littleBits Announces the Rule Your Room Kit, Empowering Kids to Master Their Domain by Transforming Everyday Objects into Awesome Touch-Activated Contraptions
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Now any kid can defend their domain against the stealers of stuff, the
bringers of boring, and even the most annoying little brother. The
award-winning littleBits, an easy-to-use platform of electronic
building blocks that empowers invention large and small, today announces
the launch of the littleBits Rule Your Room Kit, an exciting way
to create touch-activated inventions to control your stuff. The Rule
Your Room Kit will give kids the opportunity to create the coolest
room ever and transform dull, ordinary objects into awesomely
interactive inventions powered by the Makey Makey Bit, which turns
anything that conducts electricity–a hand, a carrot, or a paw–into a
touchpad. From a top secret safe that protects valuables from snooping
siblings to a dresser drawer rig that fires paper wads on command, to
artwork that brings walls to life, the littleBits Rule Your Room Kit
offers endless hacks for a kid to personalize their universe and make
their domain the envy of siblings and friends alike. The Rule Your
Room Kit is designed for kids 8 to 13 and will carry the equally
awesome price point of just $99.
The littleBits Rule Your Room Kit comes with seven Bits,
accessories and a step-by-step guide to create eight touch-activated
inventions right out of the box, with thousands more online. Further
fueling the endless possibilities, The Rule Your Room Kit marks
the first littleBits kit to include its ever popular Makey Makey Bit.
This powerful, fun-filled Bit allows users to create touch-activated
control pads to control your stuff, like using a banana to move your
computer cursor, or high-fiving grandma to turn a light on (yep, it’s
now OK to play with your food!). Kids easily progress from creating
guided inventions to remixing them into something new, then coming up
with their own ways to transform the stuff in their room into
awe-inspiring, interactive contraptions. They can download the
littleBits app or visit littleBits.com/invent for inspiration on
countless additional inventions and hacks using the kit, as well as
share their original creations with the huge littleBits online community.
Kids will also be developing key skill sets as they have fun controlling
their computer with their food and building booby traps to keep annoying
siblings away. With problem-solving, iteration and design-thinking at
its roots, the Rule Your Room Kit is a great way to introduce
kids to the kind of 21st century skills they will need to
succeed in higher education and STEAM (Science, Technology, Art,
Engineering and Mathematics) careers.
Ayah Bdeir, CEO and founder of littleBits said, “In developing the
newest kit we took inspiration from our youngest inventors, who love the
idea of creating protected hiding places, pranks, and other cool hacks
for their rooms. This kit was also inspired by the generation of kids
who used to break open their VCRs and dismantle their parents’ radios.
We are looking to bring this spirit to today’s young boys and girls by
giving them the coolest toolbox imaginable, to encourage them to build
what they dream up without being fettered by any kind of limitations.”
The Rule Your Room Kit inventions include:
-
A Burglar Buzzer to catch would-be thieves in the act of grabbing your
most prized possession. -
A Domain Defender that automatically launches projectiles if someone
tries to break into the item it is defending. -
A Top Secret Safe that is trigger activated when the right book is
pulled from a bookshelf. - Unusual, interactive wall art that literally pops off the wall.
- A Programmable Pop-up Puppet to prank mom, dad, or your best friend.
-
Fruit and vegetable control pads designed to control your favorite
computer game.
The Rule Your Room Kit is available online at littleBits.com and
at retail partners such as Amazon, Macy’s, Barnes & Noble Stores,
Marbles and Microsoft Stores. In addition to the littleBits Rule Your
Room Kit, other award-winning littleBits kits currently
available include the Gizmos & Gadgets Kit, the Synth Kit in partnership
with KORG, the Smart Home Kit, the littleBits STEAM Student Set, the
Arduino Coding Kit and more.
All images and video assets can be downloaded at www.littlebits.cc/kits/rule-your-room-kit.
littleBits Rule Your Room Kit
Available: Now Available
MSRP:
$99.95
Recommended Ages: 8-13
Available: littleBits.com,
Amazon, Macy’s, Barnes & Noble Stores, Marbles, Microsoft Stores
As announced this July, littleBits was recently accepted into the
prestigious Disney Accelerator program, in which cutting edge technology
and media companies are invited to receive the creative expertise,
mentorship and resources of The Walt Disney Company in order to develop
innovative new entertainment experiences and products. Previous
Accelerator participants include Sphero, which created the BB-8 droid
toy, the number one Star Wars toy in 2015. Over the next three months,
littleBits will be working to brainstorm, prototype, and develop ideas
for amazing new products, culminating with an exhibition at the Disney
Accelerator Demo Day in October.
About littleBits
littleBits is the New York-based hardware startup that is on a mission
to Democratize Hardware by empowering everyone—of any gender, age
or technical background—to Create Inventions, large and small,
with its innovative platform of easy-to-use Electronic Building Blocks.
The company’s innovative building blocks snap together with magnets to
allow anyone to build, invent, and prototype with electronics
independent of age, gender and technical background. From
classrooms to homes, littleBits is driving excitement for
invention-based learning through design challenges and in-classroom
curriculum. The company is also dedicated to successfully bridging the
gender gap with its gender-neutral platform, inspiring young girls and
young boys to unleash their creativity and embrace STEAM (Science,
Technology, Art and Mathematics) through the invention cycle. littleBits
is being used by more than 12,000 educators across the world as an
engaging tool for making STEAM more accessible to all students and
preparing them for the jobs that haven’t been invented yet.
The company was founded in 2011 by MIT graduate, TED Senior Fellow and
cofounder of the Open Hardware Summit, Ayah Bdeir, and has grown to be a
global leader in hardware. Bdeir was named one of Fast Company’s Most
Creative People in Business, one of one of Inc.’s “35 Under 35” and
“Entrepreneurs to Watch,” one of Entrepreneur’s “10 Leaders to Watch,”
one of Popular Mechanics’ “25 Makers Who Are Reinventing the American
Dream,” and one of MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35. The
littleBits platform includes more than 9 kits and 67 interoperable
modules with millions of products sold to over 150 countries around the
world. The littleBits invention app takes inventing to new levels with
thousands of additional invention ideas and challenges. The company was
named in CNN’s “Top 10 Startups to Watch”, one of the CNBC Next List,
and has been profiled by the BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Wired, Popular
Mechanics. To learn more, visit littleBits.com.
Contacts
For littleBits
Michal Kaplan-Nadel, 212-981-5272
Michal_kaplan-nadel@dkcnews.com
