Junkbots™
Junkbots™ are collectible robotic toys designed to encourage STEM-centered play in young kids and were made as part of my internship with Hexbug in 2019. I contributed to the product in early concept development for 14 of the 36 characters, and the toys are available for purchase through Hexbug. Content shown below belongs to Hexbug and Innovation First Labs, Inc. and is shown with permission.
Unboxing Experience
As a blind collectible toy, unboxing is part of the fun! The toys are packaged in trash cans and dumpsters, and the buildable pieces inside are hidden inside tiny garbage bags and surrounded with old pizza boxes, empty sodas, and paper grocery bags. Kids are given only a picture of what their bot could look like, encouraging exploratory play with the interchangeable arms, legs, heads, and accessories.
STEM-Centered Play
Hidden in the larger dumpsters are also light, motor, and vibration modules which bring the characters to life. Kids can mix and match these modules to explore how each one affects the characters differently.
The Characters
Series 1 of Junkbots™ contains 36 characters, including dinosaurs, cowboys, space explorers, and skateboarders. The characters which arose from my sketches for the company are highlighted with a green mark.
Sketch to Final Product
Four of the characters I designed are shown below, with my sketch shown on the left and the final model on the right. Each character is full of “easter eggs” to appeal to parents or older audiences. For example, the dinosaur has a full set of cutlery and a crocodile-skin suitcase with stickers from national parks where dinosaur bones have been found.
Toy Show
After Junkbots™ were showcased at several toy shows in 2020, more retailers than expected expressed interest in carrying the product. Shown below is an excerpt from the NYC Toy Fair.
Awards & Development
Seven Towns, with Hexbug’s Junkbots™, was awarded Play Creator’s 2020 Toy Designer of the Year Award for innovating an iconic toy brand and bringing to market the industry’s latest big hit. Junkbots™ are the #1 New Release in Action & Toy Figure Playsets on Amazon. Additionally, Hexbug has announced a second collection of Junkbots™ coming soon.
Cropscout | Junkbots™ | Værsgo Vase | CS-01 | Swifty Sifters | Snopack
© Innovation First Labs, Inc. 2019-2022. Content shown with permission.