Every so often a new craze hits the playgrounds of schools across the UK that guarantees every kid owns the latest fad. In the mid-80s in was a transformer ‘robots in disguise’ craze, in the 1990s POGS, small cardboard discs stormed into playgrounds and became a huge craze, and in the early ‘noughties’, Bratz Dolls, came and conquered, stealing Barbie’s pole position as top fashion doll. In 2011, there is a new bug sweeping across Britain’s playgrounds – the HEXBUG Nano.
These colourful creepy-crawlies are so small they can balance on the top of a kid’s finger. Although don’t be fooled by their minute size, as the Hexabug, like many minute real-life bugs, has the capacity to cause mayhem. And don’t our teachers know it!
Being powered by a tiny motor, the toy’s 12 angular legs are propelled into action, causing it to scurry across the floor, mimicking the actions of a real-life bug, as it expertly negotiates the best route, no matter how complex or difficult the terrain.
Exploiting the physics of vibration, this micro robotic creature has a remarkable sense of balance, and, similar to the traits of an actual beetle, squirms and wriggles when on its back, before flipping over and zooming off to safety. This erratic behaviour remains a persistent feature with a Hexabug, as when the little critter comes into contact with an object in its path; it hurriedly changes direction and scurries away.
Update – check out this video of the new HEXBUG Nano V2:
Not only can kids have hours of fun watching the unpredictable nature of their pet bug, but each Hexabug Nano is assigned with a unique serial number and point value system, meaning that owners can register their Hexabug online and play games, earn points, and even learn about real insects, scientists and their discoveries – Perhaps teachers won’t be as quick to confiscate Hexabugs from classrooms when they learn about the new toy craze’s educational attributes.
Costing just under £8 and being available in different colours, Hexabug Nanos are highly collectible and it is hardly surprising that Toys R Us has had to increase deliveries to keep up with the demand.
Find out more at http://www.hexbug.com/nano/