Arduino Education’s Arduino Alvik is an upcoming 3-wheel educational robot that was just unveiled at the Bett 2024 show in London and designed to teach robotics, programming, and other STEAM subjects.
The robot is based on an Arduino Nano ESP32 board and will come with a set of nineteen lessons designed by Arduino Education’s team in collaboration with teachers so that students can learn the basics of IoT, get started with MicroPython, and get themselves familiar with various physics and engineering concepts.
The company has yet to provide the full specifications for the Alvik robot, but here’s what we know at this stage:
- Mainboard – Arduino Nano ESP32
- 2x wheels plus 1x ball wheel
- Sensors – “High-quality sensors” that include a ToF ranging sensor, line-following sensors, a 6-axis accelerometer & gyroscope, a proximity sensor, and color sensors.
- Expansion
- 2x Grove I2C connectors
- 2x Qwiic connectors
- 6-pin servo motor header for up to 2x micro servos (as shown in the photo above)
- Misc
- Capacitive touch buttons (D-Pad, OK, cancel)
- On/off switch
- Compatible with LEGO Technic and M3 screws
- “3D printing and laser cutting design-compatible” although I’ve yet to fully understand what that means 🙂
- Power Supply – Rechargeable battery rechargeable through USB-C port on Arduino Nano ESP32
While Arduino Education will initially support MicroPython, work is being done to bring block-based programming and Arduino C lessons to the Arduino Alvik robot. The kit will be suitable for primary school students up to advanced learners with lessons covering interactive game design, IoT, and AI projects.
The Arduino Alvik is not available just yet, but you can check out a demo at Bett 2024, at ExCel London, from 24 to 26 January 2024. Educators can also register to join a waiting list and get notified when they can do a “bulk purchase for their school” once the robot becomes available. This could also mean the robot won’t be sold to individuals (TBC). More details may be found on the product page.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Did mean STEM? Otherwise, I don’t know what the A stand for. Bet let’s be honest, sometimes is hard keeping on top of all the acronyms these daya
Sometimes STEM is used, other times STEAM with the A standing for Arts.