Robotics Fans And Extreme Play Seekers, Mark Your Calendars! LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 Hits Shelves On September 1st

BILLUND, Denmark, Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The LEGO Group today announced that LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3, the new award-winning consumer robotics platform, will hit retail shelves on September 1, 2013 and may start appearing later this month at select online retailers for pre-order. To inspire tinkerers of all ages with the limitless possibilities of the platform, the company unveiled the full collection of 12 bonus models designed by an international group of MINDSTORMS community experts that join five hero models introduced earlier this year.

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(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130801/CL56702-b )
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Since the first public preview of MINDSTORMS EV3 at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, new and existing fans of all ages have been eagerly awaiting the updated system. The third evolution in the platform's 15 year history, EV3 continues the legacy by energizing and growing the leading consumer robotics community of both children and adults. Since 1998, LEGO MINDSTORMS has expanded its influence across nations and generations from inspiring FIRST® LEGO League – the middle school robotics program with over 20,000 teams competing annually in more than 70 countries – to having real-world impact for prototyping at major research centers and manufacturers.

Powered by a stronger, faster intelligent brick and packing more memory and a larger processor, EV3 also features additions like a USB port, SD expansion slot and new infrared sensor for more control and capabilities. A Linux-based firmware provides endless programming possibilities to encourage hobbyists to push boundaries and imaginations and continue to grow the MINDSTORMS community's library of over 15,000 creations. Users can also look forward to greater on-brick programming, full iOS and Android compatibility and first-ever 3D building instructions for tablets to bring the experience away from the computer when desired.

A multinational group of nearly 70 members of MINDSTORMS Community Partners (MCPs) from around the world contributed to the design process of the EV3 platform. The user-experts worked on a variety of topics including apps, hacking environments and creating the 12 bonus models that accompany the five hero robots at launch. The 12 bonus models include a never-before-seen robotic scribe, interactive shell game and robotic bulldozer, to further guide any new user's exploration of robotics done the LEGO way.

"In the 15 years since MINDSTORMS debuted, the consumer robotics audience has grown exponentially and showcases increased tech savviness and creativity," said Michael McNally, brand relations director for LEGO Group. "We've been overwhelmed by the public's positive reactions since we introduced EV3 earlier this year; now with retail availability upon us we can't wait to see how users will inspire us with their robotic creations."

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 highlights include:

EV3 Intelligent Brick

• Stronger and faster ARM9 robotic processor
• Embedded 16MB FLASH memory
• 64 MB RAM plus SD expansion slot
• LINUX operating system, released under open source
• USB 2.0 interface allows for WiFi connectivity
• 4 input ports / 4 output ports allow up to four intelligent bricks to be connected together
• Matrix display with loudspeaker
• Building-compatible button interface with status indication
• Enhanced on-brick programming
• Bluetooth ^® v2.1 
• iOS and Android compatible

Hardware

• 3 Interactive Servo Motors: 2 large and 1 medium
• Touch Sensor
• New IR Seeker Sensor measures distance, movements and detects objects
• New IR Beacon remotely controls robot from up to 6 feet away
• Improved Color Sensor detects 6 colors plus the absence of color
• Backwards-compatible with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT
• Assortment of 594 LEGO TECHNIC^® elements for easy, more stable building with improved functionality and movement capabilities

Programming Software

• Free PC and Mac compatible downloadable software available online starting September 1
• Icon-based drag and drop environment with new interactive content that helps de-bug programming
• Ability to zoom out on big programs aids creation of advanced concepts like parallel executions and arrays

Building Instructions

• Step-by-step building instructions for 5 hero models: humanoid, snake, scorpion, gripper and tracker
• Detailed building instructions for 12 bonus models including: arcade style game, bulldozer, shell game, robotic scribe, dinosaur, electric guitar, line follower, forklift, brick measurer, racing truck, prankster and droid, as seen in the news section of the MINDSTORMS web community
• First-ever 3D interactive, step-by-step building instructions app powered by Autodesk lets builders rotate and zoom each step to model creation

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 will be available September 1, 2013 at most toy and discount merchandise retailers and online stores and will have a suggested retail price of $349.99(USD), €349.99(EUR) and $399.99(CAD). To meet increasing global demand, native language editions for Russia, China, Korea, Japan, Spain and Denmark will be released in addition to the English, French, German and Dutch language versions previously available. For more information, visit LEGO.com/mindstorms

For educators interested in bringing the engagement of robotics into STEM-related curriculum in middle school and high school classrooms, a new version of the MINDSTORMS platform optimized for school and institutional use is available now. The LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 platform includes customizable curriculum; engaging, hands-on models and an easy-to-use programming platform. 

Note to editors: Information and product images can be downloaded from aboutus.LEGO.com/news-room

About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials for children. The LEGO Group is committed to the development of children's creative and imaginative abilities. LEGO products can be purchased in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit www.LEGO.com

LEGO, MINDSTORMS, Technic and the LEGO logo are registered trademarks of The LEGO Group.  ©2013 The LEGO Group.

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SOURCE The LEGO Group