Lego's Robot Inventor kit, a fantastic tool for learning to code, is set for retirement, which means one of two things. Either it's going to be paired with a maverick partner or it'll go for silly prices on eBay. The good news it's 20% off for Black Friday and if you hurry you can order it right now.
Rated for ages 10 and over, the Lego Robot Inventor kit is $287.99 from the official Lego store, and is part of Lego's Mindstorms series. What that means is that the fun doesn't stop when you've built it. In fact, the fun's only beginning.
There are five unique designs you can build and, thanks to the Robot Inventor App you can program these robots to undertake all manner of activities. And, thanks to the visual interface, stringing together commands should be a breeze.
So, while you're having fun you're learning to code, which also makes this an ideal tool for getting children into programming. We can see this being a boon for teachers and other educators too. But be quick, this robot's retirement is just around the corner.
We always knew Lego could be educational (that's our excuse anyway) but this Lego Robot Inventor kit takes things to the next level. You can construct one of five models, ranging from a humanoid robot and a roving vehicle through to something that resembles one of Boston Dynamics' robot dogs.
But once you've built the robot of your choice, you can program it to undertake complex tasks. No, it's not going to try to murder you in your sleep, but the Robot Inventor App, available on PC, iOS and Android is amazingly flexible.
There's no inputting strings of complex code, nor will the user be greeted by a cryptic error message. Instead, you drag and drop instructions which, in turn, can be nested within other instructions.
Don't worry about the robot falling off a table and smashing into several hundred blocky pieces, either. The Robot Inventor App now supports microphone and camera input, meaning you can screech "Stop!" before the worst happens.
The Lego Robot Inventor kit also includes color and distance sensors which will means you can have them act upon feedback from those sensors. We say "you", but the Lego Robot Inventor kit is also a great tool for teaching children to code.
But, with it being retired, you'll need to snap it up soon before it's gone, or gone on eBay. And at 20% off this Black Friday there's no sense in waiting. Or if you'd rather look to the stars, check out our list of best Lego space sets.
Be sure to check out Space.com's Black Friday deals page, or our guide to the Best Lego Black Friday deals.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
