Ah, robots. Definitely one of the most requested reports from CES and boy did we deliver. For some reason, though, robots can still carry a whiff of boy-toy prejudice about them. If you can't quite shamelessly embrace bot fun, then it's time to buy them for your kids / godchildren / nephews and nieces and pretend that they're not for you. Hell, it might even get you through half term without bloodshed.
Here are some ways to entertain yourself them with little light bulbs that blink:
King of the educational robots, this is a brick with all sorts of adaptable bits, pieces and sensors that can be made into practically anything. Thanks to previous incarnations as teacher and tech support I happen to know that controlling objects is part of the Design & Technology curriculum and that these are actually enormous fun. If your child seems a little young for the software included, try an accessible version for younger learners like 2Control.
If the NXT is a little advance for your sproglet - or you - there's always the option of an easy-assembly programmable bot. This one is only £29.99 has 36 programmable actions has sound and light effects built in too.
Oh, and it's activated by sound, so if you really are handing this over to the little ones - it's designed for ages 5 and up - then you might want to get yourself (and your neighbours) some ear defenders. Don't say we didn't warn you.
You've got to be a seriously dedicated robot fanatic to spring for this one, but perhaps you can campaign for the school budget to be increased. After all, how brilliant to have a walking, running, cartwheeling, dancing, flipping robot in the classroom. Apparently it can even compete in "any Robo One Class 'J' competition". I have run out of robot knowledge and don't know what this is, but I'm sure it's good. Plus you can choose between a kit version or pre-assembled humanoid device. I'm sure the school had nothing better to do with £588.36 / £649.99 (ex-VAT) anyway, right?
Roboporium has created the Robot P.E.T.S. program to Promote Education Through Science, and recommend the Robo Designer RDS-X01 as the best place to start. It's a little like the LEGO system with the guts on display, and it certainly needs a bit of pimping to look pretty but perhaps that's an art project for your offspring to get involved with on the side. Because this is still all for the kids, right? $195.00, but if you are buying for an educational establishment you can get discounted packs of 5, 10 or 20.
At just $29.95 and with a very specific function, this has the least bells and whistles but is somehow very cute. Using a special LED sensor, the Line Tracing Snail can do just that, following a black line drawn on a white surface. A great introduction to directions and simple control, the snail has speed and sensitivity settings that can be adjusted for different areas, line thicknesses and paper types.
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