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Remote controlled car shoots for 200mph
200 miles-per-hour on steam? Yeah, you may catch us believing that one, but squeezing that kind of top-end power out of a 29.6-volt direct drive motor would be all kinds of impressive. Granted, the vehicle we're talking about is but a fraction of the size of a standard automobile, but Nick Maslowski is nevertheless hoping to break his own remote control car speed record of 134.4mph with the oh-so-drab X2. This little vehicle certainly won't win any Best in Show medals, but the streamlined design, melt-resistant foam tires, and onboard stabilization system will hopefully enable it to cruise somewhere close to its theoretical maximum speed of 274mph. Check out an (admittedly unexciting) video of a few test runs after the jump.[Via OhGizmo]
RC2 unveils V_Bot three-in-one toy robot
Sure, you could throw down for a robotic car, Transformer, and speaker station whenever you well please, but how's about snatching all three in one fell swoop? RC2 is sure hoping that the aforementioned trio goes well blended together in a remote-controlled creature, as the V_Bot brings together all of those elements for what it dubs "the ultimate remote control robotic experience." The device can morph from vehicle to robotic beast in a matter of seconds via the handheld remote, and if digital driving controls and a host of built-in dance moves weren't enough to satisfy you, you can throw it in park and enjoy some tunes when you've had your fill of burnin' linoleum and breaking it down. Not too shabby at all for £129.99 ($267).
Remote controlled VS Tanks engage in small-scale warfare
Nothing like full-on tank warfare to release the pent up frustration from waiting in line all day to acquire an iPhone, right? The remote controlled VS Tanks kit consists of two infrared-enabled machines, two controllers (that eerily resemble those on the Atari Jaguar, to be honest), and a battlefield. Each tank sports a rotating turret, a sweet "super spin" move for times when only a spray 'n pray maneuver will do, a machine gun, and flashing LEDs to show when you've been hit. Each unit fires out AirSoft pellets and can be equipped with an "action cam" to record the carnage for future viewing, and while the £50 ($100) set may cater to the younger crowd, even the suits can't deny the rush experienced when gunning your opponent down on the field. Peep a demonstration video after the break.[Via Coolest-Gadgets]
Megatech's Avion indoor R/C plane defies laws of logic
You can thank the ominous sounding Megatech International for making your indoor-flying fantasies come to life with their latest remote control offering, the Avion. With its miniature 7.5-inch wingspan, petite 8.4 gram weight, and adorable Spectrum-Link Optic-Control (which uses "Stereoscopic range finding" for tracking, similar to human eyes), the Avion can supposedly glide and twist through small indoor spaces -- a feature apparently in high demand among R/C plane enthusiasts and precocious Red Baron-imitating mice. Check the video after the break for smooth sounds, and an even smoother hallway flight show.[Thanks, Vincent]
EA reveals completely original idea: sports-based minigames
Tell us if you think this sounds like a good idea for a Wii game: a collection of easy-to-play minigames based on casual sports! EA Playground is EA's attempt to fill the only hole in the Wii's lineup that absolutely doesn't exist. At least it features different sports than Wii Sports: tetherball, RC racing, and dodgeball, that we know of.EA is emphasizing "local multiplayer parties" for this title (by not putting it online, probably) and a "storyline" based on collecting stickers for your sticker book. Also it has graphics, basically. Things appear onscreen. The attractiveness or visual quality of those things are for you to decide. EA Playground will also be appearing on DS, with its own exclusive minigames.[Via Joystiq]
RC Pirate ship with working cannon lets you rule the pool
Lifeguards beware: the stakes have been raised. This RC pirate ship would be way cooler if the cannon actually fired something, but those landlubbers in the shallow end don't know that you're unarmed. A switch on the waterproof transmitter triggers what is sure to be a terrifying light and sound display from speakers hidden in the 18-inch hull, and when you're done looting whatever booty you can find, the twin screws all but guarantee a swift retreat from that bruiser middle schooler trying to wreck your summer.
Build your own RC lawnmower -- intimidate neighborhood dogs
Sure, you could be boring and just buy a remote control mower all primed and ready to go, but where's the fun in that? Friendly hacker Terry is sharing his instructions for building your very own Destroyer of Lawns, and it doesn't sound too terribly hard as far as awe-inspiring hacks go. The lawnmower cannibalizes parts from a powered wheelchair, requires a bit of electronics knowhow to get the RC bits to interface with the wheelchair control, and the rest is pretty much welding. The Hack-A-Day folks recommend recommend a failsafe for shutting off the mower if it loses radio communications, but they were always worrywarts like that.[Via Hack-A-Day]
Wowwee's FlyTech Dragonfly now shipping
It might not be as flashy as some of those other Wowwee creations, but it makes up for it with some pretty innovative wing-flapping action. Plus, for $50 it won't break the bank. Just in case you missed it the first time around, Wowwee's FlyTech Dragonfly is RC controlled up to 30 feet (apparently that 150 feet we heard before was quite a bit off), rechargeable, and built out of carbon fiber for living through the occasional rough landing or (hopefully) frequent dive-bomb attacks. The included controller sports a magnetic perch and charges the bot in about 15 minutes for 10 minutes of flight time. Inside the box there are a couple of extra sets of wings and a spare propeller. For the moment this one looks to be a RadioShack exclusive.[Via RobotsRule]
ZELOX unveils DAP-equipped RC Skate-Botz
Here's another one from the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair 2007, and as was the case on Marsilli's cellphone-controlled car, ZELOX's Skate-Botz are entirely more novel than useful, but we've got no gripes with that. Rather than strapping on the blades and hitting the pavement yourself, ZELOX figures you'll have a lot more fun (and conserve a lot more calories energy) dictating your own skate-equipped bot around the kitchen floor. The remote-controlled Skate-Botz seem to feature a bit more than inline fun, however, as each device is equipped with a flash-based MP3 player strapped on its leg, which can kick out tunes from the chest-mounted speaker or be detached for your own personal usage. Per usual, there's no word on future pricing or availability, but we wouldn't count on seeing these fellows on American soil for awhile anyway.[Via SlashGear]
AirSoft Project 2.0 touts four times the firepower
As if having your own USB-controlled turret wasn't lethal enough, the creator of the original has now completed AirSoft Project 2.0, gracing us with a bigger, meaner, and more potent weapon to mow down office mates and erratic offspring alike. By utilizing similar parts as before, but adding a radio-controlled option, laser, and quadrupling the firepower, this mechanical sentry most certainly brings the pain, and can reportedly pump out 1,500 rounds per minute for when things get really rough in the trenches. While its inventor claims that everything can be assembled in just 10 hours, and rates the project difficultly at a mere "amateur" level, we'd still recommend only the veterans in the house even give this one a go, but considering the "$150 to $250" it'll cost you just in parts, let alone the C++ / Javascript coding that you'll be doing behind the scenes, we doubt too many privates will get involved anyway. Mr. Bouck did note that upon completion, he realized that hooking it up with both USB and RC controls might have been overkill, and recommends that any copycats utilize just one method or the other. So if you're all amped from the recent Jack Bauer power hours, and you're eager to get started on this ruthless mission, be sure to hit the read link for the full breakdown -- but only after you click on through for a quick briefing video first.[Thanks, Tom]
Nikko's R2-D2 Skype callin' and media playin' oddities
It's hard to tell if this is some sort of elaborate hoax or just hasn't hit the wires yet, but a certain nikkor2d2.com purports to detail some rather decked RC R2-D2 bots, and who are we to stand in the way of awesome? Both bots look to be fully capable of rolling themselves around, and even feature edge detection sensors a la Roomba to keep from any nasty falls. But that's par for the course for RC-centric Nikko, what's much more interesting is the Skype and webcam functionality built into the R2-D2 C.S, thanks to a handy lightsaber remote that plugs into your PC and allows for wireless bot operation. The lightsaber seems to double as the Skype handset, and of course lightsaber sound effects are a given. R2-D2 M.E.S takes the Star Wars geekery to a whole new level, featuring a projector for repeat viewings of cute princesses in dire straits (you know, "help me Obi Whosit, you're my only yada yada"). R2 can even tilt back for ceiling projection, if that's more your style. In lieu of a lightsaber, you get an odd Millenium Falcon remote, and M.E.S Artoo houses a memory card slot, USB plug and iPod dock in addition to the usual DVD slot and video inputs that you'd expect for your video playback experience. We're completely in the dark when it comes to price and availability on these things, but perhaps we'll be spotting 'em this upcoming week in Vegas.[Thanks, Erwin]
Wiimote + RC car = authentic Excite Truck
Sure, controlling your cursor with a Wiimote is certainly novel, and inflicting damage upon your aging television set is soothing in a dark, twisted sort of way, but driving a remote-controller vehicle around the yard with your Wii controller really puts Excite Truck to shame. Joining the growing list of "things a Wiimote can do," the device can now control the forward, reverse, left, and right controls of a remote controlled vehicle sans wires -- well, aside from the presumably complicated computer rig off the side, that is. Apparently, the Bluetooth module within the Wiimote conveys its signals to a laptop, which then passes the movements via a serial port to the actual remote, which in turn beams up the vehicle with instructions. So if you're tired of seeing just how much fun folks who aren't getting knocked around by their Wiimotes are having, take a peek behind the plastic and get your own hack on after hitting the read link for some video action.[Thanks, Kevin]
Wowwee branching out with FlyTech Dragonfly, FCC reveals
Where would we be without the FCC? Our favorite leaksters just let slip the latest RC creation from Wowwee, the FlyTech Dragonfly, which Wowwee bills as the "world's first radio-controlled flying insect." The Dragonfly flies by flapping its ultra-light wings, and can be used indoors and outdoors. Power is provided by an internal battery which can provide around 10 minutes of flying time, and can be recharged by perching the Dragonfly on the controller, which sports six AA batteries and can charge the RC insect in around 15 minutes. The wings and rear propellor (which is used to control "trim," all helicopter-style) are user-replaceable, but for the most part the bug is fairly crash resistant. There's around 150 feet of wireless range, along with "beginner" and "expert" control modes. In traditional Wowwee style, there are plenty of LEDs involved, informing the user of battery life, controller status and other fun things, but unfortunately there's not a whole lot of "robot" going on here. And of course, there's no word on price or availability yet, since this just hit the FCC. Wowwee at least has a few kinks to work out of its manual, since the FCC version of which still includes the line, "Note: When using the FlyTech Dragonfly, some adult supervision is required." Followed by the parenthetical: "Do we need this here? Is QC requiring it?" We're sure that once they figure out that whole "will it destroy children" sitch, this thing won't be far from retail shelves. Peep the controller and a features diagram after the break.Read - FCC: Wowwee's FlyTech DragonflyRead - FCC: Dragonfly controller
DIY RC floor sweeper
Uncomfortable trusting such an all-important task as cleaning the floors to the machines but also not willing to get off the couch? Well, our lazy, tinfoil hat-wearing friends, you now have an alternative to putting up with dirty floors, though you will need some (very) minimal DIY skills. Windell of the Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories seems to have shared your dilemma and whipped up this little solution, combining the wonders of Swiffer technology with the human-controlled safeness of RC cars. While the parts list includes a blank printed circuit board, rest assured, there's nothing fancy going on under the hood here -- it apparently just happens to be perfectly designed for mounting dust mops to toy cars. [Via MAKE:Blog]
Radio-controlled airgun picks off unsuspecting rodents, children
While it's no big deal when militaries establish sentry gun perimeters to protect their own backyard, crafting a slightly less dangerous version for your own property deserves its share of credit. While USB rocket launchers (even ones with lasers) are fairly potent at livening up your mundane office environment, their short range (and harmless nature) won't do you much good if you've got rodents (or mischievous kids) rummaging around your grasslands. Enter the RC Airgun, a remote controlled shooter that can be dictated from afar to take out any unsuspecting trespassers whenever you deem worthy. While details of its construction are scant, we certainly applaud the engineering efforts here, so be sure to click on for a few more pics, or hit the read link for some sweet video action.[Via Slashgear]
RC Rover runs on steam, human fear
Mad scientist Steam-powered RC enthusiast I-Wei Huang, has posted yet another impressive creation over at his website, Crabfu. The six-wheeled RC Steam Rover was born of a decidedly retro-looking Cheddar Puffin engine and two Tamiya 4x4 chassis, using a mixture of butane and propane as fuel. The videos on his site suggest that it won't be breaking any land speed records, but we're still hoping it'll eventually play a part in protecting us from these little steam-powered robots, should they go all Skynet on us.[Via Makezine]
