Little robot friends are, as described, “connected toys for learning code and electronics in a fun way.” They include a capacitive touch sensor, RGB LEDs for eyes, an accelerometer, and several other components to allow them to interact with their environment. They’re powered by what appears to be an ESP WiFi module, and can be programmed via a custom app or via the Arduino IDE.
With three fun designs: Spikey, Ghosty, and Curvy, you have to give Little Robot Friends a ton of credit for making a device that will be interesting to hackers, as well as a more general audience. They’re available assembled here, or for a little less money if you want to solder things together yourself.
One neat feature of these boards is that kids (or adults) can make accessories for them using paper, cloth, and the included stickers. You can even 3D print costumes for them. As engineers and tinkers we tend to think in terms of “does it work?” Putting a little more thought into how things appear, or even how they can be decorated, can really make your device stand out!
Of the many innovative clocks that hackers and makers have designed and built, word clocks, which feature a series of letters that light up to literally spell out the time, have to be one of the best combinations of interesting technology and usability. The LEDs underneath each letter give them a nice technical base, while the clever arrangement of letters to form the proper words would make any English teacher proud.
