After seven years, LEGO has released its latest Mindstorms kit – and it may be all you need to peel your kids away from their screens after months (and counting) of quarantine mode.
Essentially, the coveted kit combines the LEGO building system with robotic and coding elements (and it admittedly looks just as fun for adults as does for the mini mes).
LEGO’s new Mindstorms Robot Inventor Kit is a 949-piece kit that lets kids build and design robots that can walk, talk, think, and dance – plus more. The kit includes things like a distance sensor, colour sensor, four motors, wheels, and Lego’s Bluetooth-enabled “Intelligent Hub.” It integrates up to six input and output ports to connect different sensors and motors.
To complement the kit, LEGO will also launch a Robot Inventor App that’s complete with visual and text-based coding, the capability to create customized digital remote controls, and support for a range of controllers like those used with the Xbox One and the PS4. The coding app features more than 50 activities.
The latest kit comes with instructions for five robots – all with their own unique personalities and capabilities:
- Blast – this master robot is a stoic action hero. It can fire or hammer its way through obstacles and grab items. Builders can be the ultimate commanders, programming it to scan its environment and fire darts if it senses danger. Perfect for guarding your room!
- Charlie – this quirky sidekick helper can give out high fives, dance, play the drums, deliver small gifts, and charm friends with its smile.
- Tricky – the sporty bot is the ultimate athlete. Code it to complete the perfect slam-dunk or master a plethora of robot sports: basketball, bowling or soccer – the list goes on and on.
- Gelo – a real life four-legged robot. Its unique mechanism means it can walk, avoid obstacles, and even perform tricks.
- M.V.P. – The Modular Vehicle Platform gets the job done. Create and code your own remote control and build the M.V.P. into a buggy, a crane, a shooter turret or even a brick-eating truck to pick up LEGO bricks left by the other robots.
Those looking to get creative can also design their own robots.
Created as a way to teach children (10+) about STEM skills, the Mindstorms product was first launched 22 years ago. The latest edition is set for release this fall, and will retail for $359.99.
