A robot called Tiddlybot - powered by the Raspberry Pi mini-computer - has been designed to help children learn about robotics.
Bristol-based designers Agilic have secured almost $30,000 in funding on the Tiddlybot Kickstarter page, meeting its initial $27,000 funding target.
The Tiddlybot robot can draw, follow lines, output a live wireless video feed and be controlled from a web interface, from a smartphone, tablet or any other PC with a browser. As well as drawing lines, it can even be programmed to 'freestyle' and demonstrate autonomous behaviour.
The Kickstarter campaign seeks to fund research into the many ways the Tiddlybot, and other Raspberry Pi bots, can be adapted and applied to enhance the learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
To purchase a build-your-own version, pledgers are asked for $44, or $37 to just own the interface.
'Tiddles', as the company affectionately refers to it, comes in a range of colours as well as a version made from sustainable plywood.
"In a time where learning to learn has never been more relevant, the Tiddlybot encourages development of such learning skills as problem solving, programming and the basics of robotics; something which the next generation will need to understand in the way that the current children of the '70s and '80s embraced computers," said the team in a statement.
"The driving force behind its creation was empowering our future generations with some of the fundamentals of programming, whilst supporting the learning of Python and Javascript for more advanced students."
Tiddlybot's spokesperson Harry Gee added: "We've been working hard to create something to engage and empower the next generation of engineers, programmers and scientists and we think Tiddlybot is fantastic at focusing all types of learners."

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