Archive for January, 2011

WowWee Wrex the Dawg Robotic Dog

  • Wrex the Dawg robotic dog/ 9 motors/ IR sensors/ speakers
  • 16 eye icon combinations/ 4 icons for each eye
  • The three moods and three desires are expressed in lucky crazy slot machine eye
  • In guard mode he becomes a mean junkyard dog and warns when strangers approach
  • Scampers around on his hind wheels/ slot machine eyes and ears that twitch/ remote controller requires 3 x AA size batteries/ not included

Product Description
Wrex the Dawg, the “real” junkyard pooch, is a mischievous robotic pal that will always keep you entertained. Wrex is built from discarded mechanical and electrical parts. He is the ultimate loveable “cross-wired” pooch, despite a few loose nuts and bolts! He can roam around autonomously, but when he “malfunctions” you’ll have to reset his circuits. Requires 4 “C” batteries and 2 “AA” batteries, not included. Includes remote control. Measurements: 14.5″L x 14″H x 8…. More >>

WowWee Wrex the Dawg Robotic Dog

Elenco Electronics, Inc. Scarab Robot Kit

Product Description
Build your own robot with incredible controls. This beetle robot features two touch sensors to detect obstacles and overcome them. When the sensors in its antennae locate an object in its path, Scarab will go backward first and automatically follow a two-step maneuver to avoid the blockage. Design a maze or obstacle course for your robot and enjoy watching your creation in action. Movements include left, right, reverse, and stop. Intermediate skill level. Kit requir… More >>

Elenco Electronics, Inc. Scarab Robot Kit

WowWee Fin Fin Play Set – Skate Park

  • WowWee Fin Fin Play Set – Skate Park
  • Hang Ten Skate Park

Product Description
WowWee Fin Fin Play Set – Skate Park… More >>

WowWee Fin Fin Play Set – Skate Park

WoWWEe Robotics Robopanda

  • Interact with him through his numerous touch and sound sensors
  • Touch responsive skin
  • Recognizes the differences between a stroke, touch and pat
  • Tells stories and plays games that require your interaction.
  • Features three play modes

Product Description
This adorable robotic panda is a fun-loving friend who likes to tell stories, play games and sing songs. Robopanda’s engaging personality and bright animated eyes will immediately endear him to children of all ages. There’s no need for a remote control — you can interact with Robopanda directly through his integrated audio and touch sensors. Using capacitive touch sensor technology, he knows when he is being patted, touched, or stroked and responds accordingly; his… More >>

WoWWEe Robotics Robopanda

iPad and iPhone-Controlled Robot Toys

iPhone Controlled Robot -- ARDrone Robot Helicopter

I’m intrigued by several recent high-tech robot toys that provide an immersive, augmented-reality experience that is grounded in a real, physical robot.  Almost universally, these new toys are controlled by smart phones or tablet computers (eg. iPad / iPhone / iPodTouch or Android devices) and will likely be hacker / developer friendly.  They are becoming increasingly sensor-rich and often offer video feedback — all enabled by the commoditization of robotic components.  For example, the Parrot AR.Drone is a quadrotor helicopter that enables UAV aerial dogfights.  Another is the forthcoming Orbotix Sphero, a simple robot ball that will presumably support many mini-games: like a real-life version of Super Monkey Ball or the best cat toy ever!  Yet another example for you hackers out there, Matt Might created an iPhone-based multitouch remote control for a Scribbler robot in just 6 hours and 200 lines of JavaScript / Python!

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Kinect Depth Camera (RGB-D Camera)

This is a guest essay by Fred Nikgohar.  Fred is the CEO of RoboDynamics, makers of the TiLR robot which was recently featured in a New York Times overview of telepresence robots.  Fred argues that we’ve reached a watershed moment in robotics facilitated by cheap 3D sensors like Microsoft’s Kinect (ie. PrimeSense RGB-D camera) — that the Kinect provides a roadmap where "the best solution to complex, low-cost sensing (or actuation for that matter) is to take advantage of affordable, mass-produced components, complementing them with the innovative use of software solutions that benefit from constantly declining prices of computation."

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Remote Control Robot Kit

Product Description
Build your own
remote control robot
controlled by your
TV remote! The kit
also includes parts
for inventing your
own robot arm. No
soldering required…. More >>

Remote Control Robot Kit

iRobot AVA Telepresence Robot

I would like to introduce you to iRobot’s latest prototype: a new telepresence robot named AVA that was unveiled this week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2011) — see the video below.  Through AVA, iRobot intends to explicitly leverage the proliferation of tablets / smart phones and their associated app stores.  They intend to furnish actuation (mobile base, pan-tilt unit, telescoping linear actuator spine, etc.), a sensor suite (including sonar, laser, and a depth camera like Microsoft’s Kinect), and basic robot software (eg. obstacle avoidance, mapping, and direct physical interfaces).  Meanwhile, you provide the brains in the form of a tablet (eg. iPad or Android).  In theory, this should open up mobile robot application development to a much broader audience, creating the oft-discussed robot app store.  When combined with the recent announcement of the Scooba 230 floor cleaning robot (which I will certainly purchase), I would say iRobot is still innovating!

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WowWee FlyTech Crash FX Flyer – Red

  • This remote control airplane has an Easi-snap system that makes crashing part of the fun
  • Fly around obstacles or, for the ultimate challenge, take down another Crash FX plane in a mid-air collision
  • Race to see who’s first to reassemble their plane and be airborne again
  • 10-minute charge for up to 5 minutes flight
  • Manufacturer’s Suggested Age: 8 Years and Up
  • Care and Cleaning: Wipe Clean With a Dry Cloth
  • Dimensions: Length: 11.0 “; Height: 12.0 “; Width: 4.0 “
  • Product Weight: 2.0 Lb.

Product Description
Crash FX by FlyTech is the only remote control airplane with the easi-snap system that makes crashing part of the fun!  Fly around obstacles or, for the ultimate challenge, take down another Crash FX plane in a mid-air collision.  Race to see who is first to reassemble the plane and be airborne again!             FlyTech remote control Crash FX Airplane Fly, crash, reassemble and fly again! Easi-snap wings and tail Dual band 2 channel digital proporti… More >>

WowWee FlyTech Crash FX Flyer – Red