Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2011/01/21/tankbot_toy_robot_for_iphone/
Yes! It's the iDevice-driven desktop droid
Toy robot trundles as iPhone tilts
Posted in Personal Tech, 21st January 2011 12:31 GMT
This little bad boy is the TankBot, an inexpensive micro-robotic toy controllable by iOS.
Manufacturer Desk Pets has developed a program that, using Apple's accelerometer tech, allows the TankBot to be controlled by tilting your iPhone. A forward tilt rolls him forward, a right tilt turns him right. Well, you get the idea.
It can also be switched into autonomous mode and with its built-in Infrared sensors, navigates through mazes or reacts to hand gestures.
Rather than being controlled with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, a dongle is connected to the headphone socket of the iOS device.
The TankBot doesn't need batteries either, instead relying on a USB cable for power-ups, where a 30-minute charge will generate 15 minutes of action.
Desk Pets says TankBot will be available from June for less than $20 (£13). ®