Engineering a plan for math and science
Nationally, more and more children are moving away from careers that feature math and science and National Instruments continues to evangelize engineering initiatives for grades K-12 and beyond.
The engineering-centric company conducted a special panel at NIWeek 06 in Austin, Texas on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education led by Ray Almgren, vice president of Product Marketing and Academic Relations. Almgren heads up the company's worldwide academic relations program.
Panelists discussed ways they can encourage children to embark on a math and science track without suffering from the “uncool” factor. While there were no answers, there was plenty of discussion on ways to go about solving the dilemma.
Along those lines, NI introduced a LabVIEW Toolkit for LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT. With the new toolkit, LabVIEW users can create and download virtual instruments to operate and control the MINDSTORMS NXT robotics platform. Third-party software and hardware developers also can use the toolkit to create native blocks for MINDSTORMS NXT software. MINDSTORMS NXT, the next generation of the LEGO robotics invention system, became available earlier this month and includes a new programming environment.
The LEGO Group and NI teamed to develop the new MINDSTORMS NXT software that includes a drag-and-drop, graphical interface optimized for the target MINDSTORMS NXT consumer, children 10-14 years old. With the new LabVIEW toolkit, more advanced MINDSTORMS NXT users, including adults, students and secondary school and university educators, now can program the NXT using advanced graphical programming tools available in LabVIEW.
If you think LEGOs is a toy just for kids, try playing around with this system. It will be great for kids young and old.
The engineering-centric company conducted a special panel at NIWeek 06 in Austin, Texas on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education led by Ray Almgren, vice president of Product Marketing and Academic Relations. Almgren heads up the company's worldwide academic relations program.
Panelists discussed ways they can encourage children to embark on a math and science track without suffering from the “uncool” factor. While there were no answers, there was plenty of discussion on ways to go about solving the dilemma.
Along those lines, NI introduced a LabVIEW Toolkit for LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT. With the new toolkit, LabVIEW users can create and download virtual instruments to operate and control the MINDSTORMS NXT robotics platform. Third-party software and hardware developers also can use the toolkit to create native blocks for MINDSTORMS NXT software. MINDSTORMS NXT, the next generation of the LEGO robotics invention system, became available earlier this month and includes a new programming environment.
The LEGO Group and NI teamed to develop the new MINDSTORMS NXT software that includes a drag-and-drop, graphical interface optimized for the target MINDSTORMS NXT consumer, children 10-14 years old. With the new LabVIEW toolkit, more advanced MINDSTORMS NXT users, including adults, students and secondary school and university educators, now can program the NXT using advanced graphical programming tools available in LabVIEW.
If you think LEGOs is a toy just for kids, try playing around with this system. It will be great for kids young and old.
3 Comments:
I have a robosapien, but the NXT looks really cool. And I'm working on a novel about home robotics... I think I might need one of these. Funny--I was just on Walt Boyes blog when I read about the NXT, and here you are... your point about kids and academics... so true... I guess if I get one I should let my kids at least peek at the packaging.
OOps, don't forget the prosoft blog... might be something there about Fieldbus Wars you'd might wanna comment on...
National Instruments does a great job in getting the word out pushing for kids to embark on a math and science track...
The funny thing is, they want to make the subjects fun. What a concept.
GH
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