Every year, TIME highlights inventions that are making the world better, smarter and even a bit more fun. Here are some select ones that will absolutely blow your kids' mind.
Sphero Indi ($124.99)
Coding is a matter of problem-solving and pattern recognition. Sphero Indi teaches both, no screen required. Instead, kids use different-colored cards to move a robotic car from point A to B — green cards increasing its speed, pink cards telling it to turn left, and so on, "We really wanted to bring these abstract concepts into the physical world," says Jeff Wiencrot, one of the product developers.
Sproutel Purrble ($49.99)
For children who are upset for some reason, Purrble comes to their rescue. An interactive toy equipped with seven sensors that respond to touch, Purrble's heartbeat speeds up when it senses somebody's playing with it. Kids can then comfort their companion with gentle petting, slowing Purrble's rapid heartbeat to a purr (咕噜声)— calming themselves as well in the process.
Thames & Kosmos Mega Cyborg Hand ($39.95)
The effort to get kids interested in science just got a helping hand — a cyborg hand, to be precise. Kids build a robotic arm that copies their hand gestures, while they learn about engineering and robotics. Once assembled (组装) and slipped on like a glove, the device passes forces from the user's fingers to the extended ones of the robotic hand.
Lego recycled brick (Unpriced)
The Lego Group, intending to make all Lego bricks from sustainable sources by 2030, spent the past three years testing different recycled PET plastic materials, and finally developed its first recycled PET brick that is nearly identical to the usual brick. The Danish toy company hopes to integrate the recycled blocks into Lego sets in the next 18 to 24 months.
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