I build my own robot pet - and it really wasn't child's play
Sometimes I say yes to reviewing something and then regret it later. Petoi's Bittle robot dog nearly turned out to be one of those.
A robot dog sounded like a lot of fun. And when the nice people at Petoi asked if I'd like a kit, to build myself, or a fully-built robot, the classic "how hard can it be"? line ran through my head.
It turns out, if you approach complex projects like I do, like a typical man, it really is quite hard. Building Bittle isn't easy. There's lots of parts and they all click together easily enough, but you really do need to follow the instructions.
And the instructions that come with Bittle are, it's fair to say, not great.
Thankfully though, there are plenty of videos online which walk you through it. And, with the help of a responsible adult (my wife) I soon had a gadget that looked very much like a robot dog.
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But then it got even more complicated. Once you've built Bittle you need to calibrate him. It's best done from a PC using a very light but fairly complex piece of software.
If you've ever done any programming, or if you're well versed in all things Raspberry Pi (ask your IT teacher) you'll manage this fine. But let's just say it's not an area of great competency for me.
We hit further snags along the way, too. Synchronising the motors that drive the legs was a challenge. All well explained online, but it was another stumbling block that took a while to figure out.
Although, it suddenly dawned on me, as we grappled with the programming, I was learning a lot about robotics. I could have even explored the world of coding. It's possible to bring in software that would allow me to go through simple coding steps to set Bittle up.
And I think that's a remarkable strength to Bittle. As a toy, it's fairly limited in what it does. It can perform tricks, run around, dance, roll over, it can even respond to voice commands. It's quite impressive.
But as an educational device, it's absolutely remarkable. From the complex construction, to the basic programming, right through to actual coding, you can learn so much about not just robotics, but valuable computer skills.
And the possibilities, it seems, are endless. If you have the skills, and there are lots of places to learn them, you could do things like add cameras to Bittle. With a Raspberry Pi tacked on you could even give it a learning functionality.
Imagine the physics, engineering skills and problem-solving skills someone could learn from Bittle if they took the time. It can tap into an open-source ecosystem that will allow you to share new elements and discoveries. It's quite incredible the potential it could have.
And I quickly reached the conclusion that I was approaching Bittle with completely the wrong attitude. As a robot dog, it's pretty fun. Using its remote control, or the smartphone app to send it around the house chasing my real dogs certainly kept me entertained.
But it's so much more than a fun toy. It's a valuable educational platform which could introduce kids and young adults into a fascinating new world. A world they might one day become the next big influencer in.
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There's just one hitch. Bittle's range starts at £259.99. It's only another £20 for a pre-assembled Bittle, and there are accessories you can opt for, depending on how far you want to take your robotics journey.
It has to be said though, as educational toys go, that's not huge money. And the world of robotics can get very expensive very quickly, so it's a well-priced introduction to a fascinating new world.
I just wish I was intelligent enough to make the most of it.
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