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Ozobot's Evo is a smarter, more social coding robot
Ozobot's Bit impressed us a few years ago with its simple take on programming education: kids just need to draw lines on a piece of paper or mobile device to program the tiny robot. As they get more comfortable, they can start to program on mobile devices and computers. Now Ozobot is taking a major step forward with the $100 Evo, a new robot that has sensors to interact with its environment, lights, a speaker and social capabilities. Basically, it's like a tiny Star Wars droid that you can program on your own.
ICYMI: The amazing 9-year-old 3D printer
UPDATE: This video has been removed at the request of Wareness. Today on In Case You Missed It: 9-year-old Calramon Mabalot could probably teach a STEM course, since he just 3D printed a prosthetic arm for a teacher. The whole story only touches on the charm that is this kid's YouTube channel. If he's the future, we'll be alright. We also briefly played Lego Donald Trump and followed that with a palate cleanser of a video: A dog who is afraid of a windshield wiper. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Lockheed Martin hopes to turn your kids into astronauts
Lockheed Martin knows that its future spacecraft will only fly if there are enough people interested in flying them, so it's trying something a bit unusual: it's helping to raise the next wave of astronauts. It's launching a Generation Beyond program that gives both parents and teachers the resources they need to get middle school kids (grades 6 through 8) excited about space-related science, engineering and math. The internet curriculum shows would-be spacefarers everything from the challenges of living in space (or on Mars) to the careers they can pursue in space exploration.
Apple's Swift Playgrounds is an app that teaches kids how to code
Apple introduced an iPad app that teaches kids how to code in its Swift programming language. It's called Swift Playgrounds, and in it, you're tasked with guiding a character called Byte in collecting gems. To do so, you essentially give the character directions using Swift code. A demo at the company's WWDC keynote showed an app with bright colors and big photos designed to make coding child's play.
New DIY wearable teaches kids to code and be active
The Mover Kit aims to combine the fun of wearable tech for kids with important programming tools that'll help them later in life. It also has rainbow lights that you can program to flicker whenever you moonwalk. If either of those things sound palatable to you, there's a Kickstarter out there with your name on it.
Lockheed Martin's school bus takes you on a ride across Mars
Lockheed Martin's Generation Beyond initiative aims to "inspire the next generation of innovators, explorers, inventors and pioneers to pursue STEM careers." And what better way to spark young students' curiosity than to give them ride on a bus that simulates a ride across the Martian surface? Passengers aboard the Mars Experience bus are treated to an immersive virtual reality adventure. As the bus moves, it makes the students feel like they're driving across the red planet by showing 200 square miles of its surface on the boarded-up windows.
President Obama will guest host on Science Channel this week
Just because President Obama is months away from leaving office doesn't mean he's done promoting science education. The American leader is guest hosting Science Channel's Science Presents DNews every day this week (April 11th through 15th) -- yes, the head of the country will be delivering the latest happenings in biology, space and technology while you're settling down for the night. If you want to check it out, you can tune in at 9PM.
Kickstarter celebrates STEM with a slate of kid-focused projects
This week, Kickstarter hosted a special STEM event at its headquarters in Brooklyn, showing off a variety of products intended to teach kids programming skills. If the prevailing wisdom is "hook 'em while they're young," that ethos was certainly on display here: The projects were fun and colorful, and one was even meant for children as young as three.
Engadget giveaway: Win an mCookie Family Kit courtesy of Microduino!
Getting your STEM skills up to speed is now easier than ever with Microduino's mCookie. These Arduino-compatible electronics kits make building mini machines a snap -- literally -- with magnetic connectors and interlocking pins that match up with LEGO blocks. The mCookie family of DIY modules, sensors and accessories was Kickstarted back in 2015 and began shipping to consumers at the end of the year. Now anyone can pick up one of the various kits (Basic, Advanced or Expert) and assemble projects like a music box, voice-activated camera, paw-waving fortune cat and more. Microduino also offers additional components to expand the possibilities to keep pace with your imagination. This week, one lucky reader will win a Family Kit (including all three mCookie sets) to launch their smart-machine-making career. Just head down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning. Winner: Congratulations to Robin B. of Chico, CA!
Marvel's STEM challenge gives one teenage girl an internship
Alongside the next installment of its Cinematic Universe, Marvel is hosting a STEM challenge for teenage girls. The studio teamed up with Dolby, Synchrony Bank, Broadcom Masters and the National Academy of Sciences for the Captain America: Civil War Girls Reforming the Future Challenge. The contest seeks submissions from girls age 15 to 18 (grades 10-12) "who are inspired to create a positive world through science and technology."
Koov is Sony's answer to Lego Mindstorms
Governments and educators around the world want to teach kids coding at an early age, so many corporations are eager to help -- for a price. The latest company jumping into the trend is Sony, which just launched Koov "digital native blocks." It's the first product for Sony's new Global Education division and a big part of its STEM101 (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) endeavor. Sony describes Koov as a "robot building educational kit made up of [translucent] blocks and a microcontroller," much like Lego's Mindstorm and WeDo 2.0 kits.
Engadget giveaway: Win a pair of Vortex robots courtesy of DFRobot!
Since most kids have already mastered the art of iPad password cracking and in-app purchasing, we should probably give them something productive to do. The arduino-based Vortex from DFRobot is a STEM-reinforcing plaything that can help kids learn to code. It comes with preinstalled programs, so you can have fun racing, bumping and spinning right out of the box, but the variations are endless. Open-source hardware and the WhenDo app's graphical programming interface mean the sky's the limit with Vortex. These little bots are laden with proximity and ground sensors, LEDs and speakers — not to mention all the optional add-ons — to help bring them to life. DFRobot has given us a pair of two-robot packs for a couple lucky Engadget readers this week. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this hackable robot duo.
Lego's WeDo 2.0 gives kids a crash-course in robotics
You may not have been able to play with Lego in school, but your kids can. Lego Education has revealed the WeDo 2.0 robotics kit aimed at elementary school students, over eight years after launching the original WeDo. As before, it's designed to teach kids the basics of robotics, thanks to the Mindstorm-like sets. The new kit also replaces the old USB cables with a Bluetooth LE hub that connects to the motors and tilt sensors. The whole thing is driven by a tablet-based drag-and-drop interface that helps kids code basic robotics apps.
Dear Veronica: STEM gifts and holiday disasters
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-860048{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-860048, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-860048{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-860048").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Looking for that perfect gift for your sweet little munchkin this holiday season? We have some great ideas for the STEM-curious set out there!We also get suggestions for that perfect geeky getaway to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Morgan Webb and Broke-Ass Stuart Schuffman.Don't worry, we have a few more of your holiday tech support disasters. Have a safe and happy holiday, everyone!
Nick Cannon is the new Chief Creative Officer of RadioShack
RadioShack filed for bankruptcy a while back but, thanks to the deep pockets of the folks over at Standard General, a few stores will remain open. The retailer is trying to rebrand itself and its latest move is appointing TV personality Nick Cannon as its Chief Creative Officer. Cannon will work with RadioShack to create a line of exclusive products, curate music and even organize special performances and events. The retailer will also focus on its educational and STEM (science, tech, engineering and math) initiatives. There's been no official announcement as to what kind of exclusive products RadioShack and Cannon will come up with, but it better be revolutionary if the retailer hopes to forge a new, relevant identity.[Image credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic]
Watch the White House's Astronomy Night live at 7:35PM ET
In 2009, the White House held an Astronomy Night to get students dreaming big and pursuing careers in science. Well, that event is back -- and this time, you can tune in. The White House will livestream parts of its second-ever Astronomy Night starting at 7:35PM ET, including President Obama's statements. It won't be the same as stargazing on the South Lawn, but it might inspire you (or your kids) to learn more about space. Importantly, the government is backing up this event with action. NASA is teaming with students and enthusiasts to find targets for the James Webb Space Telescope, and there are projects underway to foster math and science education beyond the classroom. [Image credit: Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images]
Intel pulls out of sponsoring America's Science Talent Search
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, has announced that it'll end its long association with the Science Talent Search. STS is a program that unearths promising STEM talent from America's high schools, rewarding entrance with cash prizes and meetings with experts. The New York Times is reporting that the company will no longer sponsor the contest after 2017, although an international prize will run until 2019. Tellingly, Intel was unable to explain why it was withdrawing, despite the cost being just $6 million a year — pocket change for a company that makes quarterly net profits of around $3 billion. If we were to wildly speculate, perhaps it's got something to do with the fact that the firm is going to team up with TBS to create a reality show around the maker movement. We've reached out to ask the company for comment, but it had yet to respond to us by the time of publication. [Image Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images]
3D plant scans will help build lighter, stronger cars
Don't look now, but the plants in your backyard might just shape the next generation of cars. University of Freiburg researchers have found a way to study the junctions between living plants' branches and stems using MRI scans, giving insight into how they cope under strain. The 3D images should show how you can build a lightweight, fiber-based structure that can still take some punishment -- particularly helpful for cars and bikes, where fiber already helps shed a lot of unnecessary pounds. They could help produce sturdier buildings, too. While there's still plenty of work left before plant scanning is practical, it's possible that a tree or flower could make your future ride a lot nimbler and speedier.
Tim Cook says diversity is the future of Apple
Tim Cook has pledged that Apple's future won't be as white and male as it has been in the company's past. The CEO sat down with Mashable in advance of the WWDC keynote to say that diversity is the "future of our company." It's not just hand-wringing that has prompted his attitude, since he believes that "the most diverse group will produce the best product." The executive has added that the tech community needs to work a lot harder to show women that the industry is "cool" and "how much fun it can be."
'Cards Against Humanity' expansion benefits women's STEM scholarship
Cards Against Humanity, the naughty fill-in-the-blank card game, today launched the $10 Science Pack, an expansion offering 30 cards written in collaboration with Bad Astronomer Phil Plait and Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal creator Zach Weinersmith. But that's not the coolest part: All proceeds raised by the Science Pack will be funneled into the Cards Against Humanity and SMBC Science Ambassador Scholarship, which offers full tuition coverage to women seeking undergraduate degrees in science, tech, engineering and mathematics. Applications will go live soon for the fall 2016 school year, and each one will be reviewed by a panel of more than 40 women working in STEM fields, including at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Harvard Medical School and the Smithsonian Institution.
