
1 x Lever
Connectors
5 x Extension Block
10 x Small Dovetail Slot
2 x Double-sided Small Dovetail Slot
2 x LEGO Adapter
12 x Dovetail Slot Adapter
3 x 2-in-1 Adapter
Synchronizer
8 x Silicone case
5 x Rotary Angle Sensor
3 x Rectangular Connector
3 x Limiter
2 x L-Shaped Connector
2 x Buckle
Accessory
10 x 10cm Servo Cable Connector
10 x 20cm Servo Cable Connector
5 x 25cm Servo Cable Connector
1 x 50cm Servo Cable Connector
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Toolbox

Design and features

Specifications
Master Control: Bluetooth module, 12 × 16 LED dot screen, servo expansion interface × 4, micro USB port × 1
Support OS: iOS, Android, Windows, and MAC
Connection: Bluetooth, USB cable
Power: Lithium battery
Working Voltage: 5V
Battery Capacity: 7.4V 1500mAh
Number of Servos: 5
Materials and Parts: ABS+PC
Operating Temperature: 0°C~50°C
Accessories: Micro USB Cable, rubber cable, battery charger, rudder adapter plate
Package Dimension: 476 × 156 × 410 mm

The Makeblock Motionblock Robot Kit comes with two main boxes that make up the entire kit, and within those two boxes, there are a large number of parts. This kit is somewhat difficult to describe in detail since you almost have to see it to get a sense of all that can be designed/constructed, from the models in the user guide and also from your imagination. Here are some of the main features:

  • More Fun with 10+ Forms: Build one of the ten cool preset forms, such as Fighter, Gorilla, Dog, Robotic Arm, etc., or even create whatever you can imagine exploring tons of fun.
  • High-Performance Intelligent Servos: The intelligent servos geared in MotionBlock makes it easily imitate behaviors of many animals and perform task high stability of control and strong capacity of bearing.
  • Easy to Build and Transform: With dovetail groove design, kids can easily create different robot shapes or change the angles and numbers of the modules as they imagine.
  • Control Mode with Synchronizer: Robot can be manually controlled to move and act as intended with Synchronizer without using any software.
  • Free App to Control and Code: With Makeblock App and mBlock 5, programming your MotionBlock with Scratch is as simple as stacking building bricks. For the mBlock 5 on PC-end, you also convert your Scratch code to Python with just a simple click on your Devices.

All of the parts are made to fit perfectly with each other, and with the additional coding ability, innovative designs and movements can be created.

Performance

When you first open the boxes that make up this kit the view of the parts is both impressive and intimidating. The only way to approach this is to dive right in.

The first thing that I did was to download the app. I use an iPhone, and I had to search for it via the app store because my scanner had a problem reading the QR Code provided in the manual. I do think that the issue is with the printed QR Code. Once you install the app and click on it, it shows you the various initial models that you can build, and you can just click on whichever one you decide. Here are a few screenshots from the app:








Your selection takes you through detailed steps to build your robot model. The instructions are clear and very easy to follow. There are many steps and building the robot takes some time. I think I took a bit over 2 hours to build the arm. After the final step, the app then guides you through the Bluetooth connections steps and then the operational steps. In my case of building the mechanical robot arm, there were almost 70 steps. Since it is not possible to include all of the steps in this review, I am showing a few photos below from the process:








When I used the app to control the arm, it would initially work as designed, but once the arm was bent more than approximately 15 degrees past straight vertical, it would flop to the ground, in my case the lowest position was the table surface, and I would get the following error in the app:

I also built the Mechanical Arm Synchronizer to control the arm and to see some synchronized movements.


Controlling some movements worked well, but as soon as I increased the bending angle, the arm would fall. In my personal opinion, the Servo motors need more power and more resistance once powered so that they can support the weight of the arm as the gravitational force acts on it once the angle changes.

The following is a test video of the Mechanical Arm Synchronizer controlling the robotic arm:

What I like

  • The build quality
  • The creative options for robotic models
  • The functionality concept

What I’d change

  • The strength and resistance of the servo motors

Final thoughts

I love most things robotic and while I do think that this is a great kit, my first impression is mixed. I love the concept and my first builds were mostly successful except for controlling the robotic arm once gravity steps in. I am not sure if a firmware upgrade can fix this and if so if one is available. I am also not sure if I am operating it 100% correctly, but then again, this is a test and review from a regular customer like myself. This kit has tons of possibilities and I will be exploring many more build options. I have to say that the overall quality of the parts is good. The only issue I encountered with the quality of the parts was a damaged silicone cover as shown below. The one on the right is the way it is supposed to be.
Since this is only a cover, it has no operational impact. Overall, I am enjoying this kit, and looking forward to upgrades from Makeblock.

Price: $499
Where to buy: Makeblock website
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Makeblock

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Makeblock Motionblock Robot Kit review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 25, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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PlayShifu Plugo STEM kit review


REVIEW – Earlier this year, my son was diagnosed with ADHD, and since then I have been in pursuit of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) type kits and devices to aid in his growth, learning, and expression. It was very obvious that his creativity was one of his strong skills. He has the ability to put together or to fix just about any assortment of parts that seem unrelated to many but in fact do belong together. I have purchased a few different STEM kits and after seeing him actually become attentive for very long periods of time, I have been seeking as many kits of this type as I can possibly acquire. I am elated that I have the opportunity to test and review the PlayShifu Plugo STEM kit. Here is a summary of my experience with it.

What is it?

The PlayShifu Plugo is described by the manufacturer as “An AR gaming system to stimulate STEM skills”. The entire suite offers the power of AR and education combined in 5 gaming kits: Quest, Count, Link, Steer, and Piano.
This kit contains the Plugo Count which stimulates your child’s interest to solve mathematical questions and the Plugo Link which uses magnetic hexagon building blocks in the form of games to stimulate your child’s mental abilities with puzzles and constructional challenges. It is recommended for ages 5+.

What’s in the box





1 x Plugo Count Set
Includes:
1 Count Spike
2 sets of 0-9 numerals
4 Operators
4 games on Plugo app

1 x Plugo Link Set
Includes:
15 Hexagon blocks
4 games on Plugo app

1 x Plugo Gamepad

Design and features


The PlayShifu Plugo kit parts are made of plastic. The Count kit comes with 2 sets of 10 blue numbered game pieces with numbers on each side. One side in white and one is brown.

It also comes with two additional yellow pieces with a plus, minus, divide and subtract symbols, one symbol per side are included with each set of number pieces.


The Count central base piece is yellow and connects magnetically to the gamepad. One side has brown dots to direct how the piece should be used based on the game requirements and the side of the game pieces that should be used.


The gamepad is blue and folds out flat. On one end there is the spring-loaded mobile device holder that accepts the tablet or the phone. On the back, there is a purple PlayShifu logo.

Performance

Setting up the Plugo is very easy. Once you lay the gamepad flat and insert the tablet/phone into the spring loaded device holder slot the gamepad is ready to go. You then download the PlayShifu Plugo app and follow the setup instructions. Despite the compatibility instructions, I decided to try my 2nd generation iPad first because it is the only 9″ iPad in the home. The others that I have are 12.9″. I also knew that the IOS version was older but I gave it a shot and it initially worked all the way through the setup. It is only when I tried to play the games that the app crashed every time and I eventually had to reluctantly switch to my iPhone. This also explains why some of the pictures below are with an iPad and some with my iPhone.

Once you load the app it asks a math question which is the same every time you start the setup process. After that, you are prompted to select the grade level of your child. Then you are prompted to give the app access to the device camera and after that, there is a sync process to sync the modules. Once the syncing process is completed for each module, in this case, the Count and the Link are the modules that I have, you are ready to play.







In order to start using the plastic game pieces for the Link and the main control piece for the Count, they have to be paired with the gamepad. The following screens are the instruction screens for placing the required pieces on the gamepad so the pairing process can be completed.




Once the game pieces are paired to interact with the gamepad, you can select a game and a level. To select the module and the game you can either touch the screen and in the case of the Count module, you can place the game piece over the center spike of the base control piece. For example, if you place the game piece marked “3” over the center spike, it will select game 3. How it works is better explained in the following

As shown below, the game that I selected has 28 levels.




The pictures below show a link game that displays a word and requires you/child to connect the game pieces to match what is shown on the screen and spell the word.



The screens below show a game my child played using the Count module. and also below there is a video showing how the screen displays the confirmation for choosing the correct answer.

There are several games and levels that your child can play and interact with for hours of fun and learning. I am looking into buying additional modules like Quest and Steer that I know my children will love.

What I like

  • The learning options that it provides
  • The ease of use
  • The smartphone/tablet compatibility
  • The design that appears attractive to children

What can be improved

  • A gamepad that can accommodate more of the popular and regularly used tablet sizes including the 12.9″ iPad

Final thoughts

Over the past few months, as I have become more familiar with STEM learning tools, I have also become a fan. Using various STEM kits, I have watched in amazement as my son explores and showcases his creative abilities. The PlayShifu Plugo has added to his world and his ability to learn and grow via a mechanism that he understands and identifies with. Just like my other STEM kits, I give this one two thumbs up!!

Price: Plugo Link – $49.99; Plugo Count – $49.99
Where to buy: PlayShifu and Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by PlayShifu

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PlayShifu Plugo STEM kit review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 28, 2019 at 12:00 pm.

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Kano Computer Kit Touch review

REVIEW – Have you ever wanted to learn to program/code? Or maybe you have a young child who wants to write their own programs. The Computer Touch Kit from Kano will not only help you learn the fundamentals of programming, but it will let you do that learning on a touchscreen computer that you build yourself. How much fun is that? Let’s find out?

What is it?

The Kano Computer Touch Kit is a Raspberry Pi based computer kit that helps teach kids and adults how to program using Python and Javascript programming languages.

What’s in the box?

USB Board for connecting other devices
DIY Speaker
HDMI Cable connects the screen to computer
Blocks x3 keeps parts connected
Screen Case protects the screen
Power Cables
Battery
Touchscreen Cable
Custom Raspberry Pi – 1.2GHz quad Cortex A53 – 64bit with 1GB of RAM
Power Board
SD Card
Microphone
Screen
USB Keyboard
Stickers
Storybook / User manual

Build your own touchscreen computer

Kano includes everything you need to build a touchscreen computer along with easy to read step by step instructions with clear illustrations. I felt like a little kid spreading all the colorful components on the floor around me as I sat crosslegged flipping the pages in the storybook which lead me through the steps to build the computer.




No tools are necessary for the build as everything snaps into place on the back of the touchscreen just like your favorite building blocks. Kano even includes wire routing blocks for the cables to keep everything neat and tidy.



As you place each component on the board, the book explains in basic terms the function for each part without being too technical or boring.

The computer even comes with a plastic case to protect the parts and to give it a finished look that allows you to see your handy work.


The whole setup is pretty impressive and the build process was fun without taking too long. I didn’t time it, but I don’t think it took me more than 30 minutes to put everything together.

I built a computer, now what can I do?

After everything is assembled, it’s time to turn it on and start learning to program. This is the point where I ran into two issues. First of all, the USB power adapter that was included in the package that I was sent, had a European plug style. But you can use any USB adapter that you already have. That’s what I did and it worked fine.

The next problem that really threw me for a loop for a few minutes can be seen in the image above. When the Kano computer powered up, the screen was upside down. I immediately thought that I had assembled the computer incorrectly and started feeling bummed that I would have to take everything apart and go through the building steps again. But then I looked closer at the storybook/manual and saw a small note that said you could go into the settings to flip the screen. Whew! Crisis avoided. But, I think the screen flip option should come up immediately upon bootup instead of having to find the setting once everything is running. Or maybe even have a physical switch on the side that will flip the display.

The bootup process starts out at a command line and guides you through typing in a few commands. I liked this part because I’m a Unix nerd and this kind of stuff is right up my alley.  Yeah, don’t pay attention to the fact that I left a space out of the command shown in the screenshot above 😉

After the OS boots, you’ll be greeted with a more modern interface with menus and apps that you can launch with your finger or select with the included wireless keyboard which has a built-in touchpad.

You can learn to program by using the story mode option that lets you wander around a forest to talk to people and go on quests. It reminds me of an old-school Zelda style 8bit video game. The programming sections lead you through learning sessions that help you learn how to use drag and drop modules to build and customize a program.



You will learn the fundamentals of building a program including using loops and variables. You can then make the program which will let you compile and run it. Your completed programs can be saved to memory so you can revisit and change them later.

After you go through all the lessons and built-in games, you can add more by visiting the online Kano community for more creations.

The Kano computer isn’t a one trick pony, it’s an actual computer and even comes with other apps like a YouTube viewer and web browser pre-installed.

Be aware that this isn’t going to be a computer that your child or an adult will want to use as a full-time computer because it isn’t very speedy. Certain functions feel sluggish and sometimes I wondered if the computer had crashed because there wasn’t any type of live status message on the screen that indicated that it was still working.

What I like

  • Step by step instructions make it fun and easy to build
  • Teaches basic programming fundamentals
  • The computer can be used for other things

What needs to be improved

  • Make the internet browser and YouTube apps optional for a parent to install

Final thoughts

When I was a kid, I would have absolutely LOVED the Kano Computer Kit Touch. Heck, I’m an adult now and I thoroughly enjoyed building the computer and going through the learning quests. The colorful components and step by step instructions made the process fun while injecting STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math) knowledge and skills.

Price: $279.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Kano.

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Kano Computer Kit Touch review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 15, 2018 at 3:49 pm.

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Osmo lets kids become animators of their favorite Disney characters

NEWS – When I was a kid I loved to doodle and draw my own comics. Actually, I still love to do that! But back then and even now I just use a pad of paper and a pen which isn’t very Gadgeteer worthy compared to the cool new Osmo Super Studio that lets kids (and kids at heart) get in on the fun of animating their favorite Disney characters.

Available in Mickey and Friends, Disney Princesses, and the Incredibles games, the Super Studio sets are an add-on to existing Osmo sets which use a base for an iPad and a special clip on reflector that can “see” what is drawn on the included erasable and reusable pad as the Osmo app tells a story. But these aren’t static drawings, kids get to animate the cartoon filled with their favorite Disney characters by drawing objects and even choosing how the story’s plot progresses to exercise the kid’s creativity and imagination. Osmo’s AI automagically takes the drawings and makes them part of the story to bring the child’s drawings to life.

There’s even a section in the game where kids can learn step by step how to draw Disney characters just like real Disney artists do.

The Osmo Super Studio is designed for kids ages 5 and up and is available as an add-on to existing Osmo sets for $19 and Apple Retail Stores will carry an exclusive Super Studio Kit that includes the Osmo iPad Base for $59.

Get your copy of Osmo Super Studio today at PlayOsmo.com and Amazon, and in Target and Best Buy stores starting Sept. 4.

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Osmo lets kids become animators of their favorite Disney characters originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 30, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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Use the magic of Harry Potter to learn programming

NEWS – Kano who produces a variety of STEM kits for kids (and adults) to learn to build their own computers and learn to code have partnered with Warner Brothers to offer the Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit. This kit allows kids to build their own wand and then use it to control onscreen objects and characters through 70 programming tasks inspired by the Wizarding World.

If you’re not already familiar with STEM, it stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and it’s a way to teach these important disciplines to kids and adults.

The wand in the Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit uses a series of gestures that your iOS, Android, Mac and Windows PC will translate into commands to control objects in the Kano app while teaching basic programming fundamentals like IF/THEN logic, loops, variables, and more.

The Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit is priced at $99.99 and ships on October 1st, 2018. Head over to Kano.me or Amazon to pre-order.

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Use the magic of Harry Potter to learn programming originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 26, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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