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insect

Roach bots make us reach for the Raid

There's nothing we hate more on the face of the planet than cockroaches--the mere thought of them can send us into a skin-crawling fit. So we think that the geniuses at Bandai Japan who invented the "Hex Bug" should be shot or, better yet, ordered to serve a life sentence in a gigantic Roach Motel.

Just reading Technabob's description of the $16 bug-bots makes us twitch: "The Hex Bug series of miniature insect robots scurry along on six legs, just like real bugs," and will "change direction when you clap in their vicinity.&… Read more

UFO to squash remote-controlled bugs

We still don't understand the overwhelming popularity of remote-controlled mini-choppers, mosquitos and other annoying flying objects. But if you absolutely must have one, we say go all the way.

The "Four-Motor Remote Control UFO" by Hammacher Schlemmer has a lightweight carbon fiber frame and a "gyro-stabilization system" that allows "precise control through hairpin turns, rolls, pitches, and hovering, in addition to yaw and throttle." And with a 300-foot range and nearly 2 feet in diameter, this UFO will squash those flying insects like, well, bugs.

That is, until the "Flytech Dragonfly" … Read more

RC 'Dragonfly' may be in the wings

When we started seeing remote-controlled mini-helicopters and mosquito choppers buzz into the market, we kiddingly warned that a locust-like invasion must have been imminent. We're now sorry to say that the joke may be on us.

RoboCommunity is reporting that WowWee--maker of the hugely popular Robosapien--has submitted applications with the FCC for a remote-controlled "FlyTech Dragonfly." Quoting a user manual submitted to the agency, RoboCommunity says the device "has wings (like a dragonfly) and a tail rotor like on many helicopters, and is supposed to be 'crash-proof' due to what they term the 'high-flex' design. … Read more