WowWee Robosapien Humanoid Toy Robot with Remote Control Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Getting this robot out of the box is a job in itself. Have scissors handy and be prepared to do a lot of cutting and tearing. Also have a few screwdrivers around, because you need to unscrew the battery compartments to open them. Since I didn't know all this, it took me more than 20 minutes to wrestle the robot out of its packaging (which got fairly mangled despite my best efforts to be careful), find an appropriate screwdriver, and finally get things operating.
About the operation: not bad. The robot can bend its body well, all things considered, and the range of movement is pretty good. It did have a bit of trouble moving backwards and forwards on my carpeted floor (low-pile; NOT shag) and as for turning right or left, the efforts were painful to watch. The robot exerted a lot of energy but could only move in little hitches, and it took many labored seconds to fully turn to the right. It did do much better when on the very smooth kitchen floor.
Best functions: the karate chops, complete with sound effects; the dance program; "listen" program; wolf whistle; high five; and the arm movements.
Most frustrating: trying to get the robot to pick up items. They must be VERY carefully placed, and also just the right size and height. They also can't be very heavy at all. The robot could pick up a pencil when I held it up off the ground, but the pencil then slipped through its hand. It was able to grasp a small toy, but could not pick it up because even that light weight was too much. The arms are NOT very strong. For instance, if you command the robot to raise its arm, and then place your hand over the arm while exerting only a small amount of pressure, the arm will stop moving pretty quickly. It has little power.
As for durability, the robot's head seems quite delicate and loose. I kept worrying that it would fall off. And the black paint chips fast to reveal white underneath. When I bought the robot, it already had a few small areas where the paint was chipped. After I gently and carefully used it for about a half hour, it had a few more chipped areas. In some of the robot's movements, it actually strikes its own body, which doubtless caused some of the chipping. Example: when my Robosapien lowers its arms all the way, it usually smacks its legs. Aside from the paint and the head, it does seem reasonably hardy.
The novelty value wore off quickly. At first I was eager to try it out, but after maybe 15 minutes of putting it through its paces I found myself losing interest. Later, my young cousin played with it and enjoyed it for a while, but after a couple of days he turned to other toys and the Robosapien sat to the side, gathering dust.
Honestly? This toy is a disappointment. If you want a cool robot toy, try the R2D2 droid, which probably goes for a lower price by now and can play neat games. I've owned an R2 for over a year and still play with it fairly often. I just don't see this happening with Robosapien.


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While the Robot Systems Technology Branch at NASA's Johnson Space Center continues to develop its humanoid Robonaut, one NASA scientist has worked to take many of the same basic capabilities and introduced Robosapien!Robosapien is a full function, programmable, fast moving robot controlled by wireless remote control. High-tech but easy to use, Robosapien features: Real multi-speed fast dynamic walking, running, and turning. Fast, full function arms with two types of grippers.67 pre-programmed functions including pick-up, throw, kick, sweep, dance, fart, belch, rap, and half-a-dozen different kung-fu moves. Speaks fluent international "caveman. Programmable "reflexes" to touch, pickup, kicks, or sound. Up to 84 program steps, with 4 program modes for advanced operations. No computer required, all functions handled by ergonomic remote control. Runs on regular batteries (not included) for over 6 hours. Three demonstration modes: Disco dance, Rude behavior, and Kung Fu Kata. Simple enough for kids, advanced enough for adults, it's like a video game character for the home. Developed by Mark Tilden, a robotics physicist who has worked for NASA, DARPA and JPL through Los Alamos National Laboratory.He developed the basics for biomorphic robotics in 1988; Robosapien is the first commercially available robot based upon this principle.

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