Up until now owning a robot with true humanoid flexibility, balance, and movement has been outside the price range of the average consumer. Typically costing $1000 or more for an entry level package, the popular Robo-one robot series and others like it have been the sole domain of the hard core hobby roboticist. Tomy has decided to change all that with it’s terrifically fun, talented, and tiny i-Sobot robot.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, standing only 6.5 inches tall (16.5 cm), i-Sobot is the world’s smallest mass produced humanoid robot. It sings, dances, rolls, kicks, and does just about everything you would expect a miniature robotic man to do. It also responds to 10 preprogrammed voice commands and comes with a hilarious collection of special action commands which include animal and celebrity impressions. Finally, it can be controlled in proper fashion for robot soccer tournaments, races, and other friendly competitions via it’s powerful infrared remote control. The remote control also allows you to create scripts, which are user defined chains of robot movements. The i-Sobot comes fully assembled and ready to play right out of the box.
Responds to 10 different voice commands, with varying funny responses to some the commands
He can SOMERSAULT!
He even does the splits
Tons of different special actions like do his own Western gunfight scene, beg for mercy, act like he is drunk. He’s a bit of a ham for the camera!
NOTE: I have recently started a new blog dedicated to the i-SOBOT called the i-SOBOT Review. It contains the latest information, tips, tricks, videos and pictures I have found or made for the i-SOBOT. Click here to read it now.
Technical Details
Sensors
2 gyroscopic sensors which are used to maintain i-Sobot’s balance
Battery Requirements
The i-Sobot uses 3 rechargable AAA size NiMH batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride), which provide about a full hour of continuous play.
Brains
i-Sobot contains 3 CPU chips which control the robot’s general processing, voice recognition, and servo control systems.
Servos
17 servos provide i-Sobot with a truly impressive skill level in general agility and physical movement
Editor’s note: Demand is expected to be intense this holiday season and supply limited.
Videos
Most of these videos come from the talented lens of top notch Robot Magazine article author, Lem Fugitt, owner of noted robotics web site, Robots Dreams, and from New Launches, the web site that tracks the latest and greatest super tech.
My first video! Shows i-SOBOT as a tiny boxer training and then fighting his big match with Godzilla!
Superb quality articles on robots and the robotics fields with fantastic color photos in every issue. A must have subscription for any reader. The Fall 2007 issue contains the authoritative i-Sobot article penned by none other than Lem Fugitt, owner of acclaimed robotics web site, Robots Dreams.
If you want to stay on top of the i-Sobot then watch this site carefully. You should watch it anyway for the fun collection of posts, pictures, videos, and pithy comments on the robotics industry from site owner Lem Fugitt. A big bonus is that you will get the latest information from Japan’s burgeoning and fascinating robotics industry.
Where To Buy:
