EdScratch vs PictoBlox

EdScratch is a free, browser-based block programming environment for Edison robots. Its vertical drag-and-drop language is based on Scratch and is described as suitable for students aged 10 and up, including those new to coding. It has versions for Edison V2 and V3, with blocks for driving, LEDs, sound, data, events, control, sensing, operators, and comments. Programs can control robot inputs, manipulate data, and use variables. A built-in bug box checks programs and displays warnings. Users can save programs to a computer and load saved EdScratch files into the online app. Edison V3 can receive programs by USB from a computer or by optical flashing from an iPad; V1 and V2 use the EdComm cable. A free lesson set offers 98 student activity options across six units, along with a teacher’s guide. EdScratch runs online on the web, Windows, macOS, iPadOS, and Android, and requires an internet connection. The interface is in English, while lesson resources are available in multiple languages.

PictoBlox is educational software for learning graphical block-based coding and Python through projects in games, animations, IoT, robotics, AI and machine learning. Its AI tools include face detection and recognition, computer vision, natural language processing, object and human-pose detection, speech recognition and QR scanning. The machine-learning environment supports classification or regression models for image, object, hand-pose, pose, audio, text and number data. The Python editor includes a code visualizer, debugger, autocomplete, interactive REPL and inbuilt PIP package manager. In 3D and XR Studio, learners can make models and interactive AR or VR projects with blocks or Python, then export projects to Google Cardboard VR, Pico VR or Meta Quest. PictoBlox can program compatible hardware over USB or Bluetooth, including Arduino, Quarky, evive, LEGO and micro:bit devices. Junior Blocks offers activities for children ages 4–7. The free plan is for individual, non-commercial use; the product is proprietary, not open source.