Robot for children avoids obstacles, recognizes gestures

A crowdfunded project on Kickstarter, the Vortex model from DFRobot is a revolutionary smart robot designed for children. The model simply needs to be paired with a smartphone via Bluetooth and it is good to go. The Vortex is designed with sensors and a built-in computer, allowing it to easily respond to various commands. It can find its way around obstacles, detect lines and report to the user. The robot is programmable and comes with pre-set courses that teach children how to make use of its built-in capabilities, such as recognizing hand gestures, navigating around obstacles and avoiding drop-offs. The user can control the robot by tapping on the screen of a connected smartphone. The model is preinstalled with four games, namely Bumping Fight, Virtual Golf, Driving and Robot Soccer. These games aim to enhance children’s creativity while having fun.

Currently, Vortex is compatible with Arduino and Scratch. It can see and speak via IR, grayscale and sound speakers. The model measures 120x120x64mm. It is powered by four AA batteries.

Established in 2008, DFRobot is based in Shanghai, China. It is a provider of robotics and open-source hardware, catering to hardware engineers, DIY enthusiasts and interactive designers. The company has more than 100 staff.

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