MOREbot is a platform for the next generation of innovators to bring their ideas to life
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hey backers! The team has been hard at work since our last update, and we want to loop you in on everything that's been happening at MORE Technologies HQ. This update is gonna be a little bit longer than usual since we have so much to share, so bare with us! Let's start from the top:
We placed the order with our component suppliers in China and have received almost all of the components for your kits. All we're waiting on now are the custom-made button PCBs for the games kit. We've used this supplier for a few months now and feel confident in their quality and ability to deliver on time.
Our print farm is up and running. We estimate that it'll take a little over a month to print all of the parts. We've been running it around the clock, so that when all of our components arrive, we'll be ready to ship!
In the last update, we mentioned that we planned on switching from PLA to ASA for printing our robot parts. We have since decided to stick with PLA instead, for a number of reasons. ASA is trickier to print with and substantially more expensive, which means most of our users will be printing with PLA. Anyone being able to print our parts is one of the most important values of our ecosystem, so we want to design parts that work with the material the majority of makers are printing with—PLA.
Another benefit of sticking with PLA is that we can start printing your robots now. Using ASA required us to work with our supplier to develop our own custom colors (they only have black and white), which meant we'd have to add another 2 months to our fulfillment timeline. The only downside of this is that ASA can withstand higher temperatures than PLA without deforming. This should only be an issue if you leave your robots in a hot car on a summer day. Temperatures inside cars can get well over 120F, at which point PLA parts can deform under load. All things considered, you'll have nothing to worry about as long as you don't leave your robot in a hot car.
Some of you may have noticed the catapult expansion wasn't offered as an add-on on BackerKit. After the campaign ended, we continued to work on the catapult, but ran into a few issues. All of those issues boiled down to the catapult not being reliable enough for our liking, and difficult to make adjustments to. This was because of its auto-loading feature. Once we removed this, it became much more reliable and "hackable". The result is the catapult you see above. It allows you to change the stopping point and force with ease.
We've tested the new design with 24 students over the last 2 weeks and are extremely happy with the results. We've found it's much more user friendly and enjoyable. As of this update, we'll be adding the catapult to BackerKit at a new lower price. A couple backers purchased the catapult during the campaign, so we've reached out to them independently to make sure they get their money's worth.
We also decided to make some changes to the games kit. The newly updated version is around 95% complete. We took the time to design different mounts and grips to make the assembled product feel as good as it looks. Now, we're just waiting for our custom-made directional button PCB. We've also begun integrating its components in our libraries to allow for an easy and fast build, program, and play experience.
Be on the lookout for a full spotlight on the Games Kit coming soon!
We are working hard on Makerplace to be ready for beta release the first week of July. Most recently, we added a "Courses" functionality in the Learn section. Courses are curated lists of tutorials that make it easier to understand which tutorials to take next when working towards mastering a specific skill. For example, we'll have a course for learning how to code, CAD, and much more! We've decided to add another core function to Makerplace. We're calling it "Ask". It will host a forum and support desk, so users can help each other with projects and submit support tickers directly to us.
The goal of the beta release is to complete the core features of Makerplace - Learn, Make, Share and Ask while hearing what features you'd like to see implemented now, and further down the road. Development past this point will be largely driven by community feedback, so if you see something you like or don't like, please let us know!
Video tutorials will play a big role on Makerplace, so we recently built a film studio in our office. We want a professional, consistent, feel to our videos. Aside from looking better, this will help our users focus on the learning material. We don't want poor quality videos to detract from the learning experience. Our setup has forward facing and overhead cameras, a shotgun mic mounted closely to the instructor's head (we don't mess around with audio quality!), professional studio lights, and a clean backdrop. We're still putting the finishing touches on it, but plan on shooting new tutorials this weekend and testing them with users over the next 2 weeks.
Thank you for taking the time to read this update! We look forward to updating you soon on the status of fulfillment. Stay tuned!
- The MOREtech Team
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
ANNNDDDDD that's a wrap!
We want to send a HUGE thank you for helping us bring MOREbot to life! Thank you for the enthusiasm throughout the campaign. Thank you for sharing our vision, pushing us to be a better, and enabling us to create a product that we think will change technology education for the better in so many ways.
Now, let's get you some robots!
Expect to see the official Kickstarter fulfillment survey early next week. In this survey we'll ask for your shipping details, let you pick your add-ons, and give you a chance to add additional items to your order at Kickstarter prices. We'll post an update the night before giving you a heads up, so you can be sure to see it.
That's all for now! As we move forward with production, we'll continue to share updates and behind-the-scenes looks at everything that's happening at MOREtech HQ. THANK YOU again for your support! We look forward to getting surveys to you soon.
The MOREtech Team