Although remote control toys and toy robots have been around for decades, the first combination of the two into what would be considered a true robotic toy was the “Big Trak.”

This particular toy was one of the first successful attempts to combine education with play. Big Trak, for those who don’t remember, was a six wheeled truck that had a flashing light at the front (this was called the “photon cannon”). There was also a keypad on the truck that allowed the child to program the robotic toy to do his or her bidding.

In addition to teaching the logic of programming, Big Trak taught children to make reasonable spatial estimates and judge angles. Before Big Trak, there were many toys that children could play with, but the programming feature was totally new.

After programming the robotic toy, a child could sit back and watch Big Trak crash through an obstacle, dump a load of action figures to rescue their teammates trapped in an imaginary cave, head to the nearest doorway and fire several shots from the photon cannon to discourage aliens who might interfere with the rescue. After a pre-programmed victory lap, Big Trak could return directly to the point where the entire adventure started.

Robotic toys allow our children to meld reality and imagination. When you see a young person playing with the latest, coolest new robotic toy, remember that it was Big Trak and its blazing photon cannon that cleared the path.

Photo Credit: The return of Big Trak! by scalleja on flickr