Makeblock is a technology company that designs and produces a range of educational and programmable robots for children and adults. Their products aim to inspire creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and teamwork abilities.
Makeblock was founded in 2011 by Jasen Wang and Mark Hu as a robotics company based in Shenzhen, China.
In 2012, Makeblock released its first hardware kit called mDrawBot, a robotic kit that can be used as a plotter, laser engraver, or 3D printer.
In 2013, they launched their first Kickstarter campaign and successfully raised $180,000 to develop and produce the mBot, an educational robot kit that can be programmed using Scratch 2.0, a graphical programming language developed by MIT Media Lab.
Since then, Makeblock has launched several other products such as the mBot Ranger, Codey Rocky, Airblock, Neuron, and Ultimate Robot Kit.
The company has won several awards such as the Red Dot Design Award, iF Design Award, and CES Innovation Award.
They have expanded globally and have offices in the US, Japan, and the Netherlands.
LEGO Education produces hands-on and digital tools for teaching STEAM and coding activities to children.
Adafruit designs and produces open-source electronics and robotics kits aimed at teaching makers and educators.
Raspberry Pi produces low-cost, high-performance single-board computers designed for education and robotics projects. It focuses on physical computing and coding education.
The mBot Ranger is a three-in-one educational robot kit that can transform into a tank, a racing car, or a self-balancing robot.
Codey Rocky is an entry-level coding robot for children aged 6+. It comes with a graphical programming interface, a drag-and-drop coding system, and an AI technology module.
Airblock is a modular and programmable drone that can fly, hover, and roll. It is designed to teach children about physics, aerodynamics, and coding.
Neuron is a programmable electronic building block system that can be used to create various projects such as smart homes, augmented reality games, and interactive art.
Makeblock products are suitable for children aged 6+ and adults.
Makeblock products can be programmed using Scratch, Python, and Arduino IDE. It also has a graphical programming interface called mBlock.
Makeblock products do not require any soldering or special tools. They are designed to be easy to assemble and use.
Makeblock products are compatible with other platforms such as LEGO Mindstorms and Raspberry Pi. They use industry-standard interfaces and protocols.
Makeblock provides customer support through email, live chat, and online forums. They also have a community of users who can provide assistance and share their projects.