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OWI Robotic Arm Edge Review

OWI Robotic Arm Edge

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $47.99

Amazon Price: $37.44

OK, so maybe we haven’t come as far as some of the futuristic movies of the 60’s predicted, but the field of robotics continues to improve. And now your child can build and use a function robotic art with the wonderful OWI Robotic Arm Edge. In addition to being just plain fun, this toy is both educational and great for improving construction skills. It could be just the push your little scientist needs to become the one to actually bring us to the point those aforementioned movies predicted.

We all know that lots of kids just like to build things. It’s the reason things like Legos and Tinker Toys have remained popular for generations. Kids can spend hours on end creating their next great masterpiece. The OWI Robotic Arm Edge takes that desire to build to the next level.

Let’s state right here that this is not some throw it together toy that can be completed in 5 minutes. There is some work involved and that’s good. But if your child is 10 years or older, has a pretty good attention span, and you’re willing to help with a little supervision, the job can be done. Don’t discount the benefits of that adult supervision. It can be a nice bonding experience between the two of you. And only when it is fully completed can it be used.

There is a great sense of pride your child will feel when the job is done and powers up. He will have a beaming smile on his face as he works out the complete range of motion that this robot can accomplish. And he’ll have a great time commanding the arm to try new things.

Which brings us to the question of just what can the arm do?

Well, actually once you build it, the OWI Robotic Arm Edge can do a number of different movements and functions. The end of the arm, or the hand, grips things by opening and closing. The wrist is radial and can move about 120 degrees. The elbow in the other hand has a motion range of 300 degrees while the base rotates 270 degrees. With all this flexibility there is plenty of things your child can dream up to do with his new robot.

As for the teaching component, there are several things your child will learn during the building process. For starters, he’ll get a good grasp of using simple everyday tools like files and screwdrivers. But there are some scientific concepts being taught here as well including how robotic joints and gears function. And by building and then using the robotic arm he’ll learn things like power distribution and how to use a switch box control. Further use will teach him basic programming tricks and tips.

There are a number of children that the OWI Robotic Arm Edge will appeal to. If your child has shown any interest at all in electronics, this will be a great gift. Likewise if he likes to build things. And of course he’ll love it if he already has an interest in robotics. It’s almost like two toys for the price of one. The first would be the building project, and the second would be all the fun you can have with it after you put it together.