We imagined the robotic toy as the counterpart of the revolutionary application. Stuffed with the most advanced equipment and thanks to its sturdy build quality, Codie will provide entertainment for the whole family for many hours to come. Codie comes fully assembled, just take it out of the box, pair it with your smartphone via wireless Bluetooth connection and you are ready to go. The Codie body is carved out of high-quality wood and every single unit is hand-crafted in our workshop.

Playful learning

Codie goes way beyond than teaching coding to children. In our interpretation, coding is the understanding of how to use technology flexibly. The ultimate goal is to explain how the building bricks of technology come together to create the world we live in. When your children create their first algorithm in the Codie app, they already made the first step towards unlocking the exciting possibilities that lie in modern technology.

Codie is much more than a robot

Codie is a creative tool that children can use in countless ways. Here are our two favorite examples that our little testers made up.

Children can simply transform Codie into an alarm clock. Codie’s light sensors measure the brightness and when it reaches a level, the buzzer goes off.

Your kid can even learn dance moves with the help of Codie. Just program the steps, tap the play and let the party begin!

We would be happy to hear about what your child has turned Codie into!

While playing with Codie, your child will become familiar with logical thinking and problem solving, the skills all interactions with technology is based on

Product design: patterns and feedback

We have conducted some serious user testing with children. The feedback we gained during these tests provided valuable information on how to further develop Codie. Our most important finding was, that easy-to-understand patterns and instant feedback must be the core values of our design. The human mind is constantly looking for patterns everywhere to make sense of it’s surroundings. With Codie your child can see the coding patterns created by them in action right when they tap the play button and this immediate feedback reinforces what they learned.

Technical specifications

>>>GO TO OUR WEBSHOP<<< 

Our story

Codie was envisioned back in 2013, at a startup weekend, where Adam and Andras, our co-founders met. They won first place in the startup competition with the idea for Codie. After taking part in numerous startup events, where Codie was met with enthusiasm, we decided to bring our product to the market. Our proudest moments were when Codie won the national finals of the Microsoft Imagine Cup, and when we were included Kairos Global Summit 2014 Top Ten!

Codie underwent a long design process. A lot has changed since Codie’s first iteration.

Our small but committed team comes from different backgrounds, we have engineers, designers, seasoned marketing veterans and even psychologists on board. There’s one thing we all share: the passion for the advancement of technology.

We were introduced to a bunch of young bright girls, who were to apply for the local round of the FIRST LEGO® Leauge LEGO® Mindstorms programming cup. Their commitment was a real inspiration for us and we decided to help them with the preparations. And guess what? With the help of Codie they finished as one of the rewarded teams!

Why we need you

We have a few fully operational prototypes of the robot and have conducted some serious performance testing with them. Codie accomplished the challenge and no misbehavior appeared during those trials. We are sure that the hardware is durable enough to provide countless hours of fun!

The unique new graphic programming language is ready and we have the iOS app in beta testing and we've just begun work on the Android version. With the valuable help of a few schools and a coding-focused local NGO (Skool), we were able to have our product tested by Codie’s real future users: kids. The children loved our app, but we drew some interesting conclusions from the tests and we are tweaking the software based on their feedback.

Codie is almost ready for production. We need your help to go the final mile of bringing Codie to market! We turned to the community of Indiegogo to open our idea to the public, your input and opinions are more than welcome! According to our plans, we should be able to deliver the first Codies by the end of October 2015.

Where your pledge will go

Production timeline

Our production plan has been reviewed and approved by Dragon Innovations.

>>>GO TO OUR WEBSHOP<<< 

Our team

David and Karoly are the engineering masterminds behind our product, they bring Codie to life. David tinkers with the mechanical design of Codie, from the tiniest screw to the finishing touches of the chassis. Karoly makes sure that something clever goes down inside the shell, he crafts the electronics which power Codie and the firmware that gives the toy its own soul.

Mark and Andras are the true iOS rockstars, they sleep and wake with counting new API features, which can help the development of the Codie app. Creating a new programming language is the dream of every developer, Andras shows the way for the team, and Mark is the one who actually builds the dreams.

Alex and Peter are longtime friends, they have met on the first day of university and have been inseparable since then. Peter is responsible for the visual and UX design, Alex takes care of the marketing and PR. Peter is the creative and calm half of the duo, Alex is rational and buzzing one, but together they make a great team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do you ship Codie? What are the shipping costs?
We're shipping Codie around the world, but the shipping prices depend on where you live. Don’t forget to add the correct amount under ’Additional gift’ when you’re ordering Codie! The costs are:

• USA, Canada, Europe: $30
• Australia and New Zealand: $40
• Rest of the world: $45
• Hungary: $8
  

What is the recommended age group for Codie?
We've designed Codie to be fun for a broad age group. Our robot offers something to explore to kids from the age of 5 and even adults enjoyed playing with Codie very much. Nevertheless, our main age group is kids 8-12 of age.

Why the wood?
We felt that for you - the backers who kindly support us during the campaign - we would like to give something special. A mass produced molded plastic chassis is not special. But a toy robot made out of articulated wood? That’s something. Also, all of our little wooden Codies are assembled by hand.

Isn’t this less environment-friendly?
Actually, the environmental footprint of making a wooden chassis is less than using huge industrial machines to manufacture plastic ones and it produces less non-degrading industrial waste.

Is the wood sensitive to liquids and dirt?
We did our best to minimize the possible permanent damage. Codie is treated with child-friendly water based, protective wood stain to make the wood more resistant to everyday use.

How fragile is Codie?
The wood what makes up Codie is very tough material, even more than the traditional types of plastics. Also, we designed the chassis so that it is durable and contains few weak spots. So you shouldn’t worry more for Codie than for any other toy.

Do I need batteries for Codie?
No! The powerful integrated battery provides the juice needed. You can charge Codie with the included fast charger wall adapter.

Why can't I charge from USB?
USB charging is convenient, but - we must all admit - slow. Especially when charging devices with large batteries. Codie has a larger capacity battery than most smartphones. If you had to charge Codie with USB, it could take up to eight hours. With our dedicated fast charger wall adapter, you can charge Codie in less than two hours.

How big is Codie?
The dimensions of Codie are 11.6cm x 10cm x 4cm/4.6in x 3.9in x 1.6in.

Is Codie safe for my child?
Codie is designed with kids in mind, so the accidents from unintended use are less likely. Nonetheless, we designed it with utter care for child safety: no sharp edges, a size fit for the hands of children, very few removable parts, child-friendly water based wood stain.

Will Codie work on carpet?
Depends on the carpet! Low pile and dense carpets are no obstacle to Codie, as the tracks can stay on the surface.
However the high pile, loosely-knit carpets, especially the cut-pile ones ("shag" or "frieze") probably will trap Codie as he sinks into the soft surface.
But who knows? We might be able to make the situation better eg. with some special carpet crawler tracks. ;)
Here are some examples:
Codie will happily run on these:

...but will probably struggle on these:

...and will be definitely stuck in these:

Is the Codie app available to my device?
We want to bring the Codie app to a wide variety of devices. So far we have the beta version of the iOS app ready, and the Android support is underway as well. At the time of shipment, the following devices and configurations are definitely going to be supported:

• iPhone 5 and newer
• iPad 3rd generation and newer
• all iPad Minis
• iPod Touch 5th generation

We will support only Android 4.4 (KitKat) and newer, and only devices with Bluetooth 4.0 (and up).

• phone
• Galaxy S5
• LG G3
• Google Nexus 5
• HTC One
• tablet
• Galaxy Tab 4.7
• Nexus 9
• Galaxy Note Pro

This confirmed compatibility list will grow as we test additional devices after release. If you have a different device with Bluetooth 4.x with Android 4.4+ installed, chances are that our app will work. We appreciate every feedback!

What if I have problems with Codie?
Codie is designed with durability in mind, but if you experience any problem, just contact us and we’ll do everything to fix your problem!

Can you ship Codie to my country?
We can ship around the world, but the costs may vary depending on your location. See the first question for details.

When will Codie be ready for shipping?
According to our plans, we’ll start shipping the final Codies in November 2015. In the meantime we will always keep you up-to-date where we’re in developing Codie.

What is customized Codie exactly?
If you choose the 'Customized Codie' perk, we will contact you for the details on what you would like to see on your custom Codie. Codie has a wooden shell made from plywood, cut with laser. We can engrave almost any graphics or text into the chassis of Codie. Generally this means a logo or a name at a few places. Although if you dream of something more complex and artistic, like a full-body tattoo for Codie, send us your idea or draft, we can provide you with the cut outline of the chassis and such, and we discuss what is possible, and what isn't. Looking forward for your ideas to dress up Codie!

Can I get multiple perks?
Of course! You can support our campaign as many times as you want!

How can I order Codie?
At this stage, Codie is only available through Indiegogo. Just choose a perk which comes with a Codie!

How can I contact you?
You can reach us via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail (info@getcodie.com), our website (getcodie.com) or by just simply leaving a comment here on Indiegogo.

The educational layers of Codie