Dash and Dot Robots
STEM Skills targeted: Programming & Robotics
Recommended age: 5+
Dash and Dot are robots that make coding fun!
Dash is a robot that responds to your voice, navigates objects, dances, sings and more. Dash can be programmed easily using specially designed apps that are created for different age groups and learning styles:
- Wonder is a picture-based coding language for kids aged 8+. Wonder has an intuitive interface and teaches kids through a series of fun challenges
- Blockly introduces advanced coding concepts through fun puzzles. Kids from the age of 8 can learn about algorithm design, loops, conditionals and control flow through playing this fun app to control Dash and Dot. Using this app you can program a routine for Dash to follow that can be triggered by certain effects (for example flash his eyes or do a dance when you clap)
- Path is an app suitable for all ages that can help kids learn to code before they can even read! It allows kids to draw a path on the screen that the robot will then follow.
- Go is a fun way for kids of all ages to explore what Dash can do – it basically turns your phone into a remote control for Dash
- Xylo is a musical app to be used with the xylophone accessory that teaches programming through music.
Dash Robot
Dash has a range of accessories that can expand his capabilities:
- Launcher to turn him into a robotic slingshot
- Building Brick Connectors that allow you to snap on Lego bricks to customize Dash’s look
- Xylophone to compose and play music
- Bulldozer bar to clean up those pesky lego bricks and toys quickly
- Smartphone mount to record what dash sees from your phone camera
- Bunny ears
Dash has two large wheels at the front and a small wheel at the back, allowing for a wide range of movement. He has one big ‘eye’ which is surrounded by 12 white LED lights and also has lights in his ears and chest that can change color.
Dash can make and pickup sounds via three microphones and a speaker. He can make a variety of sounds and has a basic vocabulary of words in his own language.
He has four infrared transmitters, three distance sensors to detect obstacles and two robot receivers for communicating with other robots.
Dot Robot
Dot is a fun way for kids to learn programming and robotics using the Wonder and Blockly apps described above. Dot doesn’t move around like dash but has programmable lights and sounds.
Dot can be programmed to be a magic 8 ball, hot potato game, and many other things and comes with pre-programmed games that can be played right out of the box.
Dot and Dash can also be programmed to work together. Dot can be used to control dash so for example you can shake Dot to make Dash move or you can hide Dot and program Dash to look for him.
You can buy Dot and Dash separately, together, or in a bundle together with the full accessory pack and xylophone pack for maximum programming play and fun.
Dot and Dash are compatible with iPhone, iPad and most Android phones (some of the apps do not yet have an Android version but they should do by the end of 2015)
For teachers and homeschoolers, the teachers portal on the Dash and Dot website offers a full coding curriculum with lesson plans, videos and ideas for using the robots within the classroom.