Anki Drive

Robotic, artificial intelligence and video games meet the real world in this iOS-driven racing game

Video games, by nature, have always existed in the virtual world. While no less real or engaging to players, gaming has largely been contained to screens—at least until now. Anki Drive fuses robotics, artificial intelligence and video game styling and narrative into a real world game. Using an iOS app, players choose a character (in this case a car) that corresponds with a real, hold-it-in-your-hand …

Cool Hunting Video: Hot Wheels Design Studio

A look under the hood at America's iconic toy car manufacturer

Sponsored content: A recent voyage to El Segundo, California, brought us to the doors of the Mattel headquarters. Inside, we were given the chance to take a behind-the-scenes look at the Hot Wheels design studio, and spent some time with the head of design. We learned all about the brand’s design ethos, new products and the never-ending joys of being a toy designer. Also on …

Tangeez Tangible Lights

Interactive, color-changing building blocks that let you play with light, by New York's Next Top Makers finalists

We first came across Tangeez—colorful, interactive, light-up building blocks—at this year’s Maker Faire. A long-anticipated reinvention of the classic toy, these mesmerizing, palm-sized objects change color as they’re stacked. Dubbed “physical pixels” by co-creators Emily Webster and Mustafa Bagdatli—two NYU Interactive Telecommunications Program Alumni—the internally illuminated lights are as entertaining for kids as they are for adults. Tangeez pack oodles of fun and myriad functions …