We Love T-BOTS the two-wheeled balancing robot providing an interactive way to learn programming.
KLiK robotics, a small company specialising in the design and manufacturing of educational robots, has recently released a kickstarter campaign called T-BOTS. the two-wheeled DIY robot kit is designed to inspire creativity. from designing your own T-BOT skins, inventing your own games, learning to program using the arduino development platform or scratch (S4A), understanding the physics of balance and dynamic stabilisation, all the way up to advanced control theory. T-BOTS use a combination of accelerometers and gyroscopes to precisely measure the tilt. this information is used to calculate the necessary motor response for the robot to maintain its balance. the robot has an ultrasound distance-measuring module for eyes, providing the user with scope to write algorithms for the robots to interact with their environment or each other.
The software is written in C/C++ which, according to IEEE SPECTRUM, is the computer language most in demand by recruiting companies. the software is free for users to download, modify or completely rewrite. users can also battle each others’ T-BOTS. the rules are simple: you must make contact at least once and knock your opponent over while remaining upright.
KLiK robotics’ T-BOTS kit is now available to back through kickstarter with early bird pledges starting from £45 and delivery expected to take place during april 2018. www.kickstarter.com
