Cool RC Robot Toys

This is no little kid's toy and it's got a price tag to make a lot of grownups choke up, but for those who are really into robotics this little 10 inch tall Futaba Humanoid Robot may be just the robot you want. He comes fully assembled -- RTW (Ready to Walk) with 20 servos, including 11 for leg movements and 9 for his upper body. He uses a wireless 2.4GHz controller, has 3D CG Motion Editor software (for Windows PC) for programming and more. You got the dough? Here's your robo.

He's no Robosabien but little kids will love him. Standing about a foot high, he walks and slides, talks, and best of all for the 6 and under set -- he fires green soft foam discs from his chest. Requires 6 AA batteries (Buy Direct).

Hitec says, "ROBONOVA-I can walk, run, do flips, cartwheels, dance moves and once programmed, is ready to compete in any Robo One Class “J” competition." This is the Ready-to-Walk version. He stands 12 inches tall, has 16 servos for movement, and uses infrared remote control. He can also be accessorized with various add-ons and extensions. He's billed as an educational robot for schools and robotic hobbyists. This is not a toy. RoboNova-I also comes in a kit version (Buy Direct) which can be built in about 6-8 hours with nothing more than a screwdriver - no soldering required.

The original Robosapien is over a foot tall and comes with a programmable infrared controller. Robo can walk, dance, and throw things. He can sense obstructions and can do up to 84 action sequences plus has demo modes to show off his movements. Requires 3 AAA and 4 D batteries. He may not be quite as advanced as the V2 but he still a technological wonder at a fraction of the cost.

Up til now most of the remote control robots had a decidedly bulky, masculine build. But the WowWee Femisapien has more curves than angles and more fluid movements than her Robosapien counterparts. She'll dance to the music, can "see" other nearby Robosapiens, and has over 56 interactive functions.

From the company that brought us Robosapien, Robopet, Roborapter and more robotic fun comes RoboQuad. This awkward little creature is something to behold -- kind of a creepy dog-spider-E.T. looking thing. I've found him in the original sleek black and white (compare prices) and the special Discovery Channel version of grey and black with lime green accents (compare prices). He has a light sensor for seeing in the dark, three different personality settings, and reacts to his environment. As with other WowWee robots, there's a mini-Roboquad too (compare prices).
From WowWee
See Roboquad in action: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Robopanda is the latest WowWee robot. One of the neat features is that no remote is needed to make it interact with its enviroment. A battery compartment on RoboPanda's back holds a memory cartridge that stores all of its stories, voice files, games and things he's learned such as tricks that you have trained him to do. There are three modes of fun. Training mode teaches you how to play with him. In friendly mode RoboPanda plays and interacts with his enviroment, doing tricks and telling stories. Menu mode is where you teach RoboPanda new tricks. He has touch sensors all over his body including paws, head, and belly. There's a mini-RoboPanda as well (compare prices).
See RoboPanda in action: at CES 2007 | Features | Commercial