The iBotz line of educational robot kits are an ideal introduction for children ages 8 and up wanting to investigate the fascinating world of electronics and intelligent machines. Developed with the help of the Open University in the United Kingdom, these kits have a strong focus on teaching not only how to build the robot, but how the robot works. Detailed explanations of the circuitry driving the robot are examined, as well as what role the individual components play in the robot’s functionality.

We’ve been a bit quiet on the blog front as we are getting ready for Robogames 2009 in a little over a week and are furiously working away to finish up projects for demonstration. Our video production crew has been keeping busy also, and just finished up some new demonstration videos for the Phoenix Hexapod, showcasing its numerous features. This Hexapod continues to be one of our most popular sellers, definitely check it out!

Walking Gait Demo

Remote Control Demo

Body Control Demo

All Metal Construction Demo

This has to be one of our hottest selling Robotics controllers yet. Our initial stock sold out almost immediately, the 2nd shipment sold out before we even received it in, and the third shipment received today  is already half way gone! Get ‘em while they’re hot!

The Roboard RB-100 is a new breed of robotics controller: a fusion of a traditional microcontroller and a full function computer. Think of it as an OS capable microcontroller on steroids, boasting a 32bit x86 CPU running at 1000MHz and 256MB DRAM. The ability to load an operating system of your choice and have direct access to I/O, Comm ports, USB, and networking opens this controller up to a wide range of robotics based applications. Our Roboard Starter Kit comes with just about everything you need to implement this feature rich controller in your next robotics project! All you need to supply is a 1-2gb Micro-SD card to load an OS onto, 6-24v, and a robot!

Our video crew has been hard at work showcasing our various robotic products, and recently highlighted the Bioloid and Hexbug robots.

Is your house tidy? Are you lacking pesky insects in your kitchen? HEXBUGs are your solution!

Why deal with real insects when you can fill that void with these cute little robobugs! Hexbugs are tiny, cute, and make the perfect gift or desktoy for a geek near you! You can pick these up at our online store, as well as at our booth at Robogames 2009 in San Fransisco!

The Bioloid Comprehensive Kit is a tried and true humanoid kit, literally one of the most popular robot kits on the market. We put together a quick video highlighting some custom motions that can be easily programmed into the robot, as well as the new Zig-100 wireless controller. Stay tuned to our blog for an upcoming tutorial on how to make your Bioloid humanoid robot completely remote controlled and competition ready!

I remember being blown away at how strong my first hobby servos were when I built my Hexapod 2 from Lynxmotion about 12 years ago. In comparison, they were literally just a fraction of the strength of modern digital servos, and the gap widens even further when put up against a robotic actuator such as the RX-64 Smart Actuator.

I was working on my mech Hagetaka the other night and made the mistake of grabbing at the robot to stabilize it while it was moving, and managed to graze my finger in one of the joints. It drew blood and immediately reminded me that working with these types of servos was an entirely different ballgame than your standard hobby servo. With that in mind, we put together a little demonstration video of just how powerful these servos can be! Enjoy!

OLLO is a reconfigurable robot construction kit for beginners of any age. Using an easy to build plates and rivets system you’ll be on your way to making your own robot in no time! The OLLO Bug Kit has very detailed and well illustrated instructions to build 4 different types of robotic bugs that can trace lines, detect objects, or be controlled via wireless remote. The modular and simple building system allows you to build custom robots very quickly; your imagination is the limit!

While most participating in the robotic educational and combat competitions know the Banebots name rather well, we wanted to make sure that other roboticists out there knew how awesome their line of wheels are.

Finding the right wheels for a robot is often a difficult ordeal. Matching wheel size to hubs and motor shafts can take a lot of searching, custom machining, trial and error. Banebots has solved the problem with their modular hub and wheel system. With hubs fitting motor shafts from 2mm up to 1/2 inch and wheel diameters from 1-3/8” to 4-7/8 people can mix and match to get the perfect fit for their needs. The Banebots line also offers 3 levels of rubber hardness for each wheel.