Hey all, like the title says, I’m looking for a robotics kit I can use with my young nephew.
I used to teach Lego Mindstorms years ago so that’s kinda the level I’m looking at. Some things I would like for this go round though:
- He’s young enough that I think I want to start with a visual programming language instead of real code. I’ll gauge his interest and move to real code if he seems like he wants to.
- I would like to have the connection for the controller go to a computer as opposed to an app.
- Linux compatible.
- I would like it to build something that moves with something like wheels or treads.
- No AI
Does anyone have any ideas? I’ve seen a lot online and have no idea if they are good brands or not.
I would look into the kits that VEX Robotics offers. Thry support multiple coding languages (including vex blocks, which is visual iirc), have a very wide selection of modular mechanical components, and I can vouch for their quality. They even run competition events to solve game problems using their robots.
That’s good, I did come across these guys but wasn’t sure about the quality. If you’ve used it before though, what do you like about the quality? Is it that everything feels solid or that the software isn’t buggy, etc?
Just trying to get a feel for the product before/if I buy.
Thanks!
I haven’t dealt with their software, but with the stuff I see people able to build, I know it has to be good. Its been in use for over a decade so they’ve had a lot of development time to get things right.
What i like most is their whole kit ecosystem- it’s very Lego-esque in how parts all have standard connectors and spacing so that if you sort of “think” that two parts fit together- it’s almost guaranteed they will. Especially with exp and v5, which are metal-girder components rather than plastic, but the plastic kits are good too.
Nice! I didn’t know they’ve been around that long. I was looking at the Vex Go education kit.
https://www.vexrobotics.com/go-kits.html
That seems about right for his age group and the kit will let me build my own alongside him.
Good luck! It’ll be worth it!
If you want to see what vex kits are capable of, look into the competitions they host. Each year student teams get games they must complete using a robot they design themselves.
Cool, will do.
Something to keep in mind with VEX is that they just split with the organization that runs all of their competitions, so there’s likely changes coming soon. Also, the company itself has had some… Culture issues, so I personally try to avoid using their products where possible.