![]() The WeDo and Mindstorms software use the same National Instruments LabVIEW engine. Mindstorms includes three step motors, four sensors, and hundreds of Technic pieces. What truly makes WeDo an iffy purchase is that Mindstorms weighs in at $280. Your child is arguably one step closer to eventually having his or her own fixed address. If you do find yourself in that position, then consider yourself blessed. You can save a bit of money by making use of MIT’s Scratch software (profiled in Part 2) but you may also find yourself purchasing more Technic gears, axles and beams as your child seeks to move beyond the core WeDo models. ![]() Purchasing both the WeDo Set and Software will set you back over $200 with shipping and tax, enough to make most parents scratch their heads and wonder whether it is worth it. You build a contraption and then write a program to run it. A USB interface connects the sensors and motors to your own computer. Introduced in 2008, WeDo combines a simple drag-and-drop programming environment with Lego’s Power Function motors, lights, and two types of sensors (motion/distance and tilt). You can think of Lego WeDo as a junior Mindstorms. In part 2, I look at what has been happening in the WeDo user community, and use MIT’s Scratch software to control WeDo. In part 1, I review the pros and cons of buying WeDo and look at Lego’s recent addition to system, the WeDo Resource Set. After spending a lot of time with the product, I thought it time to visit WeDo again. I’ve been itching to get one ever since, and I finally pulled the trigger when my oldest child appeared ready for it. Two years ago, GeekDad’s Jenny Williams reviewed Lego’s WeDo Robotics Construction Set for children (the review is still an excellent introduction). This following text was taken from a post by Robert Ferguson on the GeekDad community blog.
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