The littleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit lets your child build a wearable superhero gauntlet to defend the universe with. It utilizes STEM Education techniques that will familiarize children with building electronics. The best part is it helps them learn about coding without them even realizing it. Help bridge the learning gap to electronics with this cool STEM learning tool with personality.
This fun little kit provides a fun first exposure to the world of electronics. It will help them learn about coding and how they relate to the hardware. The littleBits Marvel Avengers Hero Inventors Kit is recommended for ages 8+ (or grade 3+). Easy to assemble, fun to modify and the app gives you fun interactive content with which to test your skills and your inventions.
They’ll call it a toy, you’ll call it a Learning tool.
What’s in the Box?
The Marvel Avengers Hero Inventor Kit let’s you build a working SuperHero Gauntlet, complete with LED lights and sound effects. The kit comes with the Gauntlet Base & Cover, Hand Mount, 9v Battery, Round LED Matrix w/ Cover and Arm stand w/ base to store or display it when not in use.
The Electronic Modules
The “bits” are different electronic modules that you can mix and match to achieve the desired functionality. The bits or components are hot swappable so you can get immediate feedback or results of what you are connecting.
Modules include: The Light Sensor module allows the lights to be controlled based on the amount of ambient light in the room. A Sound effects modules comes pre-programmed with Avengers sound effects and you can even record your own voice or sounds.
An Accelerometer module allows you to control Round LED Matrix circuits with your movements. A low energy Bluetooth lets you even control the arm from your phone/tablet or even trigger your iOS or Android phone to take a picture with the arm! Finally the Power module lets you plug into the included Arc Reactor Core, uh I mean 9v battery.
littleBits has provided the Marvel Avengers Hero Inventor Kit as a courtesy so that we could provide first hand review coverage of the STEM learning toy and experience to our readers.
How to Build
There aren’t many printed instructions and you’ll need an iOS or Android device to download the littleBits Avengers Hero App. The multimedia app provides pretty detailed and animated graphical instructions that will lead you through each step of the process. It works well and serves as a guide through the hardware and inventions.
Using the app you have 10 sections that instruct you on different configurations you can make with the provided hardware. They’re all based on functionality. For example Invention 1 is to build the Guantlet with Round LED Matrix, reminiscent of Tony Starks aka Iron Man’s Repulsor Arm.
Invention 3 is to add in the accelerometer for motion/speed tracking that changes the output of the LED Matrix. Invention 4 is adding in the sound effects module. Each step adds or changes functionality. You’ll need to prove your worth by executing the tasks that use the technology you just built before you can proceed to the next stage/step.
The visually animated instructions make things easy to follow and fun to test out your skills with the inventions you create. You’ll need to complete each build and test stage to move onto the next invention.
Installing the Modules
They modules magnetically connect together in the correct direction and will repel one another when they are not facing the right way. The modules can also be tested without the Gauntlet base so you know if it achieves the result you want before you assemble the Gauntlet arm.
There are two receptical areas or gutters that the modules fit into and each side can hold about 3 modules. Two connection wires are included so you can split up the configuration into two sides while still supplying power to all of it.
The kit is a lot of fun to put together and the results are relatively simple to achieve. It’s easy to construct but could benefit from a teacher or possibly more in depth information on how it works.
The wearable Gauntlet is held onto your arm by Velcro straps, but the box image gives the impression that you can put the Iron Man arm over your child’s arm. The Iron Man red and gold arm is simply a stand for when the Gauntlet is not in use.
Wrap Up
The Avengers Hero Inventors Kit is a cool little electronic builder kit for kids. This fun STEM toy provides a fun first exposure to the world of electronics and coding. It gives kids a fun way to learn about technology and strap on a functional SuperHero gauntlet arm that gives them superpowers.
Parents and children can follow along with the instructions to test their skills and their invention with the App. There are 18+ total activities in the app. The kit comes complete with everything you need to build the wearable Gauntlet. Recommended for kids 8+
littleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit $149.99
littlebits.com
