Your iPhone’s Accelerometer Can Control This Tank

While you won’t exactly be able to fight battles with it, you’ll still have plenty of fun with the Desk Pets TankBot. It’s a cute $US20 toy which can be fully controlled by any iOS gadget.

The gadget comes with a little dongle which you’ll plug into your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch headphone jack to start the fun:

Utilizing Apple’s accelerometer technology, Desk Pets developed a program that enables TankBot to be controlled by simply tilting your mobile device. Tilt the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch forward and TankBot rolls forward, angle the phone right and TankBot instantly makes a right turn. TankBot even has a mind of its own. Switch to autonomous mode and using built-in IR sensors, TankBot can navigate a maze, avoid obstacles and interact with the users hand motions, all on its own.

TankBot will come in orange, blue, black and green when it is available in June 2011. It will be priced just under $US20. Oh, and since the toy comes with a built-in USB charger, you won’t have to worry about replacing batteries constantly.


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