iRobot wants to teach your kids to code with the $199 Root Coding Robot

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iRobot is getting into the STEM sphere with its acquisition of Root Robotics.

Now, you can get the $199 Root Coding Robot straight from iRobot, enabling kids to explore the science behind the Roomba.

“The acquisition of Root Robotics  allows iRobot to broaden the impact of its STEM efforts with a commercially available, educational robotic platform already being used by educators, students and parents,” iRobot CEO Colin Angle said in a press release. “Root also helps increase the reach of iRobot’s educational robot line by offering a proven system for people of all ages, including students in elementary school.”

The Root Coding Robot is pretty darn cool

I mean, just look at it. The Root Coding Robot teaches kids as young as four coding concepts and the problem-solving skills they’ll eventually need for our modern world.

Taking advantage of all the sensors built into the Root Coding Robot enables some pretty nifty things. That includes drawing artwork, responding to touch and sound, and scanning colors. It can even climb on magnetic surfaces by following launch paths or sketching out designs.

• The robot was developed at Harvard, inside the Wyss Institute.
• The Root Coding Robot can be programmed by three levels of coding language from drag-and-drop to full-text coding
• Educators can take advantage of the Root Academy, with lesson plans from K to 12
• Budding coders can create their own games or get the robot to play music
• With a 3D printer or some Lego, the magnetic attachment point on the robot can be used to do almost anything

Let’s face it, our kids need to be prepared for the world we’ve created, and even if they don’t all need to code, the problem-solving skills behind it are necessary. The Root Coding Robot fills that need while helping iRobot increase its efforts in STEM education.

The Root coding robot is currently available for $199 and can be purchased directly from iRobot.

Do you have any kids that would like to learn how to code? Have any experience with STEM education? Find this neat? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.