UK-based Kano is partnering with Warner Bros. to create a Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit. The STEM product features a build-it-yourself wireless wand to teach fans of all ages how to code.
Including more than 70 challenges inspired by the Wizarding World, the kit is now available for pre-order at US$99.99 on Kano.me for iOS and Android tablets, and Windows or Mac computers. On October 1, the kit will be available globally through Kano’s website and at retailers in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The kit also comes with stickers and a poster illustrating classic spells from the franchise.
The wand works via software that users build (including a gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer) and a connected app that captures movements and turns them into effects on screen, including slithering serpents, transfigured toads, and floating feathers. By following a step-by-step coding manual users, can build a wand and learn about sensors, data and code, all while making magic in Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and more.
Kano has a variety of products in its arsenal including its flagship DIY computer coding kits and a codeable camera that’s set to be released in 2019 for US$129.99. Sesame Ventures recently partnered with and invested in the tech company in a collaboration that will see the two share knowledge, insights and best practices. The undisclosed investment follows Kano’s US$28-million Series B funding round last year.