Edison Robots
Why Edison?
Edison is a programmable robot designed to be a complete STEM teaching resource for coding and robotics education for students from 4 to 16 years of age.
Effective, engaging and enjoyable coding educationEdison helps deliver meaningful computational thinking, computer programming and 21st-century education in an engaging, hands-on way.
Designed for the classroom environment, Edison robots are durable, have no loose parts to manage, and thanks to their compact size, are easy to store. Edison works right out of the box, fully pre-built with all sensors ready to use. There’s no software to install or manage, making it easy to use Edison with different device types and platforms, including laptops, Chromebooks and tablets.
Edison is a programmable robot designed to be a complete STEM teaching resource for coding and robotics education for students from 4 to 16 years of age.
Effective, engaging and enjoyable coding educationEdison helps deliver meaningful computational thinking, computer programming and 21st-century education in an engaging, hands-on way.
Designed for the classroom environment, Edison robots are durable, have no loose parts to manage, and thanks to their compact size, are easy to store. Edison works right out of the box, fully pre-built with all sensors ready to use. There’s no software to install or manage, making it easy to use Edison with different device types and platforms, including laptops, Chromebooks and tablets.
Youtube
Meet Edison - Meet Edison the super affordable robot for learning and inventing. Edison is Lego compatible, easy to program and has built-in programs that are activated by driving over barcodes.
Getting started with Edison Block Coding - Get up and running with EdBlocks the graphical programming language for the Edison robot
Exploring EduScratch Programming - EdScratch is a vertical block-based visual programming language based on Scratch. EdScratch combines the ease of drag-and-drop programming with powerful functionality and versatility. The result is a robot programming language that is easy to learn and offers a robust platform for computer science education. https://www.edscratchapp.com/
Exploring EdPyth Programing - In this tutorial, we look at the parts that make up EdPy and build our first program
EdWare Tutorials
Edware Part 1 programming Tool - In this tutorial, we look at the parts that make up EdWare and build our first program
Edware Part 2 programming Tool - In this second Edware tutorial, we look at the menu of EdWare and all the options it contains
Edware Part 3 programming Tool - In this third tutorial, we look at the red control blocks which cause Edison to perform actions
Edware Part 4 programming Tool - In this fourth tutorial, we look at the yellow flow blocks, which Edison can use to interact with the outside world
Edware Part 5 programming Tutorial - In this fifth tutorial, we look at the green data blocks, that Edison uses to perform mathematical operations on data in variables
Edware Part 6 programming Tutorial - In this sixth tutorial, we look at the blue read blocks, which Edison can use to get more control over it's sensors
Edware Part 7 programming Tutorial - In this seventh tutorial, we look at new events which Edison can use to react quickly to the environment
Meet Edison - Meet Edison the super affordable robot for learning and inventing. Edison is Lego compatible, easy to program and has built-in programs that are activated by driving over barcodes.
Getting started with Edison Block Coding - Get up and running with EdBlocks the graphical programming language for the Edison robot
Exploring EduScratch Programming - EdScratch is a vertical block-based visual programming language based on Scratch. EdScratch combines the ease of drag-and-drop programming with powerful functionality and versatility. The result is a robot programming language that is easy to learn and offers a robust platform for computer science education. https://www.edscratchapp.com/
Exploring EdPyth Programing - In this tutorial, we look at the parts that make up EdPy and build our first program
EdWare Tutorials
Edware Part 1 programming Tool - In this tutorial, we look at the parts that make up EdWare and build our first program
Edware Part 2 programming Tool - In this second Edware tutorial, we look at the menu of EdWare and all the options it contains
Edware Part 3 programming Tool - In this third tutorial, we look at the red control blocks which cause Edison to perform actions
Edware Part 4 programming Tool - In this fourth tutorial, we look at the yellow flow blocks, which Edison can use to interact with the outside world
Edware Part 5 programming Tutorial - In this fifth tutorial, we look at the green data blocks, that Edison uses to perform mathematical operations on data in variables
Edware Part 6 programming Tutorial - In this sixth tutorial, we look at the blue read blocks, which Edison can use to get more control over it's sensors
Edware Part 7 programming Tutorial - In this seventh tutorial, we look at new events which Edison can use to react quickly to the environment
Websites
Edison Home Page - The main site for the Edison Robot. Learn how Edison is a programmable robot designed to be a complete STEM teaching resource for coding and robotics education for students from 4 to 16 years of age.Enrich your kids’ STEM education experience through interactive engineering and programming projects by using Edison together with LEGO bricks.
Edison and Lego - Edison works with any LEGO brick compatible building system, including the EdCreate robot creator’s kit. Bricks can be attached to the top and bottom of the Edison robot and pegs can be attached to the robot’s sides. When Edison’s wheels are removed, cross axles can be used in the powered sockets.
Edison Robot Sensors - Edison robots use sensors and motors to interact with the world. The robot also has three buttons, a power switch and several removable parts. Knowing where Edison’s parts are and what they do will help you get the most out of your robot.
Programming Languages -All of the programming languages are completely free to use with your Edison robot! Edison can be programmed using any of our educational robot programming languages. You can easily use the same Edison robot with different languages – just open the programming software application you want, connect your Edison and get started!
EdScratch - EdScratch is a vertical block-based visual programming language based on Scratch. EdScratch combines the ease of drag-and-drop programming with powerful functionality and versatility. The result is a robot programming language that is easy to learn and offers a robust platform for computer science education.
EdBlocks - EdBlocks is a fully graphical robot programming language for the Edison robot that is super easy to use. A drag-and-drop block-based system, EdBlocks is intuitive and fun, even for younger users. Perfect for introducing anyone to programming, EdBlocks is ideal for students aged 8 to 12 years old.
EdPy - EdPy is a highly versatile text-based programming language for the Edison robot. EdPy is based on Python, a popular computer programming language renowned for being easy-to-learn with high readability. Programmers use Python to develop everything from the latest apps to business software. Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest are just some of the many applications that use Python! EdPy makes text-based programming fun by letting students see their code come to life in their Edison robot. With EdPy, students are learning the core of a real programming language and are able to take their exploration of robotics and coding to a more advanced level.EdWare has since been retired, replaced by three other languages: EdBlocks, EdScratch and EdPy.
The EdWare App - ( Retired) It will continue to be active and available for use. While there is not currently a set time-frame for deactivating EdWare, There will not be an updating of the application moving forward. In other words, the plan is to keep the current application available as it stands indefinitely.
Ed Create - The EdCreate Edison robot creator’s kit is a 5-in-1 expansion pack construction system. Designed to work with the Edison robot, EdCreate enriches students’ STEM education experience through interactive engineering and programming projects. The EdCreate system can be used with Edison robots to complete five EdBuild projects:
- the EdTank,
- the EdDigger,
- the EdRoboClaw,
- the EdCrane, and
- the EdPrinter.
The EdBuild projects require progressive levels of coding capabilities, making them a perfect addition to the Edison programming and robotics curriculum.
EdCreate can also be used in a wide range of open-ended engineering, design and programming challenges. Open-ended projects, including the EdCreate EdChallenges, promote creative problem solving and give students opportunities to find STEM applications to real-world scenarios.
Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for the Edison Robot - Teaching coding, computational thinking and STEAM projects with Edison robots is easy using our free teaching resources. All of the Edison robotics programming languages have complementary teaching resources including lesson plans, teacher’s guides and student activities & worksheet sets. The teaching resources are designed to help educators unlock robotics and coding to get the most out of Edison in their classrooms. All of the educational resources are free to use and licenced under Creative Commons so they can be adapted, modified and translated.
Edison and Barcodes - The special Edison robot barcodes let you kick-start your exploration of Edison using pre-set programs, control Edison like a remote-control car, or create your own remote-control programming masterpieces!
The EdMat - The EdMat is an A1 size (59cm x 84cm) (23.2in x 33.1in) robot activity mat that can be printed at your local print shop.
Perfect for getting started with Edison and for ongoing use as a test mat for all your Edison creations and programs, the free-to-download EdMat is designed to make running robot activities simple to set up and loads of fun.
Hour of Code Robotics Activities - Discover this range of activities featured in the Hour of Code’s ‘Robotics and Circuits’ lessons. The ‘Hour of Code™’ is a nationwide initiative by Computer Science Education Week and Code.org to introduce millions of students to one hour of computer science and computer programming. These activities will help you make a tangible Hour of Code for students of any age and skill level using Edison robots!
Engineering and Design with edison - In the classroom, stakes don’t need to be that high. But the general idea of ‘we need to make this thing using only that stuff’ is the perfect template for creating engineering challenges that get students using the engineering design process. The general format of the engineering design process is a series of 6 steps:
- Define the problem
- Identify criteria and constraints
- Brainstorm solutions
- Choose an approach
- Build a prototype
- Test the solution
Going Beyond Edison - Whether you are looking for a stand-alone activity to get your class started with Edison, are seeking more cross-curricular STEAM options to try, or you need more for students to do above and beyond the coding lesson plans and the Edison design challenges, these educational activities are perfect for the classroom.
More than just Coding - There are lots of meaningful cross-curricular things to teach with as few as one robot. Check out these three more-than-just-coding activities, each of which you can run with just one Edison robot.
The Edison Robot Blog - An area rich with ideas and great standards aligned activities that will bring robots into any curriculum. Enjoy the read.
App Information
EdWare
EdWare in the App Store
EdPy
SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter
#edisonrobot
@meetedison
Pinterest
Pinterest Educator Ideas for Edison
YouTube Channel
Meet Edison Channel
Edison Robot Ideas
EdWare
EdWare in the App Store
EdPy
SOCIAL MEDIA
#edisonrobot
@meetedison
Pinterest Educator Ideas for Edison
YouTube Channel
Meet Edison Channel
Edison Robot Ideas
Tips and Tricks
• Practice steps 1,2,6,7, and 8 with students as these are the steps they will always need to download a program to Edison.
• Some devices, especially tablets, automatically lower the volume when they detect that an audio device, such as headphones, has been connected. Make sure the volume on the computer or tablet is still turned all the way up after the EdComm cable is plugged in.
• While a program is downloading to Edison, Edison makes a whirring sound. Once the program downloads successfully, Edison will make a chirping beep. Make sure students do not unplug the EdComm cable until after they hear the success sound beep.
• If the program fails while downloading, Edison will make a ‘fail beep’. You can hear what the success and fail noises sound like at https://meetedison.com/edison-robot-support/trouble-shooting
• When many students are downloading programs at the same time, you may experience slower internet speeds, causing the program to take longer to create the ‘program Edison’ pop-up box and for the program to download to Edison. Remind students to listen for the success sound before unplugging the EdComm cable to ensure they wait until the program fully downloads.
• Blocks must be attached to the start block to be downloaded to Edison. Floating blocks not attached to a start block will not download to Edison. • You can remove blocks you don’t want by dragging them into the trash bin in the lower right corner.
• Practice steps 1,2,6,7, and 8 with students as these are the steps they will always need to download a program to Edison.
• Some devices, especially tablets, automatically lower the volume when they detect that an audio device, such as headphones, has been connected. Make sure the volume on the computer or tablet is still turned all the way up after the EdComm cable is plugged in.
• While a program is downloading to Edison, Edison makes a whirring sound. Once the program downloads successfully, Edison will make a chirping beep. Make sure students do not unplug the EdComm cable until after they hear the success sound beep.
• If the program fails while downloading, Edison will make a ‘fail beep’. You can hear what the success and fail noises sound like at https://meetedison.com/edison-robot-support/trouble-shooting
• When many students are downloading programs at the same time, you may experience slower internet speeds, causing the program to take longer to create the ‘program Edison’ pop-up box and for the program to download to Edison. Remind students to listen for the success sound before unplugging the EdComm cable to ensure they wait until the program fully downloads.
• Blocks must be attached to the start block to be downloaded to Edison. Floating blocks not attached to a start block will not download to Edison. • You can remove blocks you don’t want by dragging them into the trash bin in the lower right corner.