This close to Christmas, you have undoubtedly seen a 2009 top toy list. But to find one where the Zhu Zhu Pet Hamster didn’t make it to the top piqued my curiosity. The list was compiled by the Wyoming Tribute Eagle paper after sponsoring a "kid tested, kid approved" event where 300 toys were played with, tested, and ranked.
The toy that won the hearts of the young testers was a robot, like the Zhu Zhu Pet Hamster, but instead of a rodent robot, it’s an insect robot, called HEXBUG Micro Robotic Creature. The robots have an embedded sensor that reacts to the environment around them, specifically to noise, light and touch.
Available in 5 different colors, the HEXBUG robots in the collection are—the ‘original,’ inchworm, crab, ant, and the latest to join the HEXBUG family, the Nano. This one has an online website component called Hands and Stars where HEXBUG Nano fanatics earn points and recognition by registering their Nanos, then undergoing tests of scientific logic and knowledge through game play and quiz challenges.
HEXBUG is available online, or at Radio Shack and Toys R US. At $9.99 each, they are unique gifts that will make the geek on your Christmas list squeal in delight to discover these gems on Christmas morning.
Robot Insects for Kids
Hexbug Micro Robot Creatures Are One of 2009's X-Mas Must-Haves
Trend Themes
1. Robot Toys - Creating more unique and interactive robots will continue to be an innovation trend in the toy industry.
2. STEM Education - Developing robot toys with an online educational component like Hands and Stars will become more appealing to parents seeking STEM learning for their kids.
3. Internet of Toys - Integrating online components like Hands and Stars into toys may become more popular in the IoT industry, offering a new way for kids to interact with tech.
Industry Implications
1. Toy Industry - The popularity of robot insects like HEXBUG shows there is a market for unique and interactive toys for children, especially at the competitive holiday season.
2. Education Industry - HEXBUG's Hands and Stars component provides an example of how toys can support and enhance STEM learning for kids, offering opportunities for innovation in the educational toy space.
3. Internet of Things (iot) Industry - The success of the online component Hands and Stars for HEXBUG shows how IoT technology can be integrated into toys for a new kind of interactive play that has further market opportunities.