Early Coding

Entry into the world of computer science and robotics

The fischertechnik Early Coding construction kit is the perfect introduction to the world of programming! Learn the basics of programming together with the Robbies Bob, Lilly and Gerry and dive into the world of robots.

Give your Robbies specific instructions or let them go on adventures of their own. Make your Robbies play sounds when they hit an obstacle or tell them to turn around.
End the program simply by clapping your hands.
Don't feel like controlling and monitoring your robbies all the time? No problem! Just send them out on their own to explore and let them avoid the obstacles by themselves.

You can find the appropriate program in our accompanying material, where you can also get to know the first programming steps and the app.

There are 11 exciting adventures waiting for you, which you can work through without any problems with the help of the instructions. Or you can jump straight into the deep end and try out all the functions yourself.
With the First Coding app, you have all the information about your Robby on your smartphone or tablet at your fingertips.

Bob, Lilly and Gerry are looking forward to meeting you and developing many new programs and adventures together with you.

First steps - tutorial

A small tutorial for you that will familiarize you with the first steps.

Click here for the tutorial

Plunge into exciting adventures

Eleven adventures are waiting for you to discover.

Click here for the adventures

Digital construction instructions

You can find the digital Early Coding construction manuals here.

Exclusive building instructions

How does a robot like this actually manage to do all these great things? Robots also have a kind of feet, eyes and ears - namely actuators and sensors. These enable them to recognize what's happening around them and move around.

Actuators

There are two motors in your Robby that drive its wheels. One motor drives the left wheel, and one motor drives the right wheel.
The Robby moves forward and backward when both wheels turn in the same direction.
It turns on the spot when the wheels turn in different directions.
It turns a corner when the wheels turn at different speeds.

Sensors

Sensors are components with which the Robby perceives its environment. With them he can see something or feel something.

The movable bumper (with buttons)

When the bumper is pressed, 2 buttons inside the Robby detect if the bumper was pressed left, right or center.

The picture on the top right of the First Coding App screen shows you on which side the bumper was pressed: left - center (both buttons pressed) - right. You can react to these events in a program and, for example, avoid an obstacle

The "eyes" (the infrared track sensor)

On the bottom side the Robby has "eyes". With them he can distinguish a black track from a light background and thus follow a track. The "eyes" consist of an infrared transmitting diode that emits invisible infrared light and two infrared receiving diodes that detect infrared light reflected from the ground. Since a white background reflects more infrared light than a black background, the Robby can detect a black track on a white background, for example, and follow the track.

The image at the top right of the First Coding app screen tells you whether the "eyes" detect light or dark.