Be Excellent To Each Other

Does anybody know of any programmable robot toys for kids, I'm thinking of stuff like big trak, but perhaps up a notch or two.

Either something stand alone, or if it interfaces with a computer that's fine too.

Ideally not too expensive,but all reasonable suggestions welcomed.

Thanks

Malc

Lego Mindstorms would seem the obvious choice.

Lego do a range called Mindstorm, I'm not sure how advanced it is but it can get pricey, as Lego stuff tends to do....But it looks frickin' awesome. They can make and control anything they can come up with.

Edit: Damn you Craster!!

£183 from Amazon, ideally something a bit cheaper would be better, under a £100 perhaps?(mostly because I don't think I could sell that pricetag to his mum!)

Malc

it does sound ace though...

Malc

I WANT MINDSTORMS

It's ok, when Malc buys it for his boy, we'll just go round and steal it away.....

ooh, on the amazon page for the mindstorms, there is a link to someting called meccano spykee, looks interesting, and slightly cheaper (but still not quite cheap enough)

Malc

You're not buying a lump of playdoh, man! You're buying PROGRAMMABLE ROBOTS!

http://us.mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/Com ... cd6e6dab40



*looks around for things to sell*

This.

Remember : Always, always, ALWAYS install a manual kill-switch. Damage caused by robots that have spontaneously gained sentience and gone on a homicidal rampage will probably not be covered by your building and contents insurance.

Picaxe 20x2 microbot = got

PDF Link

Total cost about £50

get in!

Malc

That actually looks pretty cool!

It's better than a Bigtrak (apart from not looking quite as futuristic) because it can be programmed graphically, in BASIC or even in assembler (gives your kid a nice path from easy to advanced if they get into it). It's also better than a Bigtrak because it can react to its environment rather than just run sequences. (I loved my Bigtrak, though: it was my first taste of programming.)

I like the look of the solderless method for connecting different sensors. That'll be good for kids, give them a feel for connecting up circuits without messing about with soldering irons yet.

with whom is this robot going to fight Malc?

That look cool, Malc. Decent price too. Where was it from?

Kids.

It arrived today, it's smaller than I thought, (fitting in an a4 jiffy bag) and it didn't include the data cable to program it.

I have ordered this (along with a few other bits and peices, like extra sensors and a remote control etc), so should be good to go on Thursday when I have a day off!

I ordered it through http://www.techsupplies.co.uk/

Malc

All the parts to build it (some of the extras need soldering and I don't an iron!)



If the weather is bad tomorow I might try and make this with kids, how much do I let them do, given that if they break it, it cost over £50?

Malc