WonderBorg

The WonderBorg (Japanese: ワンダーボーグ, Hepburn: WandāBōgu) is a programmable consumer robot kit first released for the Bandai WonderSwan and Microsoft Windows PCs in 2000.

It is intended to match both the external appearance and mode of transport of a beetle, with functioning antennae and a six-legged design.

The prototype for what would eventually become the WonderBorg was produced in cooperation between the Japan Science and Technology Agency and toy manufacturer Bandai.

The WonderSwan version included a special cartridge with the software necessary to program the WonderBorg and an embedded infra-red transmitter,[5] while the PC version shipped with a software CD for Windows and an infra-red transmitter to connect to a PC via serial port.

[3] The WonderBorg itself requires assembly, and can be customised somewhat, with possible configurations involving differently sized gears favouring torque or speed, and wheels to replace the robot's usual six-legged design.