My first Encounter with NXT at I-HUB

2006-10-24T02:19:00.000-07:00

Presented by Mr Elijh Ooi the smartest, strongest and most advanced LEGO® robot ever, in as few as 30 minutes! The new NXT Intelligent Brick, our robot's "brain," features a powerful 32-bit microprocessor and more memory, plus support for USB 2.0, Bluetooth and more!

A highly versatile palette of LEGO TECHNIC® elements combines with state-of-the-art ultrasonic, sound, light and touch sensors in the next generation of intuitive robotics. With included Quick-Start guide, easy-to-use software and step-by-step building instructions, beginners and experts alike can create humanoid, vehicle and animal robots that obey every command!

Improved light sensors can detect different colors and intensities, while the new sound sensor enables robots to respond to sound patterns and tones. Robots can really "feel" with improved touch sensors, while ultrasonic "eyes" measure distance and movement.

Programming software is available for both PC and Macintosh, plus with Bluetooth support, one can even command our robot from your mobile phone!

LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Includes:

All-new NXT Intelligent Brick with 32-bit microprocessor, more memory and FLASH
3 Interactive Servo motors feature built-in rotation sensors to align speed for precise control
New sound sensor reacts to sound commands, patterns and tones
New ultrasonic visual sensor responds to movement
Improved touch sensor reacts to touch and release
Improved light sensor detects different colors and light intensities
519 specially selected LEGO TECHNIC elements for sturdy and durable building and improved functionality and movement
4 input ports, 3 output ports and 7 6-wire cords
Matrix display
Real sound speaker
USB 2.0 and Bluetooth support
Easy-to-use PC and Mac compatible interface
Intuitive, icon-based drag-and-drop program "building" environment
System Requirement
Windows

Intel® Pentium® processor or compatible, 800 MHz minimum
Windows XP Professional or Home Edition with Service Pack 2
256MB of RAM minimum
Up to 300MB of available hard-disk space
XGA display (1024x768)
1 available USB port
CD-ROM drive
Compatible Bluetooth adapter (optional)*
Macintosh

A highly versatile palette of LEGO TECHNIC® elements combined with state-of-the-art ultrasonic sound, light and touch sensors in the next generation of intuitive robotics. With the included Quick-Start guide, easy-to-use software and step-by-step building instructions, beginners and experts alike can create humanoid, vehicle and animal robots that obey every command.

Light sensors can detect different colors and intensities, while the sound sensor enables robots to respond to sound patterns and tones. Robots can really "feel" with improved touch sensors, while ultrasonic "eyes" measure distance and movement.The new NXT Intelligent Brick, your robot's "brain," features a powerful 32-bit microprocessor plus support for USB 2.0, Bluetooth and more.

Photos

Video
A short Video on NXT Demonstration

Singapore building School of the Future

2006-10-19T16:09:00.000-07:00

Singapore building ’Schools of the Future’

It's not new news that Asia is pouring money into education technology to fuel the next generation of economic growth. As if to prove the point, Singapore's Ministry of of Education (MOE) is teaming up with various international businesses to develop 15 "Schools of the Future" by 2015, reports Today Online.

The MOE has created a special $500 million fund to help integrate interactive digital media into high schools and to develop an innovative learning environment.

"The MOE will come in very strongly to support the schools in realising their vision; we will be prepared to give them a lot more resources," said the Ministry's permanent secretary Lim Chuan Poh.

"We can bring to them the overseas thinkers, let them have conversations; we can bring to them partnerships with industries; we will certainly support them with our consultants from the Education Technology Division to help them situate their content and their pedagogy on technology platforms."

Gone will be the thick textbooks students currently tote around because students will all be connected through wireless Internet connections. Science experiments may be conducted through online simulations, and learning from virtual simulations like Second Life, will become the norm.

The MOE is partnering with Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and ST Engineering, to name a few.

Future smart: MOE to co-develop high-tech schools
International team to help produce visionary institutions by 2015

—Extracted News from the Channel NewsAsia

THE Ministry of Education (MOE) will be working with an international research team to develop 15 "Schools of the Future" by 2015.
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This list will consist of existing schools that have used teaching approaches involving Interactive Digital Media to develop an innovative learning environment.
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In the School of the Future, science experiments may be conducted through online simulations, while students may learn about the laws physics by racing virtual cars and interacting with their classmates and teachers through immersive virtual environments, such as those found in popular computer game Second Life.
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There will also be no need for thick books as students will work on their tablet computers, which will be connected via a wireless network.
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These are just some of the possibilities that a research team under the Education Ministry is studying.
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To make their vision a reality in the 15 schools by 2015, the team can dip into a specially-created $500-million fund. If the research application proves successful, the programme could be pushed out to more schools.
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"The MOE will come in very strongly to support the schools in realising their vision; we will be prepared to give them a lot more resources," said the ministry's Permanent Secretary Lim Chuan Poh.
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"We can bring to them the overseas thinkers, let them have conversations; we can bring to them partnerships with industries; we will certainly support them with our consultants from the Education Technology Division to help them situate their content and their pedagogy on technology platforms."
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Mr Lim also promised to provide schools with technical resources, such as "technical people on the ground", to ensure that everything works seamlessly.
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One prototype school may also be built from scratch, integrating technology into infrastructure.
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The MOE is currently working with more than 10 industry partners in its research. The partners include Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and ST Engineering.
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The success of the research is expected to have immense commercial value, not just in Singapore, but also overseas. Foreign education institutions are also to be involved in this large-scale educational research project.
International team to help produce visionary institutions by 2015

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Learning Robotics

My first Encounter with NXT at I-HUB

Singapore building School of the Future

Singapore building ’Schools of the Future’

—Extracted News from the Channel NewsAsia