Dash robot teaches coding to kids

Education appears to be an important component of home robots these days. The Alpha 2, highlighted here in November, advertised the robot’s ability to help tutor children. A robot called Dash from Wonder Workshop is also pushing the education angle by offering to help kids learn how to code. The robot has been out for a while now, but The Next Web highlighted Dash as a good choice for a home robot this holiday season since it is pretty affordable at $149. The similar robot Dot, which does not have wheels to move around on, is only $49.

Dash can be programmed to do a sequence of actions through the Blockly mobile app. The app is meant to be a simple means of teaching kids the principles of programming and problem solving. This is different from the way Alpha 2 would help someone with Spanish homework, of course. In the case of Dash, the robot is a tool and a fun way of learning about something new rather than acting as a teacher. Still, both products focus on education, which is a unique marketing angle suggesting it is something parents might be responsive to.

Robots are affordable for many families these days, but do they really need one? What if it can assist kids with their homework or help them stay ahead in coding? Suddenly the products seem much more valuable.

Related products such as educational robotic kits have been available for a while. Dongguan BDS Technology and Shenzhen Sunsky Technology offer some through Global Sources. New educational robots are different, however. They are fully-built devices that users can program and interact with. Latest home robot assistants can integrate with cloud services to create artificial intelligence that can offer helpful tips. These more intelligent and interactive robots that offer an educational component in some way might have the perfect value proposition for consumers.