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New Vex Microcontroller announced

Here is the latest press release from Innovation First / Vex Robotics:

http://www.vexrobotics.com/docs/Vex_Qwerk_4-17-08.pdf

Quote:

INNOVATION FIRST, INC. AND CHARMED LABS COLLABORATE TO CREATE
NEW VEX MICROCONTROLLER BASED ON QWERK TECHNOLOGY
New Qwerk Controller Technology Enhances VEX Robotics Platform for Universities and
Robot Enthusiasts

GREENVILLE, TX- April 17, 2008-

In an ongoing effort to promote greater interest in science,

technology, engineering and math (STEM) in schools across the globe, Innovation First, Inc. (IFI), a
leader in educational and competition robotics products, will team with Charmed Labs to be the exclusive
licensee and producer of the Qwerk Robot Controller. Further, Innovation First will enhance the Qwerk
controller to be fully compatible with the company’s popular VEX Educational Robotics platform. The
newly branded Qwerk-based VEX controller will complement the current VEX microcontroller and offer
enhanced features desired by post-secondary schools and educators.
“We are excited about our partnership with Charmed Labs to bring the new VEX controller with Qwerk
technology to university labs and hard-core robot enthusiasts around the world,” said Joel Carter, vice
president of marketing for Innovation First. “This new venture solidifies Innovation First’s lead in STEM
robotics education by extending the VEX product line upward into the university and robotics research
markets. It’s the ideal step up from the current VEX microcontroller found in thousands of high schools
and middle schools around the globe and accelerates us toward making VEX the robotics platform of
choice for all schools.”
The Qwerk uses a powerful ARM9 processor running Linux to greatly extend robotic sensor capabilities
beyond the current VEX controller. VEX robots can achieve a new level of sophistication with features
like onboard “sensorless” motor feedback, Ethernet, serial ports, USB ports and support for WiFi and
Webcams. The Qwerk can run 4 direct motors with feedback in addition to sixteen PWM devices like
VEX motors, VEX servos and Victor speed controllers. The controller also has eight 12-bit analog inputs,
sixteen digital I/O, and audio output capability with text-to-speech.
Qwerk is already popular among universities and is supported by Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics
Institute and their CREATE lab (Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment). The
Carnegie Mellon Telepresence Robot Kit (TeRK) project provides a powerful feature to the Qwerk-based
VEX hardware allowing robot control and video feedback across the internet. The controller can be
operated from almost any computer including Mac, PC, and Linux machines. The CREATE Lab
(www.communityrobotics.org) will also develop and publish plans for new and unique VEX robots along
with curricula for teachers, all of which will be available for free download at www.vexrobotics.com and
www.terk.ri.cmu.edu

later this year.

“Qwerk’s advanced capabilities have been successful in the university market as part of the Telepresence
Robotics Kit (TeRK), but our customers also wanted a complete and integrated educational robot
solution. IFI has a rich set of products that are fully integrated, including sensors, actuators, mechanical
infrastructure – all of which complement Qwerk very nicely,” said Rich LeGrand, president of Charmed
Labs. “Our existing customers will really like the expanded choices and capabilities. Future customers

will enjoy an incredibly rich palette from which to create their next robot or mechatronic system.”