The 'Cyber dogs' have arrived

22 November 2000 News

K'NEX launched its first totally interactive, 'clever' construction toy at the recent Toy 2000 Fair at the Commonwealth Institute in London. Cyber K'NEX is a new range of robots, dogs and racing cars which react to their surroundings using light, motion, infra-red and sound sensors, making independent decisions about their next actions. Each model is programmed using a Cyber Key, which gives its own distinctive character and brings it to life. Their movements can all be triggered by standard TV or stereo remote control units. The top of the range Ultra set has its own programmable controller that allows children to trigger the models to act out different responses.

'Woof' the Cyber K'NEX dog, for example, can detect when an intruder walks into a room and will ward them off by growling and snarling, while 'Mectron', the Cyber K'NEX robot, will respond by speaking and flashing his lights or firing missiles from the rocket launcher in his chest.

K'NEX says that each Cyber set can build at least three models, all with their own character determined by the unit's Cyber Key. Additional 'personalities' can also be downloaded from the K'NEX website.

See www.knex.co.uk

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