engineering

WonderBorg

WonderBorg is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand WonderBorg rather than just read about it. In short: The WonderBorg (Japanese: ワンダーボーグ, Hepburn: WandāBōgu) is a programmable consumer robot kit manufactured by Bandai for the WonderSwan and Microsoft Windows PCs in 2000. It is intended to match both the external appearance and mode of transport of a beetle, with functioning antennae and a six-legged design.

Key takeaways

WonderBorg belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect WonderBorg to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of WonderBorg from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The WonderBorg (Japanese: ワンダーボーグ, Hepburn: WandāBōgu) is a programmable consumer robot kit manufactured by Bandai for the WonderSwan and Microsoft Windows PCs in 2000. It is intended to match both the external appearance and mode of transport of a beetle, with functioning antennae and a six-legged design.

History The prototype for what would eventually become the WonderBorg was produced in cooperation between the Japan Science and Technology Agency and toy manufacturer Bandai. Initially, the WonderBorg was available only as an accessory for the WonderSwan, with a version for Windows PCs released later. Outside Asia, the PC-compatible WonderBorg was licensed and marketed by Tiger Electronics from 2001. The WonderBorg was designed with education in mind, with a view to use in classrooms. To this end, an associated game, dubbed simply "JST Robot Game", was developed, in which students are required to clear an obstacle course by programming the robot to navigate a given maze correctly.

Hardware The WonderBorg was available in two retail configurations, with compatible tools for WonderSwan and PC, respectively. The WonderSwan version included a special cartridge with the software necessary to program the WonderBorg and an embedded infra-red transmitter, while the PC version shipped with a software CD for Windows and an infra-red transmitter to connect to a PC via serial port. The WonderBorg itself requires assembly, and can be customised somewhat, with possible configurations involving differently sized gears favouring torque or speed, and wheels to replace the robot's usual six-legged design. Decal stickers were also included, to allow superficial decoration. Once assembled, the WonderBorg is powered by three AAA batteries and reacts to its environment using seven sensors:

infrared receiver antennae: independent left and right tactile sensors eyes: independent left and right infrared LEDs light sensor floor sensor: detects the presence or absence of ground ahead internal clock sensor steps sensor Using its two independent motors (left and right), the WonderBorg is able to move forward, reverse, turn while moving forward or backward, and rotate in place. Its main processor is an Elan EM78P451AQ (RISC-like 8-bit microprocessor).

Software Both the WonderSwan and PC versions are bundled with specialized WonderBorg programming software known as Robot Works. Rather than requiring the user to learn a complex programming language, the WonderBorg program is written using a graphical user interface, in which instructions for the robot are laid out in a grid. On one side of the grid the WonderBorg's various sensors can be laid out, with those higher on the grid taking priority. The robot is then given instructions on how to react to each trigger. The WonderSwan version additionally included a "pet" program, in which the WonderBorg would behave similarly to Bandai's prior Tamagotchi, a mode omitted from the PC version.

See also AIBO, a series of robotic dogs manufactured by Sony Furby, a previous Tiger Electronics robot toy LAURON, a more recent six-legged insectoid robot Poo-Chi, a Tiger robot dog toy

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with WonderBorg

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what WonderBorg claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to WonderBorg before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about WonderBorg ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of WonderBorg

In research: WonderBorg appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses WonderBorg in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: WonderBorg is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2000s robots, Hasbro products, Robot kits, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for WonderBorg outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study WonderBorg in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what WonderBorg means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain WonderBorg out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is WonderBorg in simple terms?

Why does WonderBorg matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study WonderBorg?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on WonderBorg.