In many ways resembling a miniature Mars Rover – including its signature spectrometer – The Jade Robot is ready to be shared this holiday season, in classrooms and community programs. At under $300 for the basic model, The Jade Robot may be the world’s most affordable robot for igniting kids’ interest in careers that focus on STEM skills.
Jade Robot is ready to be shipped to classrooms around the world, to be implementation by new certified trainers – passionate professionals in all fields who see the trend for more STEM empowered professionals, even in classic jobs like chef or mechanic.
As many as 40% of all modern jobs require advanced math and science to excel, or even to enter the marketplace: consider the chef who excels in molecular gastronomy, or the automobile mechanic who now faces as many as 100 computer systems in a newer model car; either can keep your family safe and happy, or turn disastrous if they’re not prepared with the necessary skills and qualifications.
While many girls and boys without encouragement will never consider a STEM career, those children who have experience with The Jade Robot quickly feel compelled and capable of exploring careers that require advanced math and science knowledge.
Recent studies put average children’s’ interest in STEM careers at 26% for boys and 9% for girls before being introduced to the Jade Robot; 62% and 63% respectively after just one course with the programmable Jade Robot.
Jade Robot’s creator Predko can barely contain his pride when he says “It’s amazing to see kids being turned on to a future they didn’t know they had. With The Jade Robot, technology changes from something they use everyday to something that they can master and create their own applications that can be tested, modified and improved. For me, the real reward is seeing kids looking at a different, more exciting future for themselves.”
Earlier this year, President Obama announced at the 2015 White House Science Fair, a commitment of $240 million dollars of new private-sector commitments to inspire girls and boys to excel in the STEM fields. In total, the President’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign has resulted in more than $1 billion in financial and in-kind support for STEM programs.
Even companies that manufacture and market products for kids are helping create more interest in STEM focused fields; After 3 years of holding the title Chief Play Officer for Toys R Us, 13-year old Alex Thorne announced his retirement this week. His plans for the future include further education and a certainty about his career “I’m gonna go down the math and science path, because I like math and science.”
Since starting nearly a decade ago at the Ontario Science Centre as a volunteer program, Predko reports they’ve worked with 14,000 children and with that experience, developed the superior Jade Robot with more than 4,000 student robot testers.
One teacher said about Predko “My students often ask when “Robot Myke” will be coming to our class.”
Mimetics is expanding the Jade Robot training program from Toronto to centers across North America, so they’re welcoming inquiries from students and STEM professionals who want to help bring The Jade Robot programs to local kids.
Visit www.mimetics.ca to connect with Myke Predko about becoming a trainer for your area, to learn about the Jade Robot solution that’s right for your classroom or educational activity organization, and to find or request local events your kids can attend.