Popular Robot Kits To Buy

Robotic toys are a lot of fun and they are remarkable instructive toys also. Robotic toys have evolved a lot since da Vinci’s model, and the first robot toy was made in 1939 when Westinghouse created Elektro, a humanoid robot, and Sparky, his robot dog. A stripped-down version, the Omnibot 2000, was a robot toy developed during the mid 1980’s.

A company called WowWee created the most advanced human-like robotic toy hailed the The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien in 2004. Priced at under $99 (US), the first cost-effective, mass-produced humanoid sold four million units and gave life to the consumer robot industry.

The robot marketplace continues to grow at a exceedingly swift rate. In the present day the popularity of buying and using robots whether it’s a toy for our kids, a security system or a lawn mower, adults and kids similarly share in using them.

Common Robotic Toys

Roboni-i Game Playing Robot

Robotic toys are fun to own, but they don’t actually boast the same multi player functionality that video games presently have. That might all change with the Roboni-i Game Playing Robot, Earth’s first-ever programmable gaming robot.

It’s simple to customize and is packed with games; play by yourself or against friends with like robots. You can even create your own games, or download games others have made. To set up a multi player game, the robots must link to each other in a group so that they can identify each other. When this occurs, you’re able to intermingle with other Roboni-i Game Playing Robot units and play games with them.

The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien

The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien is a sophisticated union of technology and personality. Loaded with emotions and intelligence, The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien is the first humanoid based on the technology of applied biomorphic robotics. The The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien is able to identify objects and even skin tones and recognize when its owner walks into a room. In addition, The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien also has internal slope sensors that can discontinue the majority of functions when he is located in out of the ordinary positions, such as lying on its back. The neat thing about this robot is the ability for him to get up from the floor in case he tips over. The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien is a programmable, rapid moving robot. The The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien has real multi-speed quick dynamic running, turning, and walking.

The Humanoid Robot Called the Robosapien has four programming modes: right sensor, left sensor, sonic and master program. The right and left sensors are triggered when sensors on their parallel sides are activated, the sonic sensor is triggered when the robot hears a loud noise (Listen mode), and the master program is triggered from the remote control.

The Ultimate Robot Kit Called the Lego Mindstorms

The Ultimate Robot Kit Called the Lego Mindstorms lets you build and program robots that can do pretty much everything. The Ultimate Robot Kit Called the Lego Mindstorms give you all the tools you need to put together your own robots and encode them to perform all types of actions. Version 1.0 RCX bricks have a power adapter jack to allow nonstop operation instead of the restricted operation time when using batteries. In version 2.0 (as well as later 1.0s included in the RIS 1.5), the power adapter jack was removed. Version 2.0 of the robotics invention kit comes with a programming environment that is better than a lot of professional robot kits. It is easy to understand why numerous schools are standardizing on the mindstorms kits to instruct people in the field of robotics.

Wrex

Wrex’s snout acts like a stop button when he is moving and a random actions selection button when he is not. Wrex is capable of walking about, amusement and obey commands and run like a real dog. He can rotate his head, move his ears, huff and even wag his tail.

The First Robotic Arthropod Known As Roboquad

The First Robotic Arthropod Known As Roboquad is a four-legged, spider-like robot with unparalleled mobility and consciousness. The The First Robotic Arthropod Known As Roboquad is built with advanced sensory awareness, helping it respond immediately to the surrounding environment and follow a moving object in any direction, including forward, backwards, and sideways. The First Robotic Arthropod Known As Roboquad, by WowWee Robotics, claims the honor of being the first true robotic arthropod. It is fundamentally an animated robot that has multi-directional movement capabilities and highly developed sensory perception. The First Robotic Arthropod Known As Roboquad even has an extended battery life for extended missions. Capable of spotting movement from up to 6 feet away with a IRscanner, he can also hunt for and navigate doorways, and distinguish table edges. When the lights go out, The First Robotic Arthropod Known As Roboquad can continue operating, turning on his head-mounted LEDs which lets it move in the dark. The First Robotic Arthropod Known As Roboquad becomes crabby, happy, attentive, standoffish and jumpy as he walks about on any type of floor. The First Robotic Arthropod Known As Roboquad can even dance.

Roborover

Roborover appears to be WowWee’s 2009 successor to their hugely popular Tri-Bot robot which appeared first in 2008. The biggest noticeable difference is that Roborover moves on treads rather than wheels.

Roborover is enabled with object detection. He has front and behind sensors that prevent him from bumping in to walls. Roborover’s tread wheels allow it to drive over objects up to a 15-degree gradient, or about an inch high. Roborover is an nimble tread based buddy with a shy but inquiring nature, his personality grows and becomes more confident as you engage with him. He is constantly keen to be on the move or play games with you. Roborover has several different modes: explore, lookout, standby and sleep. Explore mode does just what you would expect; Roborover moves around the room autonomously while it avoids bumping into objects. Sensor-based LED headlights will automatically turn on if it’s dark. The Roborover has a range of spoken content and driving-based games.

The Roving Rovio Security Robot

The Roving Rovio Security Robot, allows you to be in two places at one time! WowWee The Roving Rovio Security Robot includes a WiFi connection which allows you drive it from anywhere in the world given that you have a web capable mobile phone or a PC with internet connection. The Roving Rovio Security Robot’s built-in LED headlight will help you steer it even in faintly lit locations, so you will always know what is going on at home or at the office. Its skull-mounted, movable camera and wide range of vision allow you to see and hear precisely what The Roving Rovio Security Robot sees and hears, on your computer screen, anyplace in the world! No need to be concerned about The Roving Rovio Security Robot running low on power while you’re gone – the self-docking feature allows you to send The Roving Rovio Security Robot back to the charging dock to recharge, with the tap of a button in your internet browser. Once it’s done charging, The Roving Rovio Security Robot is ready to continue watching your home or office.

The Label Printers Sponsors Geneva High School’S First Robotics Team

Geneva High School’s “ROBOVIKES” Team Attacks the FIRST Robotics Program’s Breakaway Challenge

Walking into a Geneva High School “ROBOVIKES” team meeting is like stepping into any team meeting of teenagers – they’re working, chatting, teasing, and laughing.  They’re excited about what they’re building, maybe a little anxious about the upcoming competitions, but also looking forward to something that they understand, in their second year as a team, will be a blast.

The ROBOVIKES feature a mascot designed by The Label Printers’ prepress department, to the team’s specifications.  The ROBOVIKE is clearly a cross between Geneva High School’s “Vikings” mascot and Robocop as he must look on the weekends when he’s working in the shop in his basement.  In keeping with the Viking theme, Geneva will once again be naming their robot after a Viking god/goddess. Last year’s robot Freyja and her rookie team went to the Midwest Regionals, advancing there to the FIRST equivalent of the “Elite Eight”.  This year’s team hopes to do as well, or better, in this year’s game, called Breakaway.

The FIRST program is designed so that the kids have only 6 weeks to build their robot from a kit of parts, with no instructions – one of the many life lessons that are part of this “competition of the mind” – and that 6 week time frame is a significant commitment of time and effort that is clearly understood by everyone. Mary Keyzer, a teacher at Geneva High School, draws on her years of experience as a coach, as she keeps an eagle eye on the proceedings, occasionally making a suggestion to one of the kids about what they might be working on.  She says, “This year has been a little less stressful because we already had supplies and a core group of kids [from last year’s rookie team].  But it’s still a much slower process than people realize.”  Trevor Deem, a sophomore veteran of last year’s ROBOVIKES team chimes in, “It’s slow, but fun.  FIRST is fun.”

Senior David Foehring, who is considering an aerospace engineering major at IIT, is a rookie ROBOVIKE, and is involved with building the robot.  He says, “It’s kinda fun coming up with different solutions to the challenges.”  Sophomore Keane Hensley is a team veteran.  He thinks that FIRST is a “great program [that] provides a lot of opportunities for anyone interested in any type of engineering.  The challenge is really different this year.  They did a really good job of making something really new and fresh.”  He echoes Mary Keyzer’s sentiment, saying that this year “it was easier to get going because we’ve got stuff already from last year.”  Freshman Matt Fee thinks that FIRST is “really fun.  A different experience than what we usually do in school.”  Matt is a member of the Alpine Club (Geneva’s ski club) and the freshman football team.  And while FIRST may be a “competition of the mind”, Matt says that it’s like being on a football team, as everyone is “still working together for a common goal.”

In addition to Mary Keyzer, the ROBOVIKES coach, the team has two principal adult mentors who have volunteered countless hours to help the team build the robot – Kevin Keyzer, a ceramics engineer and Mary’s husband, and Joe Kane, who is the Prepress Department Manager at The Label Printers.  Kevin’s brother is the teacher/mentor for the FIRST team at Lake Zurich High School and Kevin has long thought that the program is outstanding.  Joe is a graduate of Geneva High School, who has a long term interest in robots, having built robots for both middle school and high school science projects.  Joe says, “We have a good group of kids.  There’s a lot of enthusiasm with this group.  Even though we lost four seniors from last year’s team, we have four freshmen to replace them, which is good.  The continuity helps.”  He also echoes the idea that this year is easier than their rookie year.  “They’re learned a lot.  This year they’re much better at working as a team.  And we can get better.  This year will be a good year to get the construction part down, and hopefully future ROBOVIKES teams will be able to add other elements of the FIRST program, such as the ‘business’ aspect.  For that, they’ll need community involvement and Boosters.”

Joe Kane encourages everyone to attend the Midwest Regional competition, held at UIC on March 19th and 20th.  He suggests that this year’s game “should be very spectator friendly.  Last year was a little chaotic to the observer – balls flying all over the place, tough to understand who had scored and how.  But this year’s game is soccer themed, and I think that people who haven’t been immersed in the game for 6 weeks, trying to build a robot that will accomplish the game objectives, will better understand the action.”  Twins (of the extremely identical variety) Derik and Mitchell Baer are freshmen working on construction of the robot.  They think that FIRST is “pretty neat [and] offers a challenge.”  They play Tri-Cities Soccer, and think that the soccer aspect of this year’s game is fun.

Dr. Woodie Flowers, FIRST national advisor and Pappalardo professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, advised students on how to succeed in the 21st century noting, “This thing we’re launching today [the Breakaway game introduction] is not about building a robot, it’s about changing society. Remember Gracious Professionalism™, remember informed thinking, and remember critical analysis – all three, all the time. If you do that, you will soon have real comparative advantage.”

ROBOVIKE Team Members:

Seniors:  David Foehring, Kris Marut, Travis Reed, Will Zupke

Sophomores:  Trevor Deem, Keane Hensley, Josh Kilmer, Jack Wilbur

Freshmen:  Derik Baer, Mitchell Baer, Will Camacho, Matt Fee

About THE LABEL PRINTERS:

The Label Printers, Aurora, IL, started in business in 1967, manufacturing simple label constructions in a 1,000 square foot space, with 1 employee, serving the local Chicago market.

Today, the company has evolved into one of the 100 largest converters in the United States.  The Label Printers owns and operates two facilities in Aurora, Illinois, manufacturing and distributing labels and packaging products to thousands of customers in 25 countries around the world. The company’s packaging products are certified to ISO 9001 standards, and their quality is backed up by their 99.6% Quality Acceptance Rating.

About Geneva High School (Community Unit School District 304)

Geneva Community High School is over 130 years old and has over 1,800 students, 150 faculty members, and offers more than 150 courses in eleven academic areas.  Students may also enroll in one of thirty-seven academic courses in the Fox Valley Career Center curriculum.  Advanced placement and honors courses are offered in all academic areas supported by the expansion of our Acceleration and Enrichment program. 

While maintaining an outstanding tradition of excellence in education, athletic and extracurricular programs, our school provides a wide variety of community service learning experiences throughout Geneva and the Fox Valley.  Our experienced administrative team and dedicated staff, along with the support of the community of Geneva, offer one of the finest educational opportunities available throughout the state of Illinois.

About the “Breakaway” Game:

Teams receive a Kit of Parts made up of motors, batteries, a control system, a PC, and a mix of automation components – but no instructions. Working with mentors, students have six weeks to design, build, program, and test their robots to meet the season’s engineering challenge. Once these young inventors create a robot, their teams participate in competitions that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the power of collaboration, and the determination of students.

In the FRC “Breakaway” robotics game, two alliances of three teams will compete on a 27-by-54-foot field with bumps, attempting to earn points by collecting soccer balls in goals. Additional bonus points will be earned for each robot suspended in air and not touching the field at the end of the match.

The bumps have the potential to flip the robot or make it crash because of its steepness. As they “run the floor” the robots will need to shoot soccer balls in their two goals (four goals total, but as in soccer, “own” goals count for the “other” team).  Each goal scored is one point. Robots may play defense to prevent the other teams from scoring. As the game winds down to its last seconds, robots can score bonus points by suspending themselves off of a 7-foot tower. This earns the team two bonus points. And teams can earn three more points for every robot that is hanging off of the already suspended robot.

About the FIRST Robotics Competition:

The FIRST Robotics Competition is an annual competition that helps students discover the excitement of science, engineering, and technology and the rewards a career in STEM can bring. More than 45,000 high-school students on over 1,800 teams from the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Germany, Herzegovina, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the U.K. will participate in this year’s competition.

In 1992, the FIRST Robotics Competition began with 28 teams and a single 14-by-14-foot playing field in a New Hampshire high school gym. This season more than 1,800 teams – including 278 rookie teams – will participate. Forty-three regional competitions in the U.S., Canada, and Israel, plus seven district competitions and one state championship in Michigan, will lead up to the 2010 FIRST Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, April 15-17.
FIRST programs are spearheaded by more than 90,000 dedicated volunteers worldwide, most of them professional engineers and scientists who mentor the next generation of innovators.

Participating students are eligible to apply for nearly $12 million in scholarships offered by leading universities, colleges, and companies.

About FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology):

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and nearly $12 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) and FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®) for high-school students, FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) for 9 to 14-year-olds, (9 to 16-year-olds outside the U.S. and Canada) and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL) for 6 to 9-year-olds. Gracious Professionalism™ is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.

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