Written on May 14, 2008 – 9:11 am | by Bogdan Alex |

Japan is renowned for its advanced robotics and its eagerness to implement androids in many work-related situations. They got robotic arms working on their best cars, ASIMOs to entertain people, female androids that know how to explain all sorts of stuff… what else? Oh, and some cute robo-pets and robotic gizmos for the kids. I wonder when we’re going to see all these available worldwide.

Speaking of kiddy robots, here’s one you can actually ride. The RINGBO is kind of a hybrid between the Radio Shack bots you’ve seen last year and those electric carts used by the elderly and disabled. It’s specifically designed for kids aged 2-3, so has a 66 pound weight limit. However, a little tweaking might make it suitable for a mature person, I presume.

RINGBO is controlled via a pair of joysticks mounted on its handlebar. It also features what it looks to be some sort of touch-screen LCD, although I can’t figure out what a 3-year old would make out of it. For now, a full charge can be made in as much as 6-8. Fully charged, the provided batteries will last up to one hour, enough for your kid to take it for a spin, crashing into furniture and terrorizing the pets, as I’m sure the robot doesn’t implement any collision detection technologies.