[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1PeaBSd-Z4]
Not all robots are designed to carry military equipment or monitor the environment. Some, like the Larva from HEXBUG, are simply designed to be fun. I mean, what kid wouldn’t be delighted to find a candy-colored robotic insect larva in their stocking?
This tiny guy (available for $12.99 online) isn’t the most complex robot on this list, but provided you aren’t a top-ranking Pentagon official, it’s certainly the most accesible. It uses an infrared sensor to detect objects and then automatically changes directions, kind of like a creepy, wriggling Roomba.
It achieves that realistic larva movement by simply moving one side of its body forward at a time, running on simple watch batteries (which are included, of course).