Tomy Dingbot

Adorable Dingbot moves about the house hitting into walls.

Based on the lovable 1982 film character E.T. Initially produced for a whisky television commercial in Japan.
The battery operated Dingbot is a good communicator, emitting little squeals of excitement as he shakes his head, smiling as he moves about changing direction as he bumps into objects. He is a fast traveling robot who bumps into walls and obstacles, chatters, turns his head, speeds off in another direction carries his own floor plan in his arms. He is a funny robot who is slowly learning the meaning of walls. He's dingbot.

Source: http://www.theoldrobots.com/dingbot.html

I've had him for a long time and I don't even remember how I got him. It is fairly cute as it resembles robots designed in the 80s with their rectangular head and big round eyes. Wall-E from Disney's movie of the same name shares a resemblance to this toy.

Front:

Those big round eyes made Dingbot so adorable

Side:

Those small short arms can rotate almost all 360 degrees but his big head gets in the way

Back:

A fake panel

Top:

I tried prying open his head panel but it won't open

Bottom:

The front wheels are quite worn and control the direction Dingbot travels. The rear wheels only roll foward and back. Dingbot needs a single AA battery under that panel. A power switch controls whether he moves or not.

Although Dingbot is suppose to stop, turn another direction after hitting into a wall, I think mine got old and the sensors broke so it just keeps running into the same wall. I've had this for years and I'm glad I haven't lost him yet. Definitely a beautiful clean robot design that best represents the 80s.

Eric Toy Score: 3 out of 5

Publisher: Tomy
Year: 1982
Price: $9.99