RS Media
Robot Toys | March 29th, 2008
The RS Media is similar in many ways to the previous Robosapien, but there are some noticeable improvements. The motions are now divided into three modes, Control Mode for walking, Arm Mode for…arming, and Media Mode for media playback. In some ways this is a good thing, as you are always aware exactly what functions you’re controlling at any one time; but on the other hand it doesn’t make for the same seamless combinations of walking and picking things up we could create on the previous model.
It’s worth it. The RS Media is a remarkably engineered creation. Its movements are precise, it can pick things up (as long as the things are ‘just the right size’, but still, impressive). It can sit down, lie down, and get back up again. And it’s solid and heavy. Qualities we’ve decided are important in a robot. The RS Media is also big. Well over half a meter tall at 575mm. It could look eye-to-eye with a small child. Big, we have also determined, is another must-have robot quality. Build quality seems to be excellent. It feels solid and withstood our rough treatment.
The RS Media has a huge number of arm functions available to him, including karate chop, pick up, push, throw, drop and roll. In addition, all of these can be performed with either the left or right hand. Like the rest of the unit’s performance, we found them a little sluggish to be truly useful, and the pickup function can be quite fussy with regards to what it can and can’t pick up (the item has to be rather perfectly positioned), but the motions are entertaining nonetheless.
The specification list for the RS Media is simply stunning, whilst its no PlayStation 3, this robot simply wipes the floor of any other robot of equivalent cost on the market today.
Building on the success of the Robosapien V2, the RS Media incorporates (hence the name), more media-centric functionality. The 1.9-inch TFT screen features a 176 x 132 resolution display which allows for video and photos to be taken and displayed, audio playback or for playing on the built-in games. The motion tracking camera has the ability to take photos and record MPEG4 video, but it’s also a more clever use. One of the built-in programmed functions is called the Guard mode. Put your RS Media in to this state and it will sense any audio with its two room-sensitive microphones as well as movement with its camera and activates its alert system.