Do you know about computer programming? Well if you don’t, you now have a chance to make yourself and especially your kids learn coding with these epic new blocks that Sony has recently introduced.
When we say programming an image of long hours in front of the screen and those MS DOS coding line comes into our minds. but that is not the case with these new playing blocks, Sony’s new KOOV blocks give your child a basic learning of coding while playing with the blocks.
The KOOV is candy-colored blocks, introduced in Japan last year, they are combined together like LEGO and can be transformed into 7 different interactive robot shapes including, trucks, penguins, snake etc.
There are two different variants of KOOV, the starter kit includes core micro controller, 172 blocks with 15 electronic parts and 14 robot recipes and the price of this starter KOOV pack is $290. The other variant comes with more blocks, parts and directions and it costs $400.
A senior marketing person at Sony stated, “these robot recipes are something we see as more of an inspiration”. He also stated “we want to give them skills to build their own unique robot”
KOOV is a modular system that helps creators of all age (mostly children) bring their imagination in to life. it is a programmable robot construction set that can be assembled into any shape, which is controlled like a robot. Sony made this program from the scratch making it easy for the children. KOOV automates the finished instruction for the digital blocks to follow.
This kit is Sony’s first offering under the Global Education Branch’s STEM101 curriculum, developed as an “innovative way” to teach science, technology engineering, and math in primary schools around the world.
Kylie Peppler, director of the creativity lab at Indiana University says, “what these companies are trying to do is take them big ideas of computational thinking and bring them down into a playful environment so kids start to see the patterns and logic of how computational thinking works”
The trick is translating a concept into tangible things like blocks via coding and it all start making sense when you see an alligator snaps its jaw with a wave of your hand.
An external Arduino board that controls the KOOV blocks to move or blink the robot or beep simply insert the appropriate sensor’s wire into the corresponding input and output ports, but the hand writing helps kids to understand how sensors and things like accelerometers, infrared and transmitters and push switches drive input motors and lights.
The KOOV app includes an educational track explaining how to use the seven different blocks to create all sorts of object.
Sony’s KOOV is a very constructive toy for the children and it can really help them to understand coding and the whole computing process, its blurs the line between learning and playing, there are no right or wrong answers, no rules no test to pass, there is only the joy of discovering something new every time. And it can give child a new skill with an ambition and a way.