February 2015 Notable Toys — Robotics

Zoom down the runway and off on another tough cargo mission with the biggest and most demanding LEGO® Technic plane yet. This is so much more than just a model, as it has a range of real-world functions to help it do its job. Move the joystick and watch the flaps, elevators and ailerons move, then activate the LEGO® Power Functions motors to open the front and rear cargo bay, retract the landing gear and spin the propellers. It’s just like the real thing! Rebuilds into a Transport Hovercraft.
Awards: 2015 TIA Educational Toy of the Year

Control him if you can! Boomer is the incredible Zoomer Dino that only you can tame! With real dinosaur movements, sounds and incredible dino-sense abilities, Boomer can detect when you’re nearby and interacting with him. But watch out! Just like a real Dino he can get angry, spin around, chomp and roar! Using True Balance Technology™, Boomer perfectly balances on two wheels as he roams freely, exploring your home. Use your hands or the included controller to tame his Dino nature and build your friendship. But, don’t make him mad by pulling his tail! He doesn’t like it! He might even let out dino-sized burps and farts! Become a true dino master and control him if you can with Zoomer Dino!
Awards: 2015 TIA Toy of the Year, 2015 TIA Boy Toy of the Year

LightUp combines the best of both worlds by bringing together an engaging hands-on electronics platform with an interactive iOS mobile app. LightUp kits introduce key STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) concepts, teaching kids how to explore their world with electronics and code. Snap together magnetic blocks to build circuits in seconds (no soldering or wiring needed). Download the free LightUp Learning iOS app for project ideas and personalized guidance. See electricity flow with the in-app augmented reality LightUp Lens. Learn 100+ key STEM concepts about electricity, circuits, and engineering with the Edison Kit.

Native to Australia, chalamydosaurus kingii or frilled lizard is one of the wackiest lizards to roam planet Earth. So in order to keep young lizard enthusiasts out of harm’s way, OWI has created a freakish robot lizard that is actually fun to play with. The Kingii Dragon Robot is a smart super lizard with artificial intelligence (AI). Similar to the original from Australia, when this robot feels threatened, it gapes its mouth, flashes its eyes, and dramatically spreads and flaps its frill (pleated material that encircles its head) in a threatening manner. If you are not intimidated by these shenanigans, it then turns around, front and back legs erratically move as if it were scampering away from danger.

Kingii Dragon Robot by OWI has an infrared sensor that is programmed to “escape” or “follow-me”. If the infrared sensor is activated in the “escape” mode the robot will automatically act “shocked!”, spreading its frill, dropping its jaw, illuminates its bicolor LED eyes and will scurry away from you until it escapes to a safe distance. If the infrared sensor is switched to the “follow-me” mode using the 2 way function switch, then the robot will assess danger by bluffing the attacker (unfurling and shaking its frill). When the robot does not sense danger it will proceed to follow you like a pet lizard. Thank goodness, that unlike the wacky frilled lizard that roams in Australia’s tropical woodland, OWI’s Kingii Dragon Robot is whimsically kooky and fun to build.

Gasoline is currently the fuel of choice, but petroleum used to make it is becoming increasingly difficult to find and is contributing to environmental issues and worldwide problems. Automobile manufacturers know this and are spending tremendous amounts of money to develop alternative fuel for the future. A few years ago, OWI introduced a Salt Water Fuel Cell vehicle and is now introducing another alternative fuel and eco-friendly vehicle. Let us introduce you

Air as fuel...could possibly be another alternative to petroleum. Air is available 24/7, does not run out and it’s free. By golly, we might have something here and OWI’s O2 Power Racer can break down this technology to its simplest form. This is an amazing kit that uses the vision of our ancestors back in the middle of the 19thcentury. Now, your child can gain valuable insight into propulsion via compressed air.

Assembly and operation is a breeze. A pump-up bar with a pressure meter is built into the car for easy operation. This meter measures the volume of compressed air. The air chamber is a silicon tube (not a PVC tube used by others). The silicon tube creates an air tight fit. Another safety device implemented into the kit is a safety valve. If the user keeps pumping while the tank is full, the safety valve will open and bleed the air automatically. Anyway, back to the air in the tank. When the air chamber is full, you can release the compressed air; the air then expands and drives the vehicle a distance up to 50 meters in 35 seconds. The car is fast and furious fun that requires no batteries or specific weather conditions to limit its usage. OWI’s O2 Power Racer is not only designed with the environment in mind, but is also fun and easy to build!