VEX Robotics Expands Into Elementary With Launch Of VEX IQ

[Ricky Q.]

VEX Robotics Expands Into Elementary With Launch Of VEX IQ
Technologically Advanced, Tool-less System will Transform STEM Education for Younger Ages

GREENVILLE, Texas, April 19, 2013 – VEX Robotics, Inc., announced today the launch of VEX IQ, a robotics platform designed to transform STEM learning for young students and their teachers. Students as young as eight can jump right in and snap robots together using this intuitive, tool-less platform while educators can utilize the free VEX IQ Curriculum to help teach them valuable lessons and skills that are needed in today's changing world.

“The VEX IQ platform is truly a revolution for STEM education at younger ages,” said Paul Copioli, president of VEX Robotics. “We’ve taken our years of experience in educational robotics and created a simple, powerful and flexible platform for students and teachers alike.”

The VEX IQ system was designed to be simple and easy for students to use. Structural pieces snap together and come apart without tools, allowing for quick build times and easy modifications. A variety of gears, wheels and other accessories allows for complete customization of VEX IQ projects and mobile robots.

The Robot Brain takes high-end, powerful technology and simplifies it for educational use while keeping a high ceiling. Up to 12 Smart Port devices can be connected to the Robot Brain, which can then be controlled by built-in programs or programmed via a computer and compatible software program. In addition to using pre-programmed instructions, VEX IQ robots can be controlled by drivers using the Controller.

Free graphical programming software, powered by Modkit, allows for custom robot commands, sensor interaction and more and is included in every VEX IQ Kit. ROBOTC for VEX IQ, created by Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy, allows robot programming in C. The VEX Assembler powered by Autodesk 123D adapts the power of Autodesk's advanced 3D modeling tools, giving students the ability to assemble and test VEX IQ mechanisms and robots virtually.

VEX IQ Starter Kits are priced at $249.99 The VEX IQ Super Kit is $299.99. Kits are available for pre-order now and will begin shipping in June.

In addition to transforming STEM education in the classroom, VEX IQ will be used in the VEX IQ Challenge presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, an extracurricular STEM program for elementary and middle school students (ages 8 to 14). The power of the VEX IQ system combined with the REC Foundation's years of experience inspiring students through robotics competitions is giving younger students more affordable access to the inspiration, excitement and learning that comes from participating in a STEM challenge.

For more information on VEX IQ, visit www.vexrobotics.com/vexiq

For more information on the VEX IQ Challenge, visit RobotEvents.com

[Gregor]

Totally blown away, I'm very impressed. This is fantastic.

[dcarr]

Looks awesome. I'd be curious to see a comparison to Lego offerings from someone who's more familiar with them. We want to invest in some kits for a camp we're running this summer, and it's now a tossup between something Arduino based, Mindstorms, or now this.

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by dcarr

Looks awesome. I'd be curious to see a comparison to Lego offerings from someone who's more familiar with them. We want to invest in some kits for a camp we're running this summer, and it's now a tossup between something Arduino based, Mindstorms, or now this.

To me, it looks like this can make a great thing for middle school. FLL does sometimes seem to be too low-level for these kids(especially 8th grade) and this seems like the perfect transition.

I absolutely love all of this new stuff. I wish I had that Autodesk program when i was learning CAD

[jason_zielke]

I watched the announcement live on the VEX World Championship webcast and I was thoroughly impressed.

Missing from the above release is that Project Lead the Way (PLTW) will be launching a K-5 curriculum with the system in the Fall 2014. I think the feeder system for all existing FRC teams (and the potential future teams) is going to get much more robust in the near future.

The feeder programs are going to continue to grow at an even faster pace now...all the FRC teams out there need to figure out how to make room for all the excited (and probably well trained) students that will be coming up in the future.

This is great news for growing STEM education!

[mman1506]

The smart motors are really neat. They have there own MSP430's and a encoder. I am guessing they operate over I2C so I wonder if they will ever make them first legal.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by mman1506

The smart motors are really neat. They have there own MSP430's and a encoder. I am guessing they operate over I2C so I wonder if they will ever make them first legal.

Nothing is impossible--the Vex 393 motor is legal this year--but it would require IFI to make a sizeable donation to get them legal (they offered one and the related speed controller to every team in FRC through a PDV).

In any case, I'm intrigued by the possibilities. I know that software was the thorn in my side as a camp counselor with limited time to run the show using RCX-era Mindstorms robots; the kids used IR remotes a lot of times as a fallback. Having a stout R/C setup built in would certainly have a lot of appeal if the rest of the platform bears out.

[coalhot]

I'm loving the new system. Really tempted to get one for myself.

Also loving the new VEX game. It's intrigued me enough to consider starting/joining a team and building a college bot.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by DevenStonow

To me, it looks like this can make a great thing for middle school. FLL does sometimes seem to be too low-level for these kids(especially 8th grade) and this seems like the perfect transition.

I absolutely love all of this new stuff. I wish I had that Autodesk program when i was learning CAD

I don't know about VRC, but I know FTC has started to reach into middle schools to start teams at that level, which I think is a great way to go. By 8th grade you see these giant robots you know you get to touch next year and FL seems kinda small in comparison.

[akoscielski3]

The amount of work Vex has done to really try and revolutionize Education is amazing. With the range of programs now no school or board has an excuse not to implement Vex or any other Robotics Program into all of the schools. I can't wait to walk into any school and see kids and teens building and learning what they are interested in, instead of being told what they have to learn and know.

Thank You VEX!

[Ivan Malik]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

I don't know about VRC, but I know FTC has started to reach into middle schools to start teams at that level, which I think is a great way to go.

Don't quote me, but I think in Michigan ALL FTC teams are middle school level... via some FiM pilot type thing. But I can't find any reference other than a vague reference on the splash page for FTC at FiM's website, to verify this.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Ivan Malik

Don't quote me, but I think in Michigan ALL FTC teams are middle school level... via some FiM pilot type thing. But I can't find any reference other than a vague reference on the splash page for FTC at FiM's website, to verify this.

That's great to hear. I think FTC is a great middle school program. I know we are trying to introduce the program to middle schools in Virginia, and I hope that the moving to districts in 2015 will move many high school FTC teams to FRC.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by coalhot

I'm loving the new system. Really tempted to get one for myself.

I took one look at the site and immediately started thinking along similar lines. And that was before I looked at what products are currently listed.

[Foster]

;tl;dr; I believe that Robots Rock, pick a platform, pick a competition, go build a robot!

I've done VEX since 2006, first with High School Students and then a focus on Middle School. We started focusing on Middle School with the intent of using our program as a feeder to the FRC team at the high school level.

VEX is perfect for middle school. Metal parts, gearing, limited motors, limited other parts means think "outside the box, but inside this world". Lots of great robots come from that. We send roboteers off to FRC with "righty tighty" skills and a ton of practical, things that they know work.

FRC is think outside a much bigger box, and our roboteers love it. Well about 70% do, the other 30% go "Wait, I have constant access to the bot". But we go "Yes, less bot time, but CAD, machining parts, welding, MORE POWER, bigger robots, more team work and a cool hat" http://wiki.team1640.com/index.php?t...le:SpyGear.png

So we do feed FRC.

Turn 180 degrees, to the FLL roboteers. They build Lego robots and program. The Chief Roboteer of that program is Scott Featherman, who sinks thousands hours into that effort. A cool part of FLL is that the roboteers are Lego ninjas. And they are backed by billions of parts. So they are not constrained by the "KOP" They have access to every brick ever made. Scott does elementary, I focus on middle, feed FRC (and some roboteers stay VEX high school)

"FTC??" Yes, not a lot in this area. I run STEM Robotics. I get calls about "I want to start a robot team" We give them grant money to start, some mentor training, hook them up with a VEX team and off they go.

Except in areas where not a big VEX base but a huge FTC base (Looking at all the teams J&J sponsored on the right Coast). So we give them grant money, point them to a FTC team, and off they go.

Too late to make a long story short. Love FRC, VEX and FLL. Looking at the new VEX IQ parts, but it needs to fit into our existing structure. I have a limited amount of $$$ to spend, so it needs to be cost effective.

I'm excited to see the new VEX parts, but I want them to be Lego compatible. I want to leverage Lego build skills that they have now to new / better robots. Not so interested in reinventing the wheel. But I'll preorder my kit, I want to see for myself.

[Dinoyan]

Looks awesome, They should use it for FLL.