LEGO® MINDSTORMS and Amazon Alexa roll-out voice-based robotics challenge
The LEGO Group and Amazon join forces to introduce the LEGO® MINDSTORMS Voice Challenge: Powered by Alexa – an opportunity for Alexa developers, LEGO MINDSTORMS enthusiasts,
and creators around the world to explore and build the future of
voice-based experiences through construction and robotics play.
Billund, September 24: The LEGO® MINDSTORMS Voice Challenge: Powered by Alexa announced today allows
fans to enter for a chance to win from hundreds of prizes, including
one grand prize winner who will take home $20,000 in Amazon Gift Cards, a
powerful package of LEGO sets, and a trip to LEGO Headquarters in
Denmark — where they will have an opportunity to tour the LEGO House and
meet with LEGO designers. In addition, the winner’s creation will be
displayed at the annual LEGO World event in Copenhagen.
Since the introduction of the very first
LEGO brick, people of all ages have been able to build anything they can
imagine. The LEGO product line-up has continued to evolve over the
years, including the introduction of branded products and others
which introduced new technological capabilities. Recently, the
introduction of LEGO MINDSTORMS has delivered a fundamental step-change
in the ability of builders to create advanced robotics, including
prosthetic arms and a life-sized pinball machine. All of these LEGO
products work together to create a universal system, which now has the
opportunity to go one step further through the power of Alexa.
“Since its launch in 2013, LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3
has delighted its customers by delivering powerful technology in an
accessible way, allowing them to learn and build an endless array of
imaginative projects,” said Tom Donaldson, Senior Vice President, LEGO
Creative Play Lab. “We feel voice is a natural way to interface with
technology, and believe it will be a large part of the world of play in
the future. We are excited to collaborate with Amazon and provide our
creators with the tools needed to create a whole new set of experiences
with our iconic products.”
Using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit, fans can
now connect LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 to Alexa, in order to unlock a new
world of voice-powered experiences. Through this contest, you have the
chance to activate your LEGO bin, and think outside the box with a new
input — your own voice. Create voice-powered experiences such as an
elephant that dances to music, an Ev3Storm robot that defends its
territory from invaders, or an immersive skill-based world where your
R3Ptar snake responds to voice commands and sensor-based triggers. The
possibilities are endless.
“It’s still Day One, and we
are just scratching the surface when it comes to the delightful
experiences developers can create using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit,” said
Miriam Daniel, VP of Alexa and Echo Devices, Amazon. “We feel LEGO and
their powerful MINDSTORMS products will allow creators to build
interactive experiences that delight, entertain, and inspire us all. We
can’t wait to see what is possible with voice in the world of
construction and robotics.”
For inspiration, check out this video:
How Does the Challenge Work?
Participants will build a LEGO MINDSTORMS creation that interacts with Alexa via voice using the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit. Creations will be judged on voice interaction, innovative LEGO Build, and development process. The accompanying submission package must include a video demonstration and code snippets. With parental consent, 13- to 17-year-old creators can also participate in this challenge. See Official Rules for additional details.
Come for the Fun, Build for the Prizes
All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes:
· Grand Prize — Best Creation Overall (1 Winner): All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes:
One grand prize winner who will take
home $20,000 in Amazon Gift Cards, a powerful package of LEGO sets, and a
trip to LEGO Headquarters in Denmark — where they will have an
opportunity to tour the LEGO House and meet with LEGO designers. In
addition, the winner’s creation will be displayed at the annual LEGO
World event in Copenhagen.
· Finalists — Top Creations (5 Winners): All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes: Five winners will each receive $10,000 in Amazon.com Gift Cards and $700 in LEGO models.
· Bonus Prize — Best Creation by 13-17-Year Old Creator (1 Winner): All eligible contest participants will be considered for a chance to win a portion of prizes totaling $100,000. If participants enter as a team, prizes will be split among team members. LEGO and Amazon will offer the following prizes: One
winner will receive $5,000 in Amazon.com Gift Cards and $700 in LEGO
models. To be eligible, you must be 13-17 years old, and your project
submission must be accompanied by a parental consent form.
· First 100 Submissions (100 Winners): Each of the first 100 participants to submit a project that meets our requirements will receive a $150 Amazon.com Gift Card. See Submission Checklist for more details.
Participants will have until December 31,
2019 to build their creations and submit the required supporting
materials. For a complete list of requirements, see the Official Rules and Submission Checklist.
Start Today!
Excited to start building? Follow these steps today to enter the LEGO MINDSTORMS Voice Challenge: Powered by Alexa.
4. Share
your creation for a chance to win! Be sure to use these hashtags to
share your progress! #legovoicechallenge #poweredbyAlexa
The contest submission window will close
on December 31, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and we will announce the winners on
January 17, 2020. We look forward to seeing what you create with Alexa
and LEGO MINDSTORMS — the possibilities are endless!
LEGO, the LEGO logo, MINDSTORMS and the
MINDSTORMS logo are trademarks of the/sont des marques de commerce
de/son marcas registradas de LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group. All
rights reserved/Tous droits réservés/Todos los derechos reservados.
About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.
The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”.
Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more than 140 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com
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The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.
The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”.
Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more than 140 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com
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