Customer Reviews

Tomy I-SOBOT Robot

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This little guy is very sophisticated and moves like a human. He can balance on one foot and even does the Hula! Easy programming to create long performances of your own. The eneloop batteries last a long time and I actually bought several more sets for my other gadgets. Well written instruction manual, neato carrying case. Small and cool!

Right to the details first...

^++ The Pros ++^
+ Excellent price to functionality ratio. It walks, it talks and it can balance on 1 leg...It can even do a somersault (to name just a few things)...All for about the price of a Robosapien V2. But in terms of robotics ability the V2 is a $0.99 Store cheapy in comparison.
+ Comes packaged with 3xAAA Eneloop batteries and a battery charger. This is an excellent addition. If you're not familiar with Eneloops brand batteries, in a nutshell they have an outstandingly low self-discharge rate while in storage. So no worries if the Robot goes off to storage for a bit, the batteries will still be decently charged when I-Sobot makes a re-appearance
+ It walks. Not some gimmicky pseudo walking, I-Sobot actually stands on 2 feet and takes human-like steps.
+ It can get back to a standing position, using 1 of 2 sequences based on whether it's on its back or belly.
+ It can balance on 1 leg and do kicks (front kicks, like kicking a soccer ball, and side-kicks like doing martial arts).
+ 4 Modes of operation:
+++ Remote Control Mode: Essentailly a real-time mode almost like a video game, where your inputs have almost immediate results.
+++ Special Action Mode: Enter in special key sequences and I-Sobot does pre-defined actions, such as doing a re-enactment of the "go ahead, make my day" from Dirty Harry.
+++ Program Mode: Enter in multiple sequences from the other modes and save them to be played in order
+++ Voice Command Mode: I-Sobot reacts accordingly to certain voice queues.
+ I-Sobot was conceptualized and made in Japan. Anyone familiar with the Hobby of Humanoid Robotics knows that Japan is essentially the forerunner of the hobby, not to mention the Japanese following for it (compared to any other country, especially America) is far higher. This makes the I-Sobot both an impressive feat of engineering and durable/reliable.
+ Excellent re-playability. Take the Tickle-Me Elmo TMX as an example. I bought one for my young son and only after a couple of minutes of watching it do the same things over and over, he lost interest and Elmo has been collecting dust ever since. The I-Sobot, on the other hand, has kept him near mesmerized for a couple of weeks and even now that's its been months later, I-Sobot still makes near daily appearances to entertain him.


^-- The Cons --^
- The I-Sobot DEVOURS battery power! If the robot is going to be used on a regular basis, I'd highly recommend buying at least 2 more sets (6 more AAA size) of batteries. The robot has 17 servos, so it's to be expected and par for the course to power this little marvel.
- No volume adjustment. The speech and sound F/X is quite loud and unfortunately there's no volume adjustment.
- Effective on flat, even surfaces only (like Hardwood Floors). It'll work on carpet and such, but not reliably.


Final Words
Especially now that the I-Sobot can be had for under 200 hundred dollars (with a little shopping around, WELL under 200), it's a great time to pickup one of these truly bi-pedal humanoid robots. You'll find yourself coming back to it again and again, not to mention anyone you show it to is impressed at seeing something about the size of a chunky action figure walking, talking, kicking and doing air guitar!

If you've ever had a fascination with robots, the I-Sobot is the real deal.

I have been a fan of robot toys ever since I received an original Lost in Space robot for Christmas when I was just a little kid. That began a life long love affair with robot toys. From Transformers to Go-Bots, Shogun Warriors to 1950's tin lithograph toys, to the Japanese Mecha toys like Gundam and Votoms, I've collected them all. But I've never seen anything quite like TOMY's i-Sobot, easily the most sophisticated robot toy ever made.

Standing about 7" tall, the i-Sobot is capable of movements, which dwarf any robot toy that has come before. Forwards, backwards, side-to-side, diagonal and that's just the tip of the iceberg. This toy is so articulated and so nimble, that it can do handstands, the splits, somersaults, and other exercises. It can perform complicated martial arts moves like karate chops, roundhouse kicks, combo punches and back kicks. Oh, but were just getting started on the hundreds of moves that this wireless remote control wonder can pull off.

i-Sobot is a total ham when it comes to performing in front of a captive audience. I had a group of friends over not long ago to watch a basketball game and we spent a good two hours playing with the i-Sobot. Everyone wanted a turn! This guy can dance a hula or perform a scene from a western movie. He can play air guitar and impersonate different animals. He can display an incredible range of emotions including excitement, regret, pain, worry, love, and more. But this guy doesn't just move around, he also talks in a vibrant, clear voice and has a vocabulary of over 200 words and phrases.

The i-Sobot has four different operating modes. There is the standard remote control mode which allows you to move him around at will and perform any of several dozen different actions. These are classified by type of action and include punch, kick, and guard actions, common phrases and greetings, emotional actions, showcased actions and mystery actions. The Special Action mode features a number of different complicated longer actions. These include the aforementioned animal imitations, tropical dance, and western scene as well as a Tai Chi performance. The i-Sobot comes with a voice recognition chip allowing you to have it perform several actions in voice control mode. Finally, the program mode allows you to program in your own actions from the remote control and special action menus to give it your own unique movements. There are three memory blocks, each allowing you to program up to 80 actions.

So what allows for all of this agile movement, realistic sounds and complex programming? The I-Sobot features 17 servomotors and a built-in gyro sensor and speaker. There is an IR remote control that can transmit on two different bands with two LED lights on the i-Sobot. The robot is powered by 3 AAA NiMH rechargeable batteries, which come included in the package along with a battery charger. The robot should work up to ten hours on a charge. The remote control unit is powered by three standard AA batteries (those are not included).

If you leave your i-Sobot on, don't worry, he will bother you several times asking for a command before going into sleep mode after six minutes of inactivity. If you're toy assembly challenged, don't worry. The i-Sobot comes full assembled. All you have to do is charge the batteries and install them and you're ready to go. The toy works beautifully. It's as fluid as it seems although you do have to use it on a flat surface. DON'T try it on a table, however. i-Sobot likes his space and he's liable to tumble right off if he's performing one of his complex maneuvers.

Have a care though, this is a toy meant for kids who are a bit older. You will need, from time to time make minor adjustments to the joints as the servos get out of alignment over time. Instructions on this are included in the 34-page operating manual. The i-Sobot isn't cheap. The MSRP is $349.00 although most online retailers have it in the $229.00 range. This is one of the most unique and advanced toys I've ever seen!

Like every product, I-Sobot has it's good and bad parts. For example, it's an incredibly agile machine with 17 servoes and an internal gyroscope (something that many larger bots do not come with standard). Coupled with limited voice recognition (not simply sound detection), sound effects/speech, and programmability, it's an impressive piece of hardware. It's got a helpful community that supports it with things like the third-party solution "Robodance" that allows you to control it with a laptop and even with the Nintendo Wii controllers.

The not-so-good? It has no fully-autonomus mode, i.e. no obstacle or edge-detection. It also has more limited battery life than other entertainment robots like the Robosapien line (it does come with rechargeable batteries and its own charger so the power situation is somewhat mitigated). Also it's a tad fragile (I wouldn't push it down the stairs).

Depending on the intended use of the robot, users may like it or not. I-Sobot is good for a simple and yet flashy introduction to robot programming and behavior (not to mention many of its more witty routines). It is not as versatile as a Robonova, but then it doesn't cost anywhere near the 'Nova's price.

Since I was a kid, I was given robots and friction powered cars for toys. Then eventually got into collecting them. I-Sobot spells out "FUN" in so many ways. It is fun, educational, and a "green" kind of way bot. His energy source is rechargeable; that aspect convinced me to purchase him. I'm in my 50s and so glad that I have not let the kid out off me.

I bought the TOMY ISOBOT after reading an article in ROBOT Magazine . This is a really great product for kids and parents to work with together or those interested in Robotics in general.Isobot is so much fun to work with .The programing of the robot is easy if you take the time to read the manual.Isobot comes with a charger and rechargable batteries ...what a suprise!The robot is very cool and is a delight to work with!I would recommend this robot to anyone desiring robotic experience.Amonzon is a great place to purchase this product,so go ahead and get one !!

Reading other reviews I can clearly see others did not read the safety instructions.This is a table bot,not meant to mingle w/ the elements.
As far as the surface you need for i-sobot to live healthy,I suggest a large square of foamboard or artboard atop a level table.It's acid free, non-slippery,cushions because it's made of foam between paper,and can be found easily.I glue 2 foamboard together to prevent warping over time.
This is a delicate robot that likes to incorporate falling backwards in his routine of tickle me' and other tricks.On a shiny smooth table,he will likely fall over accidently.And the carpet thing,forget it,he will die.

You will be amazed beyond what you may have seen on the i-sobot demo video or read of this humanoid.Comes w/ key if he gets loose joints and special eneloop batts and charger.Even the carrying case is impressive.

If you are considering a smart humanoid robot,this is it,no question.
The 2 I have do everything Tomy promises.

When we decided to buy this iSobot for our 11 year old son, we weren't sure if he would find it easy to use, but the videos online showing what it could do amazed us, so we bought one. Christmas morning came and when our son opened the box to see his new friend iSobot, he just about fainted! lol After being rather let down with the Robosapiens that we had bought the year before, we were really hoping this robot would finally be the one that made his day, and it was! He spent hours on end playing with the robot and laughing at iSobots humorous quips. I honestly have never seen my son so happy with a toy before. The iSobot is incredibly durable and it's movements are so fluid and smooth. Now I will say this though, he has some issues with getting back up if he falls on carpet, but other than that, he's way better than we ever expected. I would encourage anyone who has a child that is a gadget freak or is fond of robots to purchase one of these. They are pricey, but as the saying goes, "You get what you pay for".

I bought the i-sobot a few weeks ago and have spent several hours playing with it, and learning how to program routines. Fun! I like the look and ease of using him. My son even dances with him! I am writing a review of him on our website at www.dadsworld.com

Thanks Tomy, good toy and educational tool.

Dadsworld.com

I bought this robot for my 8 year old son. He loved it so much he almosted fainted.

The battery had to be charged overnight before he could play with the robot.

The robot has a fun personality and can do a whole bunch of amazing things, like getting up from lying down or all sorts of karate moves.

But after he's played all the moves, he started to get bored. There is a program mode, where you can chain up a series of moves, but it's still all the same moves. There is a remote control mode, where you can walk the robot around, but I can't get the robot to pick anything up using the arms or move each limb/motor individually.

I guess if I bought another and had a sumobot competition, it might bring some of the excitement back to owning this amazing piece of technology.