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Robopanda Toys Last All Summer Long
Robopanda from WowWee is the latest in a series of robotic bears - see the list at the end of this article - but it will have some real advances over the others. Executives insist that it will have nine "ultra-quiet" motors and a tilt sensor - and no remote.
(Robopanda from WowWee)
Disdaining fur, Robopanda is covered with cuddly plastic and stands about twenty inches tall, eleven inches wide and six inches deep. Designed for children age four and up, Robopanda will be able to avoid obstacles, track objects and locate sources of sound in its environment.
It is also one of the few toys that come with its own toy - a small furry panda. In spite of having its own toy to play with, WowWee execs promise that Robopanda will have "mood-specific behaviors ... based on [user] interaction."
(David and Teddy - from A.I.)
Moviegoers may recall Teddy, from Steven Spielberg's A.I., a movie of the near (and far) future. Spielberg's film (and Stanley Kubrick's project) all derive from Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, a Brian Aldiss short story written in 1969:
"Come down here, Teddy!"Hopefully, if the hype is right, you won't be able to feel vibrations from Robopanda's "ultra-quiet" motors.She stood impassively, watching the little furry figure as it climbed down from step to step on its stubby limbs. When it reached the bottom, she picked it up and carried it into the living room. It lay unmoving in her arms, staring up at her. She could feel just the slightest vibration from its motor.
(Read more about Teddy)
Check out these previous robotic bear models:
Read more via WowWee unveils Robopanda.Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 1/11/2007)
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Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
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