Programmable toy robots often only have a sparrow brain and a very limited repertoire of tricks. The “Proxi” from Kosmos is different: in his head there is a BBC Micro: Bit. It offers a wide range of options and a child-friendly introduction to programming.

The robot carries two small electric motors on the back like a backpack. They power the six legs that support the proxi’s round belly. Three of them touch the ground while the other three change their position – the way they move is reminiscent of crawling spiders. On the body sits a large head that houses a permanently installed circuit board.

It serves as a connector for the BBC Micro: Bit. The battery compartment, a buzzer for audio output and a number of infrared sensors are also located in the approximately apple-sized head. To insert the Micro: Bit into the built-in circuit board, you have to open a kind of visor. A USB cable, via which the program code is transferred to the Micro: Bit, can also be connected when the visor is closed.

Behind the visor of the proxy from Kosmos is the standard single-board computer BBC Micro: Bit.

Handicraft hour After buying the little robot, it must first be screwed together. Four plastic grids with partly very filigree components are in the box, plus two bags with gears and screws as well as the electric motors, cables, the micro: bit, the connector board and assembly instructions Support, because during assembly – in the test it took a good four hours – there are always tricky moments. The building instructions, a booklet in A5 format, are reminiscent of furniture construction plans from Ikea. The finished robot is not rickety, but it is also not extremely robust. We didn’t have the heart to try it in the test, but we suspect that it would be damaged if it fell from the table.

If everything has been put together correctly and finally four AAA batteries have been inserted, the proxy is ready for a function test. The program for this as well as 14 other prepared Micro: Bit programs can be downloaded from the Kosmos website. Depending on which of the programs is transferred to the Micro: Bit behind the visor, Proxi follows a hand held up, beeps, flashes, simulates a dice or plays “rock, scissors, paper”. There is also a file for Bluetooth pairing with a smartphone. With the free Proxi app for iOS and Android you can then control the guy remotely or send text messages to the 5 × 5 LED display.

All prepared Micro: Bit programs worked well in the test. They can be uploaded and modified in Microsoft’s online editor, which can either edit MakeCode blocks or JavaScript.

To control the proxy, the MakeCode editor for the micro : Bit its own command category.

The Proxi is one of the so-called “accessories” recognized by the “Micro: bit Educational Foundation”. To control its movements, Kosmos has added the “Proxi” command category to the editor. It includes commands with which you can read out IR values ​​and make proxi dance or stamp.

Conclusion: The cute proxy motivates The little toy robot gives the BBC Micro: Bit a face and a shape. The prepared HEX files with sample programs make it easier to get started with coding. They can be easily modified before you can later implement your own programming ideas. This makes the single-board computer easily accessible even for younger children. Because the cute proxy motivates to teach him new tricks over and over again, a lot of fun is guaranteed – if the robot’s mechanics go along with it.

Cosmos Proxi Electronics kit / toy robot

Manufacturer

Cosmos System requirements
PC, internet access / app for remote control: Android from 6.0, iOS from 11. 0 Power supply

Power supply

4 × 1.5 volt batteries (AAA)

Age recommendation

10 to 16 years

Price

90 €

This article is for the first time in c’t 22 / 2020 published. In it, the c’t editorial team examined the possible privacy settings in the Fritzbox and explained how you can create long-term archives for valuable vacation memories and important documents. She has also tested large gaming displays, the latest notebooks and tablets and checked shop systems for online retailers. You can use the c’t 22 / 2020 reorder in the heise shop.

(dwi)