Anki Cozmo Robot Review

The Cozmo Robot by Anki is a child’s introduction to coding. By using a program developed at MIT, all of Cozmo’s thinking and emotions are the results of creating them through easy-to-use technology that makes Cozmo work. The simple interface that comes with Cozmo is visually easy to understand and implement into creating tasks for Cozmo to perform.

The program works in a horizontal coding system that reads left to right and helps children not only learn to code but how to read as well because each link of the code is labeled. The Cozmo Robot will move and perform tasks by the building of code that tells the robot what to do and when to do it. Cozmo will be able to move cubes, play games, and interact with humans in the same way the family pet would.

Through a smartphone or tablet, a child can use the drag and drop interface to use their fingers to slide the commands together onto the screen in a string of commands and piece together the actions he or she wants the robot to take in a chain link and the robot will then be able to perform the action. The child will be introduced to the very basics of coding and connecting the code to the robot. The coding will also include the games and emotions of the robot, and children will be able to add those aspects of the robot into the code.

The Cozmo Robot by Anki can only operate successfully by downloading the Cozmo app onto your smartphone or tablet. All coding and control of the robot are done through the app. The app can be downloaded for free and is compatible with any IOS or Android device and can also be downloaded through the Amazon app store. Once the app is downloaded, all you have to do is link the app to your Cozmo robot and after syncing, the code can then begin to be built and Cozmo can start performing actions and playing games.

To be able to earn and create new actions for Cozmo to perform you have to gain Sparks. The more Sparks you earn by making Cozmo perform certain tasks and play certain games will allow you to earn these points that you can use to unlock more commands and use as money to get new games and open higher levels of commands and actions for Cozmo to perform.

The app only works when the device is being used through WiFi, so it is recommended that you keep your device connected to your WiFi at all times. When you start up Cozmo, he will create a secure network for you to connect through; however, whenever you are not using Cozmo, he will disconnect from the WiFi and you will have to reconnect every time. Cozmo will never connect to the Internet, he will only operate through WiFi.

Cozmo comes ready to play certain games with you. Cozmo is programmed to play the following games:

Quick tap: With this game, you compete with Cosmo to see who is the fastest. Both you and Cozmo get a cube and the cube will begin flashing and changing colors. At one point, both of your cubes will match and in that instance, the first one to tap their cube wins. But you can only tap the cube when it matches Cozmo’s. If you tap at the wrong time, you lose and Cozmo wins.

Memory Match: In a game similar to Simon, the cubes will begin to blink and make sounds in a pattern that grows longer and longer with each turn. You and Cozmo take turns hitting the cube and remembering the pattern. The one who remembers the longest pattern wins.

Keepaway: In this game, it’s Cozmo who has to be the quickest. Take a cube and place it as close to Cozmo a possible. He will be programmed to grab the cube and pull it close to him. Your objective is to grab the cube faster than Cozmo. If you’re too slow, Cozmo will get the point, so try to see if the human mind is quicker than the AI mind in this game of quick-acting skill.

Cozmo can be programmed to have emotions. His emotions range from happy, joyous, sad, defeated, angry, and so much more. His emotions will match whether or not he loses a game (dejected) or wins (happy) or if he is having a tough time completing a task (angry). Cozmo is also designed with a camera in his face that will allow him to recognize your face. As soon as you start up your Cozmo, you can look into his face and he will use facial recognition to store the image of your face in his CPU.

You can then speak your name into Cozmo and he will learn and repeat your name associating your name with your facial recognition. Now, every time you start up Cozmo and look at him, he will say hello to you using your name and recognizing your face. With a little patience, Cozmo can do the same for your family pet, recognizing their face and repeating their name every time they see your dog, cat, or whatever pet your family loves.

Cozmo Robot by Anki does pose a choking hazard as he comes with small parts and pieces. It is recommended that parents do not allow younger children under four-years-old to play with this toy unsupervised. The manufacturer’s required age limit is eight-years-old and up as there needs to be a certain level of computer skills and technological understanding for Cozmo to be able to operate. Most children under the age of eight-years-old will not have the educational capacity to understand how to operate Cozmo on their own.

Cozmo himself is made of durable materials that allow for him to fall off of tables, chairs, and other high surfaces without denting or scratching or becoming damaged. Cozmo can also be programmed to stop rolling when he reaches the edge of a table or surface to prevent him from falling to the ground.

Cozmo is a small robot no more than eight inches big. His face is a flat screen that makes faces with his blue eyes. His eyes and mouth change to show what emotion he is feeling. Through the app, you can type in sentences and words and phrases for Cozmo to repeat back to you as you create a conversation between the two of you.

Cozmo rolls round on two tank-like treads. Separate colored treads can be purchased and placed on Cozmo to change his color scheme. Some Cozmos are white and red while other models are black. Cozmo’s arms are like a farm tractor’s or a construction digging machine. Cozmo’s arms pick up objects and the arms swing above his head. Cozmo comes with three cubes for you to use when playing games, and he comes with a charger that is used to recharge him when he is not in use.

When you close out the Cozmo app he will make a sad face and then immediately start to snore as he goes into sleep mode. Cozmo can then be plugged into the wall to charge so that he is ready for the next time he is in use. Every time you start up Cozmo, he has to be reconnected to his WiFi, and he will then come alive recognize your face, say your name, and be ready to play.

The education level offered from Cozmo Robot by Anki is unmatched. The programming used to operate the robot and build the code was created at MIT by world-renown IT experts. The programming developed is the basis for learning how to create and establish code for an AI device. Through a drag and drop system, kids can access a bank of commands that they can then link together in a sentence-like format to create a series of moves and actions for Cozmo to perform.

The commands are all interchangeable and the combinations are endless. As the app updates, there are newer and more intricate commands for kids to access as long as easier levels have been unlocked and enough “Sparks” have been earned to cash in for newer commands. This system helps kids develop a sense for coding and developing a series of codes that will help Cozmo complete a certain task. This toy is the perfect gift of any child who is interested in tech and AI. There is no other toy on the market that can match what Cozmo can teach and do.

As expected the Anki Cozmo retails at a steeper price. Still, considering the technology that has been developed by the top technological school in the country and the world, the price tag seems like a bargain. The CPU that is installed in Cozmo is of a high level, and the games, emotions, and recognition abilities that Cozmo posses are worth far more than the price being asked. This toy will help kids interact with each other, use their imaginations, and learn the intricacies of computer technology.

One of Cozmo’s more tame features is Explorer Mode. In Explorer Mode, you can see the world through Cozmo’s perspective. You can see, through the app, what Cozmo sees. You can program him to go into another room, play games, and see what he sees by putting him into this mode. He becomes a way for you to play with the family pet by following the pet around the house. You can program him to pick up a block and bring it to another person in another room and see what he sees on the journey. You can create an obstacle course for him to work his way through and see how he goes about completing it even if you are in another room of the house. It’s a quick and easy way to get into the mind of the robot.

Cozmo Robot by Anki is a must-have for young kids and adults. The ability to use your imagination to build complicated code in an easy way opens up a child’s mind to AI technology and computer technology. Kids can spend hours utilizing Cozmo’s intelligence to play games, run through obstacle courses, and make him lift and move small objects around the house. In Explorer Mode, kids can get a new perspective choking their own surroundings and get a view of life from the angle of pets. For the price and the educational level of this toy, Cozmo Robot by Anki is one of the most fun and most intelligent toys on the market, and if within your budget should be purchased for your child today.