Real Robots

Real Robots was a fortnightly partwork magazine published by Eaglemoss Publications from May 2001. Rather than selling a completed robot as a single product, the series combined an instructional magazine with component parts supplied across successive issues. Readers gradually assembled and programmed a working robot named Cybot, making the publication both a periodical and a long-form educational electronics and robotics project. The project was developed in partnership with the University of Reading, helping frame the series around practical experimentation rather than simple model construction. Across its 96 issues, the publication introduced Cybot's capabilities in a staged sequence. Early issues covered the robot's basic construction and enabled it to follow lines, respond to light, and detect objects. Later installments added a remote control and docking station, which expanded the robot's programmability and allowed readers to control and configure it. The magazine also offered alternate body components that could turn Cybot into a Formula One-inspired variant called Team Cybot. Subsequent issues added voice control through a headset and related electronics. The fourth construction phase focused on football, equipping Cybot with infrared location sensors and providing an infrared ball and goal so that the robot could participate in a robot-football activity. The final phase introduced TOM, short for Tracking Orbital Module. TOM was a smaller robot with a similar visual design to Cybot, but it was presented as a more advanced companion machine. Its stated capabilities included scanning sonar, greater speed, full programmability, simulated emotions, and interaction with Cybot. In this way, the closing installments developed the project from a single educational robot into a small interacting robotic system. Real Robots was released in eight countries. The series is no longer published, and the associated official websites are preserved only through archival references. Its significance lies in its use of serialized publishing to make robotics, electronics, sensing, programming, and mechanical assembly accessible through a structured home project.

Real Robots was established as a fortnightly partwork magazine by Eaglemoss Publications in May 2001. The publication was developed in partnership with the University of Reading and was designed as a progressive home robotics course. Each issue supplied printed instructions and additional components, allowing readers to construct a robot over time rather than requiring a substantial initial purchase of a complete machine. The principal robot was Cybot. The construction program was divided into five phases covering 96 issues. The first phase, comprising issues 1 through 17, established Cybot's basic mechanical and electronic platform. At the end of this stage, the robot could follow lines on the floor and respond to light and nearby objects, introducing readers to movement, sensing, and simple autonomous behavior. Issues 18 through 40 formed the second phase. Readers assembled a remote control and docking station, giving Cybot a programmable control infrastructure. This phase also included alternative body parts in some issues. With those components, Cybot could be presented as Team Cybot, a Formula One-styled variation that added a visual and thematic alternative to the standard robot. The third phase, issues 41 through 55, expanded Cybot's interface. A headset and additional remote-control components enabled voice control, moving the project beyond line following and object or light detection toward direct spoken interaction. The fourth phase, issues 56 through 70, centered on robot football. Infrared positioning sensors were added to Cybot, while an infrared ball and goal provided the equipment for the activity. This phase used a recognizable game to demonstrate sensing, navigation, and interaction with external objects. The final phase ran from issues 71 through 96 and introduced TOM, or Tracking Orbital Module. TOM was smaller than Cybot and shared a broadly similar appearance, but it was described as faster and more capable in several respects. Its features included scanning sonar, full programmability, simulated emotional behaviors, and the ability to interact with Cybot. The two-robot configuration gave the concluding part of the series a stronger emphasis on communication and cooperative or responsive behavior. The series was issued in eight countries. It has since been discontinued. References to the project include archived versions of websites associated with Real Robots, Real Cybot, and Cybot Builder, reflecting the publication's combination of print instructions, component distribution, and supporting online material.

• 2001

  Real Robots launches

  [1]Real Robotsen.wikipedia.org

  Eaglemoss Publications established Real Robots as a fortnightly partwork magazine in May, developed in partnership with the University of Reading.

• Cybot construction begins

  [1]Real Robotsen.wikipedia.org

  The opening 17 issues guided readers through the initial construction of Cybot and introduced line following, light sensing, and object detection.

• Remote control and programmability phase

  [1]Real Robotsen.wikipedia.org

  Issues 18 to 40 added a remote control and docking station, enabling expanded control and programming functions; some issues also supplied Team Cybot body parts.

• Voice control added

  [1]Real Robotsen.wikipedia.org

  Issues 41 to 55 introduced a headset and related components that allowed Cybot to respond to voice commands.

• Robot football phase

  [1]Real Robotsen.wikipedia.org

  Issues 56 to 70 added infrared location sensors and supplied an infrared ball and goal for football-related activities.

• TOM introduced

  [1]Real Robotsen.wikipedia.org

  Issues 71 to 96 introduced TOM, a smaller companion robot with scanning sonar, higher speed, full programmability, simulated emotions, and interaction with Cybot.

• Series discontinued

  [1]Real Robotsen.wikipedia.org

  The 96-issue Real Robots partwork was discontinued after its international release in eight countries.

An educational, hands-on robotics partwork combining serialized magazine instruction with the gradual construction and programming of working robots.

• Educational construction robot · 2001

  Cybot

  Cybot was the main robot constructed through the Real Robots partwork. Its capabilities developed progressively as readers completed the series: it began with line following, light and object sensing, then gained remote control, programming functions, voice control, infrared positioning, and football-related abilities. The staged design made the robot a practical demonstration platform for mechanical assembly, electronics, sensors, and programming.

• Companion robot

  TOM (Tracking Orbital Module)

  TOM was introduced during the final phase of the series as a smaller companion to Cybot. It shared a similar general appearance but was described as faster and more advanced in selected areas. Its feature set included scanning sonar, full programmability, simulated emotional behavior, and interaction with Cybot, extending the project from a single robot toward a pair of communicating machines.

• Cybot alternate body configuration

  Team Cybot

  Team Cybot was a Formula One-styled variation of Cybot created using alternate body pieces supplied during the partwork. It changed the robot's visual presentation while remaining part of the broader Cybot construction and activity system.

1. 1Real Robotsen.wikipedia.org