The Calliope mini is a small board with a big effect. It shows that anyone can code - and with a lot of fun. We have developed the board to give students in 3rd grade and above easy access to the digital world. Getting started is so easy that children, teachers and parents with no previous knowledge can get started right away. From the first self-programmed flashes to self-propelled robots to wirelessly communicating calliope swarms, every day you and your child will improve your skills and have so much fun that you won't even notice how much you've just learned. It is also possible, for example, to finally answer the question of whether the refrigerator turns off the light when the door is closed. Or how many times the cookie jar was opened while you were at school. Or the diary.
Calliope gGmbH is a non-profit initiative with founders from NRW and Berlin. We are currently distributing Calliope mini to numerous pilot schools throughout Germany. The development of the mini was supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics.
The board
In addition to 25 red and one RGB LED and two programmable buttons, the board contains a combined position sensor with motion sensor and compass as well as a radio module with which Calliope mini can communicate with other minis. The board can be programmed via laptop or computer using free editors, e.g. Nepo from the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. Soon it will also be possible to transfer programs created by the user himself wirelessly via App. The board is delivered with 4 pre-installed programs, whose operation is explained in a small booklet. Also included are battery holders with high-quality batteries and a USB cable for connection to the computer.…more
