The new Star Wars movie won’t hit theatres until December, but today we get all the great toys, including a new build your own R2D2 unit from Littlebits.
The Littlebits Droid Inventor kit contains everything you need to create your own R2 unit from the ground up. The kit is aimed at children aged 8+, but under supervision this could be a fantastic project for anyone, with included step-by-step instructions and how-to videos.
You get a body you can decorate with included stickers, as well as all the electronics ‘bits’ you need to create your own smart, app controlled R2D2. The electronic modules include power, Bluetooth control module, motors, sensors and speaker that snap together using magnets making it easy for kids to get their hands into the maker sphere.
The kit includes the free Droid Inventor app, available on Android and iOS, which will guide kids as they assemble their Droid and then control it. There are various modes including Drive Mode, Self-Nav, Force Mode, and more than 17 special Star Wars missions. The app includes all the familiar sounds you can activate on your R2 to make it seem that much more authentic.
Littlebits has a number of other, non-Star Wars kits available so you may see new modules made available down the track to include in your Droid and expand what it can do. Littlebits is also advising they will continue to add more functionality to the app down the track as well.
It’s a great way to introduce kids to the maker movement, with Ayah Bdeir, founder & CEO of littleBits saying
Today we are continuing a global inventor movement that empowers young people to participate in a story that inspires them to be creators, not just consumers of technology. We’ve created a gender-inclusive product that celebrates kids’ own self-expression and ingenuity, while showcasing the same characteristics of imagination, grit and invention that are embodied in the Star Wars franchise.
The Droid Inventor Kit is available for $159.95 from Harvey Norman, EB Games, Apple Stores and littleBits.com.
