Pete's Expert Summary
My human, in a desperate attempt to justify the hours spent hunched over the coffee table muttering about "pistons" and "cylinders," has presented me with the fruits of their labor: a pair of plastic gladiators. Apparently, this "Thames & Kosmos Hydraulic Boxing Bots" kit is an educational experience, teaching the simple-minded about water-powered mechanics. For me, it's a noisy, prolonged construction project that has delayed my dinner twice. The appeal, if any exists, lies solely in the final product. Two independently moving figures, capable of jabbing and dodging, present a potentially engaging tactical problem. The true test will be whether their clumsy, water-squirting movements are a worthy challenge or just a flimsy, top-heavy disappointment destined to be swatted under the sofa.
Key Features
- Build two boxing robots that are powered by hydraulics!
- Learn about the physics, design, and components of hydraulic (water-powered) mechanisms, including gears, cylinders, and pistons.
- The upper and lower body move independently to simulate real-life movements, allowing these boxing bots to dodge, jab, and punch with accuracy.
- Kit includes the parts to build two boxing bots plus a scoreboard so that you can challenge a friend to a hydraulic robot battle.
- Introduces important physics and engineering lessons through a fun, hands-on building project with a big punch!
- Featured in Purdue University’s 2023 INSPIRE Engineering Gift Guide
A Tale from Pete the Cat
The final clicks and snaps of assembly had echoed through my napping chamber (the living room) for what felt like an eternity. Finally, the human stood back, chest puffed with pride, revealing two garish plastic pugilists standing in a tiny ring. They were crude things, all sharp angles and visible tubing, smelling faintly of tap water and manufacturing. I stretched, extending each claw deliberately, and sauntered over for inspection. They were statues, lifeless and uninteresting. I gave the red one a cursory sniff. Nothing. I was about to turn away, to find a more suitable sunbeam, when the human picked up two syringe-like contraptions connected to the figures by thin, clear hoses. My ears swiveled with a flicker of interest. With a series of grunts and squishes, the blue robot shuddered to life. Its arm shot out in a jerky, uncoordinated jab. The red one responded, dodging clumsily to the side as the human manipulated the other set of controls. It was a pathetic display, a puppet show powered by the most primitive of mechanics. There was no grace, no predatory instinct, just the hydraulic whine of water being forced through a tube. I watched, unimpressed, as they flailed at each other, their hollow plastic fists making soft *tock-tock* sounds. This was not a duel; it was a clumsy ballet for the mechanically inept. I sat, grooming a single tuft of fur on my perfect white chest, feigning utter boredom. The human, misinterpreting my stillness for fascination, got more animated, making the bots throw a flurry of punches. The red one's arm swung wide, missing its blue opponent entirely and striking the little plastic scoreboard with a surprisingly loud *thwack*. The scoreboard piece flew off the side of the ring and skittered across the hardwood floor. Ah. A flaw. A weakness. A projectile. The game had just changed. My eyes narrowed. The clumsy puppets were not the entertainment; they were the *catapult*. I watched the human reattach the scoreboard piece, my tail beginning a slow, rhythmic thump against the rug. This wasn't about watching them fight each other. It was about calculating the precise moment one would miss and launch a piece for me to hunt. I gave a low, rumbling purr. These brawling bots were not warriors themselves, but they were excellent suppliers of ammunition. They would be permitted to remain in my kingdom. For now. Their service had just begun.
