Project Lead The Way Announces Innovative Partnership With VEX Robotics

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by Ricky Q.

VEX will be integrated into PLTW's Gateway to Technology Middle School program and Principals of Engineering, Digital Electronics, Aerospace and Computer Integrated Manufcaturing at the high school level.

I would read this as a replacement of the BOEbots and some FischerTechniks.

Yay.

I never really cared for the BOEbots, I think the VEX platform certainly handles everything the BOEbots were designed to do in DE and AE - only better, more robustly, and with a programming language much less archaic.

Regarding FT, I hope the VEX implementation will be similar to the new lynxmotion robot and tiny mill - lower-cost options for schools that haven't already purchased the larger and more expensive SCORbot and ProLight. It would be possible to recreate the marble sorter, SMET, and factory simulations in POE and CIM using VEX, but hopefully the curriculum will be flexible enough to allow us to continue using FischerTechnik should we see fit.

Good for both programs, this has been a long time coming. I personally have used VEX in both CIM and AE with good results in the past.

[Nikki Haux]

This is really exciting! I take a PLTW course at my school, although it is not something that would use VEX. This partnership is really very cool!!!

[theprgramerdude]

Would this mean that only the PLTW courses would be required to use the Vex system, and not the whole school's courses which may require a robotics system?

[KrazyCarl92]

This is great! Having taken 4 PLTW courses in high school, I can say that every time I have attempted to use fischer technik I have been frustrated by how they break and don't do what they are supposed to...ever. Clearly vex offers much more durable and applicable products for the purposes of the PLTW courses. Any word on if they will introduce a PLTW robotics class, b/c that would be really cool.

[BEEKMAN]

Finally!!!! I took PoE last year, and DE this year--I honestly cannot stand FT....its just so....bad....

Honestly, you can actually build most things out of stock parts, in less time than it would take to use FT parts.....

Too bad I graduate this year...