NEW YORK - February 12, 2001 - The WowWee Toy division of Hasbro, Inc. today introduced the first toy line to incorporate advanced "nervous network" technology. New B.I.O. Bugs (Bio-mechanical Integrated Organisms), the hit of last month's Hong Kong Toy Fair, are robotic bugs that can autonomously act by themselves, come and go as they please, identify friend or foe and have the ability to avoid or climb over obstacles in their path.
BIOBug / BEP Contest
Dave Hrynkiw
December 3, 2001
Think you're good at modifying toys? Got a toaster with legs? A cat with wheels? A self-pruning Chia-Pet? Well, do we have a contest for YOU:
Mark Tilden has confirmed with us that he's willing to donate two complete sets of Wowwee/Hasbro BIOBugs (4, one of each type) to the top two hacks/modifications to be published to the Internet. Mark had a heavy hand in designing the BIOBugs, and intentionally made them very receptive to custom modifications. What does that mean? YOU decide.
Given that Mark is an aficionado of truly bizarre/innovative devices and hacks, I suggest you DO NOT limit yourself to just serious technical hacks. Amusement and twisted humour counts too! Or, go the other way, and try for serious technical hacks. Figure out the I/O pins; interface a secondary processor, add additional functionality.
Existing hacks recently witnessed thus far include:
- A general BIOBug vivisection
- Adding a waist motor to a Predator
- Adding a "flapping wing shell" to a Blue bug when it's agitated (in fight mode)
- Stilt legs on a yellow bug
Get your BIOBug, hack it by February 28th, 2002 (gives you plenty of time after getting one from the dog as a Christmas Gift), email us your URL with the hack, and we'll see how it goes!
What's this got to do with Solarbotics & the BEP? Simple. If you use any of the BEP modules in your hack, and it wins (judged by Mr. Tilden), we'll give you a $200 credit for anything at Solarbotics.
Questions? None? Good. Get to work!
MORE POSTS
Zelda themed DIY LED Valentine's Day car...
Create an awesome Valentine's Day card with this DIY project! This card will surely bring a smile to the face of any die-hard Zelda gamer and showcases a fun way for beginners to make a unique DIY gift using simple items and cool electronics. You can really get creative by using strips of copper foil […]
More interesting links on the inter-web....
Browsing around, I found another link regarding Mark Tilden & WowWee. From the website "AllNerdReview.com" (if that doesn't describe a roboticist...) comes article about a their visit to the New York Toy Fair (ok, so my web-browsing is a bit old). Enjoy... http://www.allnerdreview.com/TOYFAIR05/TF13.htm
Turkey Time!
Dah-na nah-nuh “Turkey is tastey” Dah-na nah-nuh “With veggies and pastry” Dah-na nah-nuh. “Monday is Thanksgiving” Dah-na nah-nuh “...and our office will be CLOOOOSED...oh yeah” Canadian Thanksgiving is Monday October 13, 2008. Our office will be closed all day Monday, but never fear - we will roll ourselves back into work first thing on Tuesday […]
Solarbotics has been operating for more than 25 years, bringing electronics know-how and supplies to both the electronics professional and hobbyist. We'll be happy to help you too!
Solarbotics, Ltd. is not responsible for misprints or errors on product prices or information. For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions.
Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more information. This item was manufactured prior to August 31, 2018.