FAQ

Ordering

Check out our blog post to answer this commonly asked question: Comparing the Different Educational Robots

I’d recommend the education package as it comes with all the extras and allows many more interesting projects that people enjoy.  The memory card allows users to add custom sounds and to turn Thymio into a voice recorder.  The remote control allows you to press buttons from a distance and sends signals to the robot to control it and send it commands (acting like buttons on the robot from elsewhere).

Now the question of wireless and the regular Thymio.  The regular Thymio is less expensive than the wireless version.  They are both the same, but the Wireless Thymio also allows wireless programming.  Which means that programs can be sent to the robot without the use of the USB cord.  It’s pretty cool because you can update the program without plugging and unplugging the USB cord.  It’s handy for the avid programmer and the young programmer.

Now a few things to note- if the student plans on using the Scratch programming language, I strongly advise the wireless Thymio.  Because with Scratch the computer acts as the brain and needs a constant connection with the robot.  If the connection gets disrupted the reconnection process is a pain.  So, wireless is by far the best thing.

Also if you plan on using an android tablet app to program Thymio- definitely the wireless is the best.

If the user will be using with a Mac or Windows and using the Aseba or Scratch programming language the Wireless is great.  I think for a consumer option the Wireless version is the preferred.  For schools looking to save $ the regular Thymio offers a more affordable option.

If programming using RobotMagic, right now the Wireless capability is not yet integrated.  So if they plan on using RobotMagic at home they can save the money on the robot, but the license for RobotMagic is needed.

It’s also possible to upgrade the regular Thymio with a DIY kit later on, but some soldering skills are needed.

So, biggest thing is the difference in price for the additional functionality and convenience and ‘cool’ factor of Wireless.  For young users the wireless is best because the hardest part of using Thymio is plugging in the USB Cord.

Link to the Thymio Education Package:https://www.techykids.com/product/education-thymio-package-thymio-remote-memory-card/

Yes, please contact Sharon at [email protected] for bulk ordering information.

Educational

Currently the Thymio Beginner Course and Thymio Intermediate Course are tied to Next Generation Science Standards for Engineering Design, 3-5.

Classroom Setup

First it has to put 10 robots on channel 0 , 10 on channel 1 and the last 10 on channel 2. The network ID numbering as no influance, they just has to be different for the 30 robots. https://www.thymio.org/en:thymiosettingwireless  Then when they use the robots, do not use the “auto” option asebastudio, that feature saturate when so many robots are around.

Yes, email [email protected] with the classroom name, and the usernames which teacher(s) you’d like to add to manage the classroom.

Issues

I’m having an issue with Thymio or Aseba Studio, how can I get help or report a bug?

Aseba and Thymio are open course, and there is an active community on: https://github.com/aseba-community/aseba/issues

You can create an account and track issues, or use the website to suggest product improvements.

Thymio sometimes has connectivity issues with the computer, how to fix?

The connectivity issues are often caused by the connection between Thymio and the USB.  For that reason, there is a part in the video lessons talking about carefully plugging in Thymio- that connection point is the weakest part of Thymio (i.e. the most likely to fail in all of the robot).  So to prevent future issue, stress to the users to carefully check that the cord is blue tape up before plugging in and they never pull the robot by the cord or try and wiggle it to get it out of the robot.  Be aware of it to prevent future issues as if the usb connection the robot breaks there isn’t a way to fix it.
 
Usually the issue is a bad USB cord.  Only use the USB cord that is supplied with Thymio.  If for some reason the USB cord goes bad, I’d recommend getting some of these cords.  They seem to latch onto the robot pretty well for a secure connection.  Thymio is very particular with the cord it uses.. so any random one you may buy or have won’t usually work, but I’ve had good experiences with that one from Amazon.  So, buy a few packs of those and it should solve your issue.  The usb cords tend to wear with repeated plugging and unplugging and lose the ability to latch onto the robot as well.
 
In windows 10 you may receive an error, “USB device not recognized – The last USB device you connected o this computer malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it.”  Try a different USB cord.
 

Thymio is behaving strangely

Most commonly if you have Thymio in pre-programmed modes and it is not moving, it is either not in the mode you think.

It could be in a user saved program.  Turn Thymio off and then switch to a color and then press the middle button

You could have it sitting on a very dark or clear surface and so Thymio thinks there is nothing below it and it is programmed to not move

If you are using Thymio outside, the sun gives off infrared light and confuse the robot’s IR sensors

Please email any other questions, please email us at [email protected]