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Tokyo, Japan, December 20, 2007—LEGO's new assembly-required robot competed for Japan's "Robot of the Year" award this week in Tokyo.
Designed by the Danish toymaker's education division, the "Mindstorms" robot kit includes both software and parts. It allows students to program, test, and operate their robotic creations.
The Japanese government's highest robot prize ended up going to a superfast mechanical arm designed to work in factories with a conveyor belt, according to the Associated Press.
The pick was seen to highlight the practical side of robotics—anindustry many Japanese see as their likeliest vehicle to further economic growth.
