Thames & Kosmos Robotics: Smart Machines – HoverBots w/BalanceTech STEM Experiment Kit | Build 8 Self-Balancing Robots | Color Manual & 3D Digital Assembly Instructions | Requires Tablet, Smartphone

I got this for my 10 year old grandson. He is very interested in robotics. He was able to put these together by himself and program them. One project wasn’t working as expected he didn’t give up and modified it so it worked. Good lessons in directions, troubleshooting, patience and persistence.

my daughter, 9, loves this set. there are two problems to be aware of -1. her fingers are not strong enough to snap the pieces together, so she needs an adult's help. and2. when she built the catapult she noticed that when it swings down, it is unsteady and the sensor picks up the floor. she says the design is flawed, and so she built supports along the side and under to keep it more stable.as a parent, i can think of one negative, in the app on the tablet, there is not a good explanation of what the arrows and categories mean. my husband had to look on the internet for a booklet to explain what the app features didnow that you know those things, i would say those aren't such bad things and the overall enjoyment from building and using the robots have far outweighed the negatives. the pieces are well made, options are plenty, and having the app at all is very handy.

We received this product last night and began to build it this morning. Within 30 minutes of playing with it, one of the two wheel motors failed, only one motor would work in both forward and reverse. We contacted the Thames & Kosmos customer service and described how we troubleshot the problem and how we came to the conclusion that the motor was indeed bad. I didn't think I would hear anything back from this company due to the holiday season, I was wrong. Within 60 minutes of posting on their site, we got a reply back from the manufacturer. They stated that they would send out a replacement motor to us at no charge, which is great. I was really impressed with their response time!My kids really love the product, and were able to change the position of the sensors to allow the robot to still use the sensors but in the reverse direction. It is not ideal, but at least they can play with it. The app that you use to program the robot is amazing, my kids were able quickly navigate the system and put their robot into action.Aside from the motor failing so quickly, I wish the robot could move a little quicker. We are using it on hardwood floors and it is still slow. We have used the Dash Robot system in the past, and this little guy is way quicker.Overall its a good product, we look forward to maximizing the potential of our new robot.

I am only halfway through this kit, but I'm really having a wonderful time! The assembly directions are somewhat complex but are totally doable. The bluetooth controls work pretty well, although my bluetooth connection seem to disconnect frequently. The operational programs all seem to work, they're quite amusing, and I'm looking forward to figuring out how to program the unit myself!!!! Overall, I'd say this is a great hands-on introduction to this subject! Very giftable!!! My only reservation is the price: I got it on sale, and I'm sure I'm not the first one to broach this subject. Otherwise, I'm very pleased!!!

8-year old son, who is very adept at putting together higher-level lego kits enjoys this but does find it a bit difficult at this point to work with the pieces -- they are very tight fitting and sometimes a lot of work to get the pieces in/out. At this point, he still enjoys his thousands of legos over this set, however I do envision that he will enjoy this a bit later on just as much as his legos, once he overcomes the learning curve.

For $100 I expected better quality, design and ease of use. DO NOT BUY OR WASTE YOUR MONEY!We have not been able to connect the (very poorly rated app) to the device. I wish I would have read the reviews on the suggested app for this product, I would have stayed away. Instead I went by the review here (which *includes* ratings from other products, buyer beware! It does not reflect reviews of the sphere!)We did all the troubleshooting. We tried different devices. Tried the one recommended in the answers here AND the different app recommended in the manual. One of the trouble shooting tasks is to turn off the machine's Bluetooth to reset it. Cool, easy right? They did not make an on/off switch (?!) so you need to dismantle the machine to take out the batteries....because the batteries are not accessible either.Without the app to program or move it, its just a cheap plastic breakable sphere with no purpose.Wildly overpriced, and a waste. Run away and spend your money on better quality sets.

The kit is definitely good for learning about how different components work together for building robots that do specific tasks. The description is a tad deceptive (very slightly) in the amount of pieces. There are definitely 230 pieces in the kit...most of them, however, are the tiny connectors used to attach the pieces together. In all, the struts and the supports, and the motors are nice, but the kit is most definitely overpriced for what you actually get to build and work with. The instructiin book has very good images but only from one angle, and can be difficult for younger builders. I would range the actual ages of the kit at 10-12. It is definitely above the attention to detail an 8 yr old has, and would be boring for a 13/14 yr old.

My grandson loved it. Built a responsive robot immediately but had to go back and read directions to get better functioning. Doesn't work well on carpet. To our surprise the remote controller works through the sliding glass door and the robot could travel down the sidewalk while we stayed in the warm apartment!

Acabo de recibir mi pedido. Me percate que los sellos fueron violados y al abrir la caja me percate unas piezas no vienen selladas como si estás hubieran ido reemplazadas

This was a birthday gift for my grandson, and a gift that he had requested.

It is really hard for 8 year old kid to assemble by themselves. They sometime needs strong force.The programming feature is not impressive at all, if not dull.Sensors do not work well.

App doesnt sinchronize with robot making this completely useless. Do not waste your money.

My kid loved this.