Minibloq Released

Minibloq v0.82 released

The latest version of Minibloq released. Minibloq.v0.82 is the latest version released of the Minibloq graphical programming environment. Minibloq allows you to program an Arduino without writing code. Minibloq was originally launched as a very successful Kickstarter project in  June 2011. Since then several updates and additions have been added to the programming environment.

Minibloq is an open source Graphical user interface and programming environment designed to work with the Arduino family of microprocessors. Minibloq also work with many other microprocessors besides the original Duinobot and Maple devices.

To use Minibloq, the user clicks on icons (BLOCKS) from a menu and enters values to program the Arduino. Based on the values entered, Miniblog generates source code that the Arduino can use. With this new method of programming an Arduino is now a trivial matter.

 New Features

The latest version of Minibloq has many new, powerful features to make it easier to program an Arduino without knowing how to write code. Now that Minibloq is maturing, the developer decided to add some tools that will also help experienced programmer too. Here are just a few of the many new features:

• XML Backend – Add new hardware and custom blocks by just editing XML files!
• miniSim is a new, simple 2D robot simulator designed to help teach simple robotics principles for those who don’t own a robot:
• Lot of new supported hardware (specially robots!), such as: Pi-Bot, Sparki robot, SparkFun RedBot and RedBoard, Arduino Leonardo and the new Multiplo’s DuinoBot.v2.3, both in HID and in CDC modes…
• Write text based code if you want to. Or even combine graphical with text-based programming anytime during the development of your program. The new miniBloq can even work as a (simple) standard IDE!
• Includes Portable Pytnhon and OpenCV to do some more advanced activities with interactive programming, and computer vision.

Minibloq has been rapidly gaining support from many source. After the developer Julian da Silva successfully funded the Multiplo robot kit and Minibloq bundled on kickstarter (http://kickstarter.com)  things really got into high gear. Makershed (http://www.makershed.com) recently began distributing Multiplo robot building kits.   Now Multiplo and Minibloq are supported in over seven countries. Also an other successful kickstarter project Pi-Bot has a special compiler built into Minibloq v0.82. The best part for most makers is that Minibloq is a free program. Arduino Starter kit

Pi-Bot robot kits are supported to.

First Look

I tried the new Minibloq V0.82 and I have to say it is a vast improvement over the previous versions. My favorite feature has to be the new miniSim robot simulator. It allows you to program a cartoon robot on your computer screen. This is a big help to kids who can’t afford a robot of their own. Bravo!

Here is a sample file I created that you can run with the miniSim. Feel free to make changes and send in your version.

miniSim simulated robot rover. Lets kids try robots at no cost.

Try this program to make your Robot dance.

GET MORE INFO

If you would like to know when updates to Minibloq become available and receive tips on how to use it why not check out our free Minibloq Updates newsletter?

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