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Wonder Workshop is a start-up which was founded in 2012 that helps kids to learn programming through Dash-and-Dot Robots using Swift. They specialize in making toy robots named Dash and Dot, which kids can control through programs created using Wonder Workshop Apps. These Apps communicate to the robots using Bluetooth and automatically decide the programming language to be used in order to control the movement of the robot’s and sensors.
Apple Swift Playground:
Now the kids can also program these Dash and Dot robots through Apple Swift Playgrounds which was introduced by Apple during the World Wide Developer Conference in 2016. Swift playground provides a series of puzzles which makes it interesting for first time coders to program. They are asked to complete these puzzles and they can control Dash and Dot robots through touches and taps present on an iPad. Kids can now learn the programming fundamentals using both the Swift playground and Dash-and-Dot robots. When the kids access the Wonder Workshop “Playbook” using the Swift playground App in their iPad, they can spot the robots present nearby which they can control using simple programs.
Dash and Dot – Amazing Toy Robots:
Wonder Workshop is a company which makes Dash and Dot which are popular toy robots among kids. These toy robots could be controlled using the programs that kids can write using the Wonder Workshop apps that appear like casual games which give a sense of curiosity for kids to learn basic programming using these robots. The apps interact to the robots using Bluetooth and can be programmed using different languages. Since the robots can also connect through Apple Swift playgrounds, it can also be programmed through those iPad Apps. They can access the Wonder Workshop playbook through the Swift Playgrounds installed on their iPads. It will tell them which robots are nearby and they can start programming. Apple had introduced a new programming language called Swift especially for kids to learn programming which is similar to objective C. Swift 3.01 is the latest version of this language and has been currently made as an open source by Apple.
Exciting Apps for Coding:
Similar to Swift Playground, Wonder Workshop also has their own Apps which can be used by kids for programming Dash and Dot robots. There are 5 Apps namely Wonder, Blockly, Xylo, Path and Go. Each App can be used for different type of programs like transforming Dot into an alarm, using Dot to control Dash, playing tag with Dash, Program Dash to follow a path or conduct a musical performance using Dash’s Xylophone. Based on the comments by Vikas Gupta, CEO and Co-founder of Wonder Workshop kids can use the Swift playground or Wonder Workshop Apps to program the Dash and Dot robots to complete a range of missions which involves motion and various outputs of robot like performing a dance or moving in a square by making sounds or flashing LEDs. They can also program the sensors and make these robots to perform some action based on the input like program Dash to move in a square if it hears a clap. These Apps are especially targeted for kids who are 8-11 years old and it has currently become a part of the curriculum for more than 8, 500 schools.
Pricing:
You can purchase both Dash and Dot separately if you wish and the Wonder Workshop Apps can be downloaded for free from Google Play store. Dash alone costs $149.99 which is a real robot while Dot is the brain of Dash that can be purchased separately for just $49.99. You can purchase the Wonder pack which includes both Dash and Dot robots, Xylophone, building brick connectors and various accessories for just $279.99. They also have holiday pack, launcher and various other accessories that can be purchased separately in their website.
