Abstract: An educational construction kit and methods are disclosed. The kit may have a plurality of blocks, each one of the blocks having an integral block data flow, a power exchange, and a structural connector side. Each one of the plurality of blocks may have (a) reprogrammable software to enable end-users to reprogram a unique and a specific behavior of each of the plurality of blocks; and (b) an embedded electronic device with a microcontroller that processes the reprogrammable software to instruct the respective block to perform the unique and the specific behavior. Interconnection of two or more blocks of the plurality of blocks may form a distributed communication network. At least one block of the plurality of blocks may include an additional component to allow the block to perform a different behavior from at least one other block.

Abstract: The present invention is a robotics construction kit that serves as a platform for children to engage in problem-solving and innovative thinking in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. By designing and building robotics constructions from an apparently simple set of blocks that encapsulate the kinetic, electronic, and software elements of robots, children and others can encounter, explore, and experiment with basic principles of science and computation. Unlike existing robotics construction kits for education, the present invention embodies computation in every element, which affords understanding systems of distributed computation, rather than systems of top-down control.

Abstract: The present invention is a robotics construction kit that serves as a platform for children to engage in problem-solving and innovative thinking in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. By designing and building robotics constructions from an apparently simple set of blocks that encapsulate the kinetic, electronic, and software elements of robots, children and others can encounter, explore, and experiment with basic principles of science and computation. Unlike existing robotics construction kits for education, the present invention embodies computation in every element, which affords understanding systems of distributed computation, rather than systems of top-down control.