London, November 2008: I Want One of Those announces a brand new robot, created by leading British designers and never before seen in the UK. The humanoid robot,which comes with over 100 pre-programmed motions and sounds, is staggeringly lifelike in its movements yet is simpler to operate than any other robot on the market. Its makers believe that this is a step towards a future in which consumers will be using and programming their own humanoid robots every day. I Want One of Those is the first UK retailer to stock the MechRC.

‘It’s not unrealistic to suggest we’ll be seeing a robot in every home within the next decade,’ says Dr. Jim Wyatt, creator of the MechRC. ‘The kind of technology that we saw in films as children – Star Wars, Short Circuit, Transformers – is being achieved right now, but robots aren’t necessarily going to be working in the kind of ‘Jetsons’ way we originally thought. For instance, while many robots for the home have revolved around menial tasks such as hoovering, it’s much more likely that they will in future be used as companions, particularly for the elderly or very young. The idea of robot teachers for young children is already being tested.

The MechRC features visual software that is extremely user-friendly, allowing you to add new poses and movements to your robot simply and quickly. Demonstrating just how sophisticated the movements of the Mech RC are, the robot can even be programmed to do your favourite dance routines – from back flips to body popping, it even stars in its own Evolution of Dance:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwwLy9vu_Xs

‘Many people don’t realise the capabilities of the robots that have already been developed,’ Wyatt continues. ‘As an example, the annual RoboCup competition aims to create a team of humanoid robots that will beat the human world soccer champion team, by 2050. In fact, I think it’s highly likely that we’ll see humanoid robots demonstrating their sporting skills at the 2012 Olympics.’

‘We seen the robot market grow and grow over the last few years’ says Tim Booth, Creative Director of I Want One of Those. ‘Robots are no longer just a toy for kids they have become a must have product for all gadget fans. The MechRC is one of the most exciting robots that we have seen in a long time.’

The MechRC is available exclusively at I Want One of Those for pre-order for £399.00 http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/new-arrivals/mechrc-robot/index.html

About Jim Wyatt – MechRC Inventor

MechRC is the brainchild of Dr. Jim Wyatt, a former research officer in the field of Cybernetics at the University of Reading. Jim’s research into how members of the public interact with robots at home was key to the success of Cybot, an intelligent programmable robot delivered in parts with Ultimate Real Robots Magazine that sold over 28 million copies worldwide. MechRC continues in this tradition of building advanced robots that are both accessible and engaging to users of all ages.

Reference: mechrc.com

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