MECCANOErector – M.A.X Robotic Interactive Toy with Artificial Intelligence

Received this today and finished the build in about 7 hours (with a few short breaks). This is a fantastic robot. We are having a lot of fun with Max already. Really good voice recognition...a bit of a surprise how sophisticated he is in this price range. Here are some problems a lot of people are having that are not defects, but not understanding how to use the instruction booklet as well as some problems understanding the wiring. I see photos of wires too short , etc. Not so. First the criticism that manual is no help in assembly because of too many screws and no way to tell which goes where. On each page of the manual is a photo or illustration of the parts to be assembled and the screws used and where they are placed by size. If you notice in the illustrations there is a drawing of the screw to be used and it is 1 to 1 scale. Just measure each screw right on the drawing...can't go wrong. It helps to separate the screws when you start into groups that are alike (I used plastic throw away cups). Now as to the wiring...the servo for the 'claw' has 2 wires that come from it. You will only use the long one which connects to the head servo short wire. The other wire (short one) is not used. Also, the 2 motors used for the wheels ...both again have 2 wires. Only one of them uses both wires. Check the manual to make sure which one. It will plug into the other motor connector, while the extra wire (short) goes to nothing. Now as to the brain. Build the robot. Make sure and label your wires 1-4 to connect to the back 'brain' module. Makes it a lot easier later to reconnect. Go to the website and download the program for Mac or PC to you computer. Plug in the brain module to your computer via USB. When the program is downloaded, click on it to activate it (you will see a shortcut on your desktop). A screen will open to reveal a simple interface panel. Select the downloads you want on the right. To the center bottom is a down load button. Just push it and wait a couple of minutes as it downloads to the brain box. It shows progress and when completed. Just close the program and unplug Max's brain. Your ready to go.

This was a Christmas present for my 11yo grandson. Total assembly time was about 4 hours with my grandson primarily assembling while I was his shop hand. (Note: he does have experience using tools.) We both found the directions easy to follow. The illustrations are well done and it was easy to choose the correct side if two surfaces were available. I can only describe it as thrilling once the robot was completed and it began the learning process. I can’t wait to see how far he can take it. It has been a fun experience and I highly recommend the Meccano-Erector product.Ps - If you are comparing this to the “building brick” offering the Meccano-Erector is hands down the best choice. The bricks don’t stay together while this is very sturdy.

PROS:* Once assembled, the robot is an amazing value for the current cost of the kit (~$125 at the time of this review)* The assembled robot can:a) respond to specific verbal commands (a list of commands is provided in the manual)b) play games involving the color back-lit buttons on the robot (ex. a quiz game that is educational, a “pong”-like game involving the “display” on the robot’s head)c) dance to musicd) tell jokese) share “fun facts”f) ask questions about objects your child “shows” to the robot (by holding the object in front of the robot’s sensors)g) grip small objects with one of its two hands (only one hand is motorized - the robots arms need to be manipulated/positioned manually by your child)h) if you have a iOS or Android tablet, you can turn the robot in to a remote controlled device that your child can navigate around your homei) if you have an iOS or Android tablet, you can program the robot to follow a set of instructionsj) tell your child’s “fortune” (we have not tried this, but it is listed as a command the robot will follow)* the software on the robot’s mini computer can be updated via PC/Windows or Mac/OS X software available at the Meccano website (you connect the mini computer via a supplied usb cable) - in theory, this could provide new capabilities to the device* Good quality build materials* Assembly tools providedCONS:* Instructions are unclear at times. The build instructions consist almost entirely of pictures, some of which are inaccurate (ex. the color of parts on pictures sometimes do not match the color of the actual parts -two parts in one picture are black in color, yet the actual parts are not)* there are a variety of screws of varying lengths and it was a challenge at times determining the screw length/type required (would be nice if the screws were color coded). Suggestion: When first opening the kit, take an inventory of the screws and organize them by size in separate piles/label them if needed - there is a parts list at the beginning of the manual to help with this inventory (the manual lists the quantity of each screw size and you will need to pay attention to screw lengths during the build process)* there are two black wire connectors (one in the robot’s hand and one in one of the robot’s motorized tires) that are NOT connected to any other wires. It is unclear why these connectors were included. These need to be “tucked” inside the hand and tire motor compartments during assembly (this is not clear from the instructions).The capabilities of this robot are amazing for the cost. While children under age 10 may enjoy the robot, this primarily is a robot for children ages 10 or older (one of the games your child can play with the robot is a trivia game with questions geared toward an older child). If you have the patience to get through a build that can require several hours, it’s a rewarding project that can captivate your child’s imagination.NOTE: There are videos on YouTube from dedicated builders that can show you how to assemble the robot.Final suggestion: As you begin the build, plug the rechargible battery in as it requires ~ 6 hours for the initial charge (or charge it fully the night before your build). This will allow you to test the robot immediately upon build completion.