Oh! Gizmo

By Jonathan Kimak

This might not be a big seller for Christmas, but it is possible that this could be the next furby or tickle-me-elmo. But then again it could just be something neat that only does modest sales.

The toy is Kota the Triceratops robot. It’s large enough for a young kid to sit on and has 11 different movements and reacts to touch and sound. It isn’t mobile and that may or may not be a good thing if you think of the balancing skills of some toddlers.

It will wag its tail and even play some adventure music if it’s in the mood. But don’t take my word for it, check out the video of Kota in action after the jump.

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By Jonathan Kimak

Sega toys has released an interesting “toy,” the robotic plant called Pekoppa. Pekoppa has a grand total of one feature, it nods when you speak to it. That’s it, just nodding.

Maybe Sega has forgotten that for over a decade(probably two or three decades) there have been little dancing/singing plants with glasses on that also react to sound. Put on the radio and they’d go nuts, some even had their own music built in.

So why would anyone ever want to get this? The ad says that the plant is there as a good listener. If you’re talking to a real plant I can accept that, maybe it even helps the plant grow, who knows. But if you are talking to a robotic plant, then it’s time to go out and find some friends.

Cost $23.

[ Pekoppa the robotic plant ] VIA [ Gizmo Diva ]

By Jonathan Kimak

Technology and insects seem to mesh very well. There are so many gadgets out there that either resemble a bug or behave like one. Now car manufacturer Nissan is using bees for inspiration.

The Nissan Bumblebee is also known as the Biomimetic Car Robot Drive, or BR23C. The bumblebee car simulates a bee’s compound eyes by using a Laser Range Finder(LRF) to detect obstacles up to 2 metres(6.6 feet) away within a 180-degree radius in front of it. The moment it detects an obstacle it reacts like a bee and turns away from the obstacle at right angles to avoid hitting anything.

Unlike a bee, it is restricted to 2-dimensional movement and cannot move up or down.

It is hoped that the Bumblebee car will allow Nissan to develop a fully functional collision avoidance system for cars. Their goal is to reduce the current amount of car crashes in half by 2015.

[ Autoblog ] VIA [ Engadget ]