Motor Toys and Institution Toys makes your Kids Smart

You can virtually find robotic technology everywhere—from remote controls, to digital clocks, to vehicles, computers, manufacturing equipment, UAVs, the toys like AIBO, ASIMO and even your commonplace ATMs. To be deemed a true robot, a machine must be able to interface and interact with its user and surroundings and respond accordingly. Robotic technology is being extensively in motor toys nowadays.

In the past, people thoroughly believed that there was a humanoid robotic race. Even in mythology we had the Greek god Hephaestus who said to have built automations to assist in the construction of temples. The Jews thought that clay golems could come alive and so did the Norse, about their clay giants. As early as the 4th century circa, the Greek mathematician Archytas claimed that he could make ‘the pigeon', a steam powered bird—this was before Watt invented the steam engine. In the 9th century, war weapons were said to have utilized air and steam pressure to launch projectiles.

When it comes to motor toys, robotic technology has greatly evolved. Take for example toy human robots, does one want them to look like actual humans or the typical nuts-bolts-and-rivets type model? It is seen that children prefer high tech robots but only if they look cool and resemble some kind of a fighting machine not a human. Gundam, transformers etc are good examples of what children want their institution toys or motor toys (in Danish motorisk legetøj) to look like.

In recent times, if you are ready to dish out money then you can buy the three most recent types of robots—soft, swarm and haptic. Soft robots have a flexible endoskeleton and silicon body and resemble humans; swarm robots have multiple processors working in unison which gives them unprecedented computing power enabling them to interact better (like the Aibo) and finally the haptic robots which enable their users to interface with them on a virtual level. The power source has varied since the inception of robotic technology. Earlier automatons used air, water and steam; newer robots use DC motors, lithium batteries, air muscles, actuators and even hydrogen fuel cells. Robots have always been a thing of fascination for children. They make for great institution toys (in Danish institutionslegetøj) and help to inspire a feeling of interest in robotics and mechanics amongst the young minds. The robot Aibo for example will intrigue your child and urge him to find new ways to interact with the robot—this boosts creativity.