Robotics has come a long way with products offering more, writes STEPHEN FENECH

WITH technology improving so quickly we are seeing amazing communication and entertainment products on the market.

These advances have also made their way to the toy department and are taking shape in new robotic products.

WowWee, the company behind the Robosapien and the popular follow-ups such as the Roboraptor, Roboreptile, Roboquad and RoboSapien Media, is back with a larger line-up of products to invade our homes.

Tribot is a three-wheeled companion that will keep owners entertained for hours with jokes, cheeky one-liners and stories.

Users can take control of Tribot with a remote or let them roam free.

Unlike the Robosapien, the Tribot is quite agile as the legs have been replaced by three omni-directional wheels.

As a result, it can zip quickly around the house like a remote control car with arms.

Built-in sensors mean the Tribot will stay away from walls and furniture.

Its face even takes on different expressions thanks to animated eyes, eyebrows and pop-top head.

As with Robosapien models, the Tribot is set up in guard mode to scare intruders. Tribot is available this month for $199.

Taking a step up in the robotics chain is Mr Personality.

Its face is an LCD screen that can be programmed with a variety of personalities.

The default personality is on board but users can download others free from the WowWee website and load them into the memory using a USB or SD memory card.

Part cartoon character, part robot, Mr Personality has a three-wheel design with arms controlled with a remote control.

Mr Personality (top picture) acts like a Magic 8 Ball. 

Priced at $399, Mr Personality will be available in September.

WowWee’s Flytech range has been joined by new products for indoor use, including Bladestar. 

Also in the Flytech range is the Fairyfly (bottom picture) aimed at girls aged between six and 12. 

The Fairyfly is a girl’s personal fairy and is designed for indoor use and can be steered with a wand controller.

There are also the Dragonfly and the Bat, which operate in the same way as the Fairyfly.

They operate on two frequencies to be flown at the same time.

Fairyfly, Dragonfly and Bat are priced at $79.95 and are available now.

WowWee has also introduced products that look like any other stuffed toy but contain sensors and animated features.

The Alive range includes a lion cub, white tiger cub, panda cub and polar bear cub and act like a real pet without the need for any house training.

When Alive pets are stroked and patted, they purr and close their eyes. 

When they are picked up by the scruff of the neck their legs also go limp – like a real cub being carried by its mother.

Alive pets will be priced at $129.95 when they go on sale at the end of the month.

WowWee also gave us a sneak preview into some products we can expect to see by the end of the year and early '09.

The first is the Femisapien – a female companion to the popular Robosapien.

If you own a Robosapien, the Femisapien will communicate and interact with it.

Femisapien has a feminine shape and a walk and an attitude to match.

Another product coming from WowWee is Wrex – a junkyard robot dog made from spare parts.

He has wheels on his back legs so he can motor around quickly and perform tricks.

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