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NI and LEGO(R) Education Develop Low-Cost Robotics Platform for Elementary School Students
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Powered by LabVIEW, LEGO Education WeDo(TM) Brings Interactive, Hands-On Learning to Intel Classmate and One Laptop per Child XO Computers
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 7, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NIWeek -- National
Instruments (Nasdaq: NATI) and LEGO Education continue their educational
robotics collaboration with the new LEGO Education WeDo classroom robotics
platform. Powered by NI LabVIEW graphical design software, LEGO Education WeDo
Software is a drag-and-drop, icon-based environment that students ages 7 to 11
can use to easily program their own robotics inventions. Using WeDo software,
students learn basic programming skills while designing their robotics
applications.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080807/LATH503)
Teachers can incorporate the WeDo concept in a broad range of curriculum
areas including science, technology, mathematics, language and literacy. When
designing their robotics applications, students use creativity, teamwork and
problem solving, which are crucial skills needed to compete in the global
marketplace. WeDo software operates on the Intel Classmate PC running Windows
XP, the One Laptop per Child XO running the Linux(R) OS, any PC supporting
Windows XP or Windows Vista (32-bit) and any Mac running Apple Macintosh 10.5.
"LEGO Education is proud to continue our ongoing collaboration with
National Instruments to provide students as young as seven years of age with a
robotics product that actively involves them in their own learning process and
promotes creative thinking, teamwork and problem-solving skills -- skills that
are essential in the workplace of the 21st century," said Lars Nyengaard,
director of innovation at LEGO Education. "By combining the intuitive and
interactive interface of LEGO Education WeDo software with the physical
experience of building models out of LEGO bricks, we can bridge the physical
and virtual worlds to provide the ultimate hands-on, minds-on learning
experience."
LEGO Education WeDo encourages teachers to issue curriculum-based
challenges that students must solve. Working in teams, the children invent
their own solutions by building LEGO models and programming them to perform
certain tasks. Cause-and-effect learning is enhanced by the models remaining
tethered to a computer; similar to scientists in working labs, children can
test and adjust their programming in real time. After reflecting on what did
and did not work, students can consult with peers, adapt programming, adjust
models or begin again.
"National Instruments is passionate about educating and inspiring today's
students to become engineers and scientists through hands-on, project-based
learning," said Ray Almgren, vice president of academic relations at National
Instruments. "Our collaboration with LEGO Education has leveraged the strength
of both companies to deliver our third educational robotics toolset in the
past 10 years."
The National Instruments collaboration with LEGO Education began in 1998
when ROBOLAB, the software powered by LabVIEW and developed by the Tufts
University Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, was launched for the
original LEGO MINDSTORMS(R) robotics software. In 2006, LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT,
the current generation of LEGO robotics, was codeveloped by these companies to
provide students with the latest hardware and software technology for building
advanced, autonomous robotics.
LEGO Education WeDo will be available from LEGO Education in January 2009.
For more information on WeDo software, readers can visit
http://www.ni.com/wedo.
National Instruments in Academia
National Instruments (http://www.ni.com) is committed to enhancing
engineering and science education worldwide by providing educators and
students with powerful graphical system design software and low-cost, modular
hardware to connect curriculum with hands-on, project-based learning. NI
LabVIEW graphical development software helps students visualize and implement
important engineering concepts. The integration of LabVIEW in the classroom
creates an effective, dynamic learning environment -- from LEGO Education WeDo
in primary schools to research laboratories in universities. For more
information about NI academic products, curriculum resources and discounts,
visit http://www.ni.com/academic.
About The LEGO Group
The LEGO Group (http://www.LEGO.com) is a privately held, family owned
company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group
is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials for children,
employing approximately 4,500 people globally. The LEGO Group is committed to
the development of children's creative and imaginative abilities through its
products, which can be purchased in more than 130 countries.
LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, ni.com and NIWeek are trademarks of
National Instruments. Linux(R) is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds
in the U.S. and other countries. Other product and company names listed are
trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
LEGO, MINDSTORMS, WeDo and their respective logos are trademarks of the
LEGO Group. (C) 2008 The LEGO Group.
Editor Contact: Julia Betts, (512) 683-8165
Reader Contact: Ernest Martinez, (800) 258-7022
SOURCE National Instruments
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