want to role-play these options, too, but with real working technology. Toy manufacturers have created kid-sized and parentaffordable options to fulfill this need. Following the success of its Kidizoom Smartwatch, VTech extends its wearable segment with the Kidizoom Action Cam. Designed for kids ages 4 and up, it can be mounted to a skateboard or a helmet, or can be used underwater to capture kids’ active life moments. The new wristband by Nabi, NabiGo, will launch this summer, offering a variety of activity tracking features designed just for kids. Moff Smartbands, introduced to the U.S. market at the North American International Toy Fair in February, are wristbands that use an app to activate sounds for an imaginative and fun role-play experience. Expect this segment to expand even more by the fall.
WEARABLE TECH • VTech Kidizoom Action Cam • Nabi NabiGo fitness band • Moff Smartbands
and Silverlit models that fit in the palm of your hand. Most of the smaller, quicker, and sturdier drones also have 3-D and even 4-D camera capabilities. Newer robots and drones have intelligence features built in, such as GPS tracking technology, internal gyroscopes, accelerometers, and motion- and gesture-sense technology. WowWee’s MiPosaur dinosaur uses BeaconSense tracking technology for a richer user experience, offering more varied valueadded play. Kids can build and program Spin Master’s Meccanoid G15 KS robot, which stands almost 4 feet tall. The Sky Rover, from Auldey Toys, is an innovative voice-activated helicopter. The Zano drone, from Torquing UK, can be programmed to hold steady in flight to take selfies of groups or action shots of a sports enthusiast’s daring feats. Expect more news in this segment as the holiday season approaches.
DRONES & ROBOTS • Spin Master Meccanoid G15 KS robot • WowWee MiPosaur • Silverlit Sky Copter • Evollve Ozobot • Zano drone (Torquing UK) • Auldey Toys Sky Rover
Drones and Robots This segment of the business was one of the top five trends identified at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, and the trend continued across toy fair trade shows worldwide. There are now affordable options under $100 and more advanced models selling for $500 or more. Some smaller robots and drones are available for $50, such as the Ozobot
16 • THE TOY BOOK
Maker Movement & 3-D Printing Although Maker Fairs have been in the news for nearly a decade thanks to do-it-yourself (DIY) tech enthusiasts and hackers, they have gained in mainstream popularity with fam-
MAY/JUNE 2015