Lego has unveiled a new STEM-friendly set that teaches kids how to construct their own robots while teaching them the basics of coding. Playing with Lego has always been viewed as a positive activity by parents, but the company also makes more educational toys and often through the use of robots.

Lego has long been experimenting with robots, since the mid-1980s, which led to the development of the Mindstorms brand to teach kids now only how to build their robot creations, but how to program them as well. The new Lego Mindstorms Robot Inventor set is set to reboot the concept, reports PC Mag in its review.

The new set has enough pieces to create five official robot designs as well as anything kids can imagine. The five designs not only have varying functions, abilities and complexity, but also different personalities.

The most basic of the builds is a WALL-E style robot called Charlie who can be programmed to move, wave hello, and pick things up using a smartphone app that uses a simple drag ’n’ drop interface, similar to how coding is taught in schools.

Kids can easily progress to tougher and more complex models such as the Blast robot that can patrol their bedroom, complete with a grasping claw and a replaceable arm that can shoot rubber projectiles.

The most complex design is Gelo, a robotic dog with four independently moving legs that can run at a surprisingly fast pace.

The Lego Mindstorms Robot Inventor (51515) set is available now for £329.99 from Lego.com and Lego stores.

The set comprises of 949 pieces, including four motors, two sensors, and the ‘Intelligent Hub’ that is the heart of each robot and includes a LED display, Bluetooth connectivity, and 6-axis gyro/accelerometer.

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