Texas Instruments Unveils Solderless Robotics Kit for University Education

Texas Instruments (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) today introduced the newest addition to the TI Robotics System Learning Kit (TI-RSLK) family, the TI-RSLK MAX, a low-cost robotics kit and curriculum that is simple to build, code and test. Designed for the university classroom, the solderless assembly allows students to have their own fully functioning embedded system built in under 15 minutes. Classrooms that may not have access to soldering equipment benefit from the solderless, hands-on kit and curriculum that can be reused year after year.

The launch in India saw IEEE President and CEO, Professor Jose Moura, unveil the product along with Doug Phillips, Director of TI’s Global University Program. The new kit includes the industry-leading SimpleLink™ MSP432P401R microcontroller (MCU) LaunchPad™ Development Kit, easy-to-connect sensors, and a versatile chassis board that turns the robot into a mobile learning platform. Through accompanying core and supplemental curriculum, students learn how to integrate their hardware and software knowledge to build and test a system. For advanced learning, wireless communication and Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities can be added to the TI-RSLK MAX to remotely control the robot or even establish robot-to robot communication.

“Students in today’s classrooms are going to solve our most pressing engineering challenges. With more and more future engineers coming out of India, it is important that students here have access to the latest learning platforms and advancements in technology,” said Doug Phillips, Director of TI’s Global University Program. “With the TI-RSLK MAX, students can quickly understand system concepts as early as their first year through building their own embedded system. This will help create the base knowledge that will benefit students in learning more complex topics covered in the advanced curriculum.”

While addressing the gathering at the launch of the new kit in Bangalore, IEEE President and CEO, Professor Jose Moura said, “I congratulate Texas Instruments for giving a platform to professors and students across the globe that will provide hands-on experience on concepts and algorithms that they have studied in their classrooms. Experimentation is what makes an engineer and TI-RSLK MAX is an addition to an already existing robust module, which is expected to reach out to more than 8000 universities across the globe, out of which over 2000 engineering colleges are in India alone. With the numbers rising every day, the potential to expand the reach of this technology is immense.”

TI launched the TI-RSLK series last year to help universities across the globe keep students engaged from their first day of class until graduation with hands-on, customizable options for learning embedded systems design.  The TI-RSLK MAX completes all tasks and robotic challenges covered in the classic TI-RSLK Maze Edition kit, such as solving a maze, line following and avoiding obstacles. It also provides a user-friendly assembly of the various sub-systems, speeding up the building and testing of the robot.

The TI-RSLK MAX will be available for purchase in late August and will include the SimpleLink MSP432P401R MCU LaunchPad Development Kit, as well as all additional components required for assembly. To expand kit functionality and learning paths, optional accessories will be available for purchase. Further information about the TI-RSLK can found at www.ti.com/rslk.