Robotics engineering has existed for many decades now, but the industry continues to grow, whether it be in the more formal sense in factories, or the more fun approach for kids to learn the basics. The South African market has not always offered the greatest range of robotics for the latter, sometimes often at a cost, but Gammatek aims to change that by introducing a range of interactive robotics in the country.
Gammatek is a leading distributor of technology in South Africa, and continue this with the release of the Ubtech Robotics products in South Africa. Ubtech themselves are well-known in the international robotics community as a leader in artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics.
The range of robotics to be released in the country include the Alpha1 Pro humanoid robot, as well as a range of programmable and educational robots from the Jimu range, which include TankBot, Mini Kit, Explorer kit, and MuttBot.
Gammatek representative, Zev Cherniak made the following statement: “We are thrilled to announce that Gammatek is now the proud distributor of Ubtech Robotics innovations in South Africa. These are the robots that youngsters dream of. Suitable for children as young as age, and upwards, these interactive robot building kits go beyond pure-play and also challenge our perception of educational toys. While stimulating creativity and imagination, Ubtech Robotics building kits encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, three-dimensional engineering and collaboration. The possibilities are quite simply endless.”
The Alpha1 Pro
The Alpha1 Pro humanoid robot is an interactive robot, both educational and entertainment, and has 16 high-precision servo motors, allowing him to reproduce quite a number of human movements. With each of the servo motors being able to rotate at its own speed, the unit is able to do push-ups, choreographed dancing, along with a few kung-fu moves. Users interact with the robot via Bluetooth 4.0, allowing to connect to an app on your phone (Android and iOS), or via your PC (Windows and Mac). The app also allows users to interact with five different robots at once, programming and recording movements.
The Jimu Robots
The Jimu Robot Kits feature a number of different kits with different capabilities. The Jimu Mini Kit features all the tools necessary to build the MuzzBot, Ostrich or bull robots, and includes four servo motors as well as 253 snap-together interlocking parts and connectors. The Explorer Kit is capable of building five models, which include a Baby, Parrot, Penguin, T-Rex and Walrus, including seven servo motors and 561 parts and connectors. All Jimu kits include the main control box, lithium ion battery and adapter. The units are also programmed and operated via an Android and iOS app. The Jimu robotics were built specifically to meet the needs of the STEM curriculum:
- Science (physics, electronics)
- Technology (advanced motors, sensors)
- Engineering (building & creating, software-hardware interface)
- Math (geometry, balance and programming)
Both the Alpha1 Pro and Jimu sets will be available through different retailers across the country, such as Cellucity, Digicape, Incredible Connection, iStore, New World, Sandton Stationey and Print, Techmobi and Takealot.
