14 DAY TRIAL // After a successful launch of intelligent toys like the Sphero, which teach kids how to code and are used as educational tools, Vortex has come along.
Built by DFRobot, a company that's been selling open-source hardware since 2008, Vortex was first advertised through Kickstarter, with the goal of raising $50,000 by means of crowdfunding.
Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, Vortex doesn't pride on sheer performance but on accessibility, being the perfect companion for kids who can learn programming through Arduino's highly customizable chip.
Being basically a micro:bit on wheels, the Vortex will have companion apps for iOS and Android, which will let your kids learn basic robotics and coding with the help of a colorful and easy-to-use interface.
Is programming truly fun?
The main thing that is shared by all recent robots for kids manufacturers is that programming for kids must be made easier and more accessible. Building programmable PCBs under the aspect of a likeable robot-like toy may actually help up this interest in kids today. The real question is how much kids will show interest in such simple programming features when much more advanced machines like smartphones, tablets and PCs lie next to them and pose a much more wondrous miracle of technology. In a sense, what's an iPod to a Vortex?
The educational purpose is indeed fantastic but its simplicity may come too late, and while the intention is laudable, a certain level of comprehension must be asked from a child to learn, in a fun way, that the mechanics of the Vortex also lie at the very foundation of their dad's iPod.
The Vortex's Kickstarter page will sell this little tinkering robot for $69, which includes the robot, a pack of stickers, and a golf set. The DFRobot will arrive this fall.
