Meet the Edison Robot, perhaps one of the most versatile entry level robots for young learns that still offers python coding opportunities for older students.
As the world around us evolves into a reality where robots become an integral part of our daily lives, today’s children will need to be coding, building, and working with those robots of tomorrow. As the robotics industry continues to grow so do the number of companies that are actively developing and marketing products that teach fundamental coding and robotics principles to children. This list of products ranges from self-contained beginner robots that have severely limited programs preloaded, to products that require assembly and soldering of every piece before each task is programmed in by the user. While we here at VMU would love to go over as many of these robotic products as possible, that is a much longer blog for a later date. However, what we can say without a doubt is that our number one pick for a robotics product at this time is the Edison Robot made by Microbric.
The Edison Robot is a wonderful starting robot from the perspective of coding and getting real time feedback on the programs that were just written. The coding apps also scales nicely from age ranges 6 to 14 by providing three different programming options for children. Our experience with the Edison Robot has been exemplary from the moment we received the EdSTEM Home Pack to the less than 5 minutes later we had them ready to be plugged into our laptops. One small detail that really impressed us from the beginning was the fact that there was no wasted packaging, as the cardboard that folded around the Edison Robot in shipping also had the assembly instructions printed on it while the accessory for the EdCreate parts were in a simple but durable bag. It only took seconds to pop on the 2 wheels and the skid, which we will talk about more detail later. In fact, it took more time to find where we had put the 8 AAA batteries needed for the two robots then it did to have the robots up and running.
Once the robot was ready to go we tested each of the three in browser programming apps available for free on MeetEdison.com. First we began with the program provided for the youngest age range of users, the EdBlocks app. EdBlocks is a visual programming language similar to Scratch Jr. and designed to mimic a left to right coding by block method similar to how many children in North American learn to read and write. The drag, drop, and snap functionality of the app is very intuitive and the symbols on each block are easy to identify even for children who may not yet have a strong grasp of language. Understanding that actions happen from left to right and numbers 1 through 10 are all that is needed to create a child’s first program. After that more complex concepts, such as parallel scripts, can be taught to children as their understanding of the app grows. Another fun and interactive lesson that can be taught in a classroom environment is infrared communication as each Edison can send and receive broadcasts to between one another. The only one complaint of the EdBlock app we had was the turn left or right visual blocks often required setting the time option to a decimal of a whole number to achieve the correct turning radius. The problem with this approach is that decimals are a mathematical concept normally not taught to the children in the age group that EdBlocks is intended for.
The next app is geared to slightly older or more advanced children and is called EdScratch. The EdScratch app openly acknowledges in its name the visual programming language application that is derived from Scratch, by MIT Media Lab. Scratch has been used since 2003 and has become the standard for children’s coding projects providing numerous additional resources to explain coding concepts. This EdScratch app specific implementation of Scratch deliveries on all fronts as well as its namesake with clear, easy to read and understand coding blocks that stack vertically from top to bottom. The options for children grow exponentially as they are now able to use the EdScratch app to make variables and operator comparisons for their programs to develop proper logical responses to information that sensors provide. It is in this age group that computation thinking really takes hold with children and they tend to make many connections as to the why and how of coding. One of the first codes we created was getting each robot to respond to the other when they encountered an obstacle. The additional resources that are on the Edison Robot website are of immense value to teachers and parents at this point and it helps provide examples of coding projects and explanations why certain coding approaches may not work as would be expected by children. After getting lost making a modified version of the EdCreate crane project, our version using the second Edison Robot as a movable crane base, we knew it was time to see what this robot kit could do with text based coding.
Anyone familiar with text based coding with supporting in app documentation will be happy to know you will instantly be able get in and navigate your way around the EdPy app with ease. The EdPy app is Microbric’s own subset of the Python 2 coding language and allows for more finite control over the capabilities of the Edison Robot. Due to limited time on our part we did not get a chance to create any brag-worthy projects, but working with Edison Robot in a text based coding environment is by far the most satisfying for seasoned users. While some might prefer the 2d scrollable real-estate of a visual programming, the linear readable format of text coding with EdPy eliminated the zooming in and out to see if there was a bit of code offset from what was in the center of your screen at that moment. Being able to specify the exact functions we wanted with clean notations made it easier to follow what the other person was doing and copy paste snippets of codes to each other in messaging apps. Where EdPy really shines though is in proving that realization for children that each of the blocks in the previous apps were visual containers for the very codes that they themselves were now creating. Perhaps the only limitation we could see with EdPy was many children understood that they could do more now but were impatient over not being able to create programs as quickly. However this was soon forgotten in their excitement over getting the Edison Robot to do something with EdPy that they had difficulty with doing in EdScratch.
While it is clear that VMU stops just short of actually singing the praises of the Edison Robot out loud, it is not without a few shortcomings. For us, there were 4 problems that kept our experience with the Edison Robots from being perfect. In order from most to least dissatisfying to us they were:
- The lack of a specific turn left or right by the 90 degree coding block in the EdBlock app was frustrating to some children. To be fair, it was frustrating to us at times also. While the trial and error nature of setting time and speed to reach a desired turning radius provides for some good teachable moments, sometimes you just want to turn right 90 degrees without having to test your program 7 times.
- The solid plastic skid at the front of the Edison Robot is the only physical design decision we do not agree with. While it is functional, it is a huge hassle if you are not using a perfectly smooth surface for operating the Edison Robot. What we would have liked to have seen is something like a screw-on ball bearing support or even better an attachment point for a LEGO 3rd wheel or similar.
- While the EdCreate kit offers a good selection of pieces, they are harder to get to snap together than expected. While a snug fit is preferred for pieces to hold together, when trying to snap them together is uncomfortable for an adult’s fingers, it is not really a good option for a child. Additionally, getting pieces to separate often had use reaching for needle nose pliers.
- The use of AAA batteries is understandable to keep the cost of manufacturing and shipping down so we can’t fault Microbric for this choice. However, we would really have liked to see the option for a slightly more expensive model that had a rechargeable battery pack with a USB charger. The reason for this was that dealing with keeping up with battery purchases and stock added additional leg work to programs.
To end this blog on a high note though, there is one feature of the Edison Robot that really blew us away and why we recommend it to every public school we speak with, programming via 3.5 mm audio jack. It is not an exaggeration to say we have lost count of the number of times a STEM program partner confirms that all participants will have the correct hardware for the activity, only to have the class begin with all manner of incompatible equipment. The fact that the Edison Robot uses a retro low tech solution of sending the program from the browser based app to the Edison Robot via audio cable has literally saved us dozens of hours of tech support. We have had classes where brand new gaming laptops, fifteen year old e-machines, chrome books, tablets, and a smart phone all had no difficulty creating and transmitting a program to the Edison Robot. Overall, it is hard to dispute that the Edison Robot has set the bar by which VMU as a company now judges all other children’s robotics products, and perhaps, why you should too.