News FeedWhy are Toy Robots SO Popular?
Since time in memoriam, the human race has been fascinated by any mechanical, or electronic, device that looks like – and, moreover, acts like – a human being. This accounts, at least in part, for the popularity of robots for entertainment purposes, but, more fascinating still, robotics technology has advanced to a point where the dividing line between "toy" robots and those for functional, practical purposes is becoming increasingly blurred. This means that the latest toy robot may, in fact, represent a fundamental technological breakthrough that may improve the quality of our lives in years to come; in the meantime, of course, toy robots are fun!
Toy Robots Then & Now
The history of the toy robot can be traced back to the clunky, clockwork models that were produced in Japan in the 1940s and 1950s. The first toy robot to bear any resemblance to the technological marvels of today, however, was the Omnibot 2000, developed by Tomy Kyogo, Inc., in 1985. Although still fairly crude, by today`s standards, the Omnibot 2000 could be controlled by programs stored on magnetic tape, or by a handheld remote control. More recently, the Furby, created by Tiger Electronics in 1998, and the Aibo electronic dog, created by Sony in 1999, used a variety of sensors to react to their environments, and their owners. The Aibo, for example, could recognise its owner, provide surveillance with an integral camera, and apparently "learn" – although the learning, itself, was simulated – behaviour patterns. A robotic pet cat, named "NeCoRo", was released by Omron, in 2001, as direct competition for the Aibo.
Fast forward to today, and the market for toy robots is booming, and filled with any number of offerings, at various levels of sophistication, and price, from many different manufacturers. For younger robotics enthusiasts – those aged 10 years, and upwards, according to the manufacturer – the advanced Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics kit allows a variety of different robots to be built. The kit comes complete with computer software that not only allows robots to be programmed, wirelessly, from a Bluetooth enabled laptop computer, or mobile phone, but also provides instructions for building robots in the first place. Also available as a kit – although requiring between 6 and 8 hours – is a humanoid robot, called "Robonova I", available from the Korean company, Hitec Robotics. The Robonova I is programmable, can walk, run, dance, etc., and is designed for "edutainment", for teachers, students and robotic enthusiasts generally.
With a few to the future, and the shape of things to come with regard to toy robots, one of the latest developments is a 20" long, robotic dinosaur, called "Pleo". Pleo is the brainchild of the same team responsible for the Furby, back in 1998, and features 38 sensors, 14 motors and 100 gears to provide movement, and response to its environment. Pleo is covered in plastic, rather than metal, skin, which allows it to look, and feel, more like a tiny dinosaur than a robot, but the most important point to note is that Pleo incorporates much of the technology available in expensive robotic toys at a much lower price.
Above all else, toy robots and electronic gadgets are popular because they are the epitome of "cool"; they fit in with the modern, creative lifestyle of many young people, which encompasses clothes – including, for example, the range of t-shirts, hats, bets, etc. available from Volcom UK – music and more.
