Abstract: In an aspect, a braiding machine is provided, and has a set of spool shuttles that each dispense a strand of flexible material under tension. A strand retractor releasably retracts the strands from the spool shuttles. A plurality of shuttle stations at which the spool shuttles can be positioned are arranged in a circuit. At least one shuttle carriage, when driven, repeatedly selects an immediately previously unselected spool shuttle and moves the immediately previously unselected spool shuttle from an associated shuttle station to another shuttle station along the circuit spaced from the associated shuttle station by at least one shuttle station that is intermediate the associated shuttle station and the other shuttle station. At least one spool shuttle is parkable at the at least one shuttle station. A drive arrangement is coupled to the shuttle carriage to drive the shuttle carriage.

Abstract: In an aspect, a self-balancing two-wheeled vehicle is provided, having a body, and first and second wheels rotatably coupled to the body. The second wheel has at least one lateral roller rotatable about an axis that is one of oblique and orthogonal to a rotation axis of the second wheel. At least one motor is coupled to the second wheel to control rotation of the second wheel and the at least one lateral roller. At least one sensor is coupled to the body to generate orientation data therefor. A control module is coupled to the at least one motor to control operation thereof at least partially based on the orientation data generated by the at least one sensor.

Abstract: In an aspect, an augmented reality game system is provided including a mobile smart device such as a smart phone and a remotely controlled drone. The mobile smart phone device is programmed to display an augmented environment, being the real environment viewed by the camera and a virtual environment superimposed over images of the real environment. The drone is controlled via commands transmitted wirelessly by the mobile smart device. The mobile smart device is programmed to execute a video game, which includes activities requiring a player to control the drone in relation to the augmented environment displayed on the mobile smart device video screen. The drone is powered by a rechargeable battery, and the video game includes activities that keep the player occupied with the game while the drone's rechargeable battery recharges.

Abstract: In an aspect, a toy assembly is provided, and includes a housing, an inner object, at least one sensor and a controller. The inner object is positioned inside the housing and includes a breakout mechanism that is operable to break the housing to expose the inner object. The at least one sensor detects interaction with a user. The controller is configured to determine whether a selected condition has been met based on at least one interaction with the user, and to operate the breakout mechanism to break the housing to expose the inner object if the condition is met. Optionally, the condition is met based upon having a selected number of interactions with the user.

Abstract: A remotely controlled motile device system comprises a remotely controlled motile device, and a mobile smart device that comprises a data processor operatively connected to a display screen, a memory, a user input interface, a camera, and a wireless transceiver. The memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the data processor, cause the mobile smart device to capture images of an optical reference background and the remotely controlled motile device, present the images on the display screen, register a target position relative to the optical reference background and entered via the user input interface, determine a pose of the remotely controlled motile device relative to the optical reference background, and transmit commands to the remotely controlled motile device to move to the target position.

Abstract: A toy set having one or more figurines is provided. A first figurine has a motor coupled to a flywheel and a drive shaft to rotate the flywheel and the drive shaft. The drive shaft engages a support surface causing translation of the first figurine on the support surface when the drive shaft is rotated. The flywheel holds the first figurine generally upright on the support surface via gyroscopic force when the flywheel is rotated. The first figurine has a body representing a torso and at least one arm extending from the body, wherein the body and the at least one arm do not rotate with the flywheel. A second figurine is connectable to the first figurine to form a self-balancing assembly at least when the drive shaft engages the support surface and the flywheel is rotated by the motor. Rotation of the drive shaft causes translation of the self-balancing assembly on the support surface.

Abstract: A collapsible flying device is provided having a housing including first and second housing sections forming an enclosure, and a motorized assembly that includes a drive motor and a drive shaft driven by the drive motor. The drive shaft matingly receives the first housing section and is coupled to the second housing section, wherein operation of the drive motor drives the drive shaft to move the first housing section from a closed position adjacent the second housing section to an open position spaced from the second housing section. A rotor hub is rotatingly driven by the drive motor. At least two rotor blades are coupled thereto and positioned within the enclosure in a collapsed position when the first housing section is in the closed position, and extend beyond the enclosure in an expanded position when the first housing section is in the open position.

Abstract: An assembler for construction toy elements is provided. Each construction toy element has a plurality of arms extending from a body, wherein each arm includes a root end projecting from the body and a free end having a first connecting member thereon that is configured for connecting the construction toy element to another construction toy element. The assembler includes an alignment receptacle having a set of alignment structures defining positions along the alignment receptacle, each of the alignment structures receiving at least one of the construction toy elements and inhibiting movement thereof to other positions along the alignment receptacle. The assembler also includes a set of element conduits, each of the element conduits having a receiving opening securely receiving the at least one of the construction toy elements from a corresponding one of the positions along the alignment receptacle.

Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a combination vehicle system, including a drone and a hovercraft body. The drone has a plurality of motor-driven rotors and a controller. The hovercraft body defines a ground-facing chamber having a hover air inlet, and includes a mount for the drone. The drone is removably connectable to the mount in a mounted position so as to form a hovercraft. The controller is programmed to drive the plurality of rotors to maintain stable flight of the drone without the hovercraft body connected thereto. The controller is programmed to drive the first rotor to at least partially lift the hovercraft off a support surface and to drive the second rotor to propel the hovercraft along the support surface.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a construction toy element is provided and includes a body and a first circumferential row of arms extending from the body. The body has an axis, and has a first axial end and a second axial end. A first circumferential row of arms extends from the body. Each arm includes a root end and a free end, and has a first connecting member thereon that is configured for connecting the construction toy element to another construction toy element. The root end projects from the body in a direction that is angled towards one of the first and second axial ends relative to a normal direction to a surface of the body.

Abstract: In an aspect, a robotic system is provided and includes at least two digital servo modules, each of which includes a position-controlled motor and a position sensor for sensing a servo position, a plurality of building block elements that are connectable with the digital servo modules to create position-controlled joints of a robotic figure, at least two wheel modules enabling wheeled movement of the robotic figure and a central controller communicating with and controlling the digital servo modules and the wheel modules. The central controller operatively places a selected group of digital servo modules in a learned motion mode, wherein a corresponding group of position-controlled joints is enabled to be manually manipulated, and wherein each of the selected digital servo module periodically transmits servomotor position to the central controller. The central controller can steer the robotic figure wheel modules based on servo positions of the selected digital servo modules.

Abstract: A toy with an exterior structure. Constructed to transform from a rollable first shape to a second shape. An interior structure inside the exterior structure is endowed with a magnetic body that moves by way of a magnetic force that acts from the exterior of the toy, an interior locking portion that moves simultaneously with the movement of this magnetic body, and a biasing member that effects a force which moves or turns this interior locking portion in a particular direction. If the magnetic force does not act from the exterior of the toy, the first shape of the exterior structure maintained. In the event that a magnetic force has acted from the exterior of the said toy, the exterior structure transforms from the first shape to the second shape.

Abstract: In an aspect, a toy assembly is provided, and includes a housing, an inner object, at least one sensor and a controller. The inner object is positioned inside the housing and includes a breakout mechanism that is operable to break the housing to expose the inner object. The at least one sensor detects interaction with a user. The controller is configured to determine whether a selected condition has been met based on at least one interaction with the user, and to operate the breakout mechanism to break the housing to expose the inner object if the condition is met. Optionally, the condition is met based upon having a selected number of interactions with the user.

Abstract: In an aspect, a device-and-clip system is provided for an electronic device. The system includes an external device that cooperates with at least one electronic device feature on the rear face to perform a selected function. The system includes a clip including a first clip arm having an arm marker thereon and which is engageable with the front face of the electronic device and a second clip arm that is engageable with the rear face of the electronic device. The system further includes an application that is executable to instruct the electronic device to display a screen marker on the display screen in a selected position and in a selected orientation such that positioning and orienting of the first clip arm on the display screen of the smart phone with the arm marker aligned with the position and orientation of the screen marker positions the external device in alignment with the at least one electronic device feature.

Abstract: In an aspect, a system for game play is provided, comprising a plurality of toy construction elements and a computer system. At least some of the toy construction elements include a first connector and a second connector. The computer system receives identification data relating to physical constructions made from at least two of the construction elements. For a first physical construction made from a first plurality of toy construction elements, the system generates a virtual representation of a first character, and generates a first set of properties for the virtual representation of the first character. For a second physical construction made from a second, larger, plurality of toy construction elements, the system generates a virtual representation of a second character based, and generates a second set of properties for the virtual representation of the second character. The system receives commands to operate the generated virtual representation in a virtual environment.

Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a combination vehicle system, including a drone and a hovercraft body. The drone has a plurality of motor-driven rotors and a controller. The hovercraft body defines a ground-facing chamber having a hover air inlet, and includes a mount for the drone. The drone is removably connectable to the mount in a mounted position so as to form a hovercraft. The controller is programmed to drive the plurality of rotors to maintain stable flight of the drone without the hovercraft body connected thereto. The controller is programmed to drive the first rotor to at least partially lift the hovercraft off a support surface and to drive the second rotor to propel the hovercraft along the support surface.