Most kids will jump at the chance to play with a robot.
But parents may jump at the opportunity to purchase this particular robot, too. That's because, the Gemini smart robot is as much an educational tool as it is meant for pure entertainment.
Programmable with a graphical programming tool mBlockly, which is based on Google Blockly, while teaching kids the essentials of computer programming, Makeblock has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the Gemini robot.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the company has received upwards of $18,000 toward its goal of $100,000 with 43 days to go.
The Gemini smart robot can race, play music, dance, change voices and even fight, while being controlled by three methods — motion-path control, gravity control and path following — via an Android or iOS-supported smartphone or tablet app and a simple wireless connection.
With a built-in LED panel consisting of 247 blue LEDs, kids can also create emojis, write messages or draw using the Gemini app for the smart robot to prominently display their work.
But more than anything, Gemini's ability to teach kids while they play with it, could be the difference in getting parents to plop down the $99 it takes to bring the smart robot home for the holidays via Makeblock's early-bird special.
"mBlockly is a graphical programming tool developed based on Google Blockly, which uses same programming style as Scratch," Makeblock explains on its Kickstarter page. "This kind of programming language is widely used in teaching area. Using mBlockly will motivate your kids to learn programming, inspire them to create, and help them to know more about STEM."
That being said, parents might love Gemini more than their kids, already.
