Gareth Branwyn
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3
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11-07-2001 04:30 PM ET (US)
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Yeah, I can't recommend them. First off, you need two of 'em before it gets interesting (so you can see their combat interactions and how their different designs and survival strategies come into play). So that's an $80 investment.
The first one we got broke after about ten minutes (the front legs broke off at the axle). We took it apart and were shocked at the poor design on the front legs. There's a tiny plastic bushing that fits onto the axle and it takes WAY too much torque (the legs are rather heavy and connect to the underside at a angle). I bet this is going to be a common problem and there's no way to fix it. The stupid thing is that the metal axle that comes from the motor could have very easily extended INTO the bushing, reinforcing it so it couldn't break. Very poor engineering.
It was cool to dissect one, however. In keeping with Tilden's analog electronics maxims for BEAM, there are no microcontrollers in sight. It *appears* to be all analog. We haven't actually taken apart the whole thing yet, but as far as we could see, there's no computer control in the bot. Haven't taken apart the remote control yet. Maybe there's a chip in there. Without a processor, it'd be interesting to know how they orchestrate the behaviors and apparent "learning."
There's definitiely a sound chip in it and it's DEAFENINGLY loud. This is the kind of toy to give to the kids of people you hate. In about about 10 minutes, you're ready to run from the room screaming. Guess you could yank the wires on it, but the sounds are actually very cool -- very insectoidal and they have behaviorial clues, so they're useful. Maybe one could solder in a pot. to turn that crazy thing down.
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| Stefan Jones
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2
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11-07-2001 03:22 PM ET (US)
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I was intrigued at the ad copy for the Bugs, but they're damn pricey and your initial thoughts push them way down the queue. (Top of queue: Dope thinner.)
I've an unpublished story about a kid who discovers that the yard-care bots in his neighborhood are repurposed childhood playmate-bots. Strip off the animal-shaped foam shells, seal them in utilitarian green plastic, and voila, leaf-raking slave!
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