Lego Boost Teaches Kids to Program Robots

Lego has unveiled a new robotics system that teaches kids computer science skills at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) taking place this week in Las Vegas.

The company’s Mindstorms platform for teens has been around since the 90s, but the new Lego Boost kit is designed for kids aged 7 or older. The Boost kit is a creative toolbox that includes five models in each set: a standard robot (called “Vernie the Robot”); a robotics cat (“Frankie the Cat”); a builder (“the Autobuilder”); a multi-purpose vehicle (“Multi-Tooled Rover 4”); and a guitar (“Guitar 4000”). To build these models, students can use the companion mobile app that allows them to program various behaviors for the robot.

Each kit comes with:

  • More than 840 Lego bricks;
  • A “Move Hub” that offers Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity, two encoded motors, an activation button and a sensor that detects movement and color; and
  • Intuitive software that features an icon-based, drag-and-drop coding interface.

Lego Boost will available in August 2017 and priced at about $160.

To learn more, watch the video below or visit the Lego site here.

About the Author

Sri Ravipati is Web producer for THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • elementary school boy using a laptop with a glowing digital brain above his head and circuit lines extending outward

    The Brain Drain: How Overreliance on AI May Erode Creativity and Critical Thinking

    Just as sedentary lifestyles have reshaped our physical health, our dependence on AI, algorithms, and digital tools is reshaping how we think, and the effects aren't always positive.

  • robot brain with various technology and business icons

    Google Cloud Study: Early Agentic AI Adopters See Better ROI

    Google Cloud has released its second annual ROI of AI study, finding that 52% of enterprise organizations now deploy AI agents in production environments. The comprehensive survey of 3,466 senior leaders across 24 countries highlights the emergence of a distinct group of "agentic AI early adopters" who are achieving measurably higher returns on their AI investments.

  • tutor and student working together at a laptop

    You've Paid for Tutoring. Here's How to Make Sure It Works.

    As districts and states nationwide invest in tutoring, it remains one of the best tools in our educational toolkit, yielding positive impacts on student learning at scale. But to maximize return on investment, both financially and academically, we must focus on improving implementation.

  • blue and green network lines

    HPE Intros Agentic AI Enhancements to Mist Platform

    HPE recently introduced new capabilities for its Juniper Mist platform that leverage agentic AI to enable more autonomous, intelligent, and proactive network operations.