LEGO® Educationand Atlabintroduce robotics-based learning tool for schools

The LEGO Education MindstormsEV3 roboticsset to enliven science, technology engineering and math curriculum and unleash student creativity

26th September 2013 -Dubai, UAE:There's a new robot in class, and students across the UAE can now look forward to interactive hands-on learning with LEGO® Education's latest Mindstorms® EV3 platform. Atlab, Lego Education's official distribution partner for theGCC, todayunveiled thenew robotics-based educationalsolutiondesigned to engage 8 to 18+ year olds at schools and universitiesacross the country.

“The EV3 is the next generation in robotics-based learning. The Mindstorms platform has reinvented science, technology, engineering and mathalso known as STEM, by integratinghands-on designing and building activities into teaching materials.” said Steen Lund, Territory Manager for Europe, Middle East and South East Asia at LEGO Education. “With the EV3, we wish to offer students and educators the next generation in teaching and learning experiences. By blurring the boundary between work and play, the EV3 takes learning beyond robotics and into a new era of creativity and hands-on experience.”

With its plug and play design, students are able to familiarize themselves with the platform very rapidly and start to build their hands-on learning skills. The fully customizable EV3 constructionset caneasily be built into an infinite variety of vehicles, creatures or humanoids.

“Atlab has been working closely with local government education departments around the GCC to craft specialized hands-on curriculum to be offered in schools and universities,”said SenthilKugan, Managing Director of Atlab. “Over 1000 schools across the GCC are already familiar with the current LEGO Mindstorms NXT platform. With the new EV3 we intend to bring hands-on robotics learning into the classroomand create a new level of competency, comprehension and creativity amongst students."

The EV3 is backwards compatible with the incumbent LEGO Mindstorms NXT model to ensure no loss of investment for schools that have already adopted the latter. The new EV3 uses more intuitive visual software with integrated teaching tools and a wider array of sensors for measurement and interaction with its surroundings.

The Atlab STEM Academy will also offer certified training courses to teachers to deliver hands-on lessons effectively with appropriate tools, course materials and hardware needed to deploy this innovative educational solution in schools and achieve their curricular targets.

The new EV3 model allows students to explore real-life applications while having fun and working in teams to solve problems. Throughhands-on designing, building and programming activities, students are able to breakdown academic concepts and translate them into real-world solutions whiletesting their own creativity and ingenuity.The Mindstorms platform is also used in school robotics competitions where students across the GCC take their skills to the next level and face off against each other and the world's best, inducing creative rivalries that spawn some of the most innovative designs imaginable.The EV3 intends togive students the competitive edge they need to out-perform their peers and nurture their creativity.

The LEGO® Education Mindstorms®EV3 comes with an onboard processor brick, a simple programming interface,motors and a variety of light, colour, motion and data logging sensors with which the student's futuristic creations interact, measure and respond to their environment.

The LEGO Education Mindstorms EV3 is now available in stock and can be ordered through the website www.atlabme.com or through visiting the Atlaboffice.