Review of Xiaomi MITU Smart Building Blocks Robot - a programmable construction set for children of any age

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A quality construction set that will make your child forget about computer games.

Xiaomi manufactures products for a wide variety of purposes, and it tries to do it so well that it instantly becomes a leader in this area. One example is the construction sets of the MITU Builder series, which are not much inferior to the best LEGO sets, but are much cheaper.

About a year ago, the first sample of this series visited our editorial office, from the parts of which you can assemble rather complex models of combat robots and dinosaurs. The hero of today's review is somewhat simpler, so it is perfect for children of primary school age. However, the programmable functions of this constructor can captivate older children as well.

The Xiaomi MITU Smart Building Blocks Robot comes in a cardboard box, on the front side of which you can see examples of models that can be assembled from it.

Inside, in several bags, there are 305 pieces of different colors. In a separate section on the left, there are three large rectangular blocks. The largest of them contains a compartment for installing two AA batteries, which are needed to power self-propelled models.

The red cube is a kind of construction brain with control electronics and a Bluetooth module. The third element has an electric motor inside that drives the models.

The manufacturer claims that only high-quality hypoallergenic materials were used in the manufacture of parts, which have passed the examination of several laboratories. We did not have a single reason to doubt - the plastic does not smell at all, does not scratch or break even under strong influence. There is not a single burr anywhere, all holes fit together perfectly and connect without any effort.

In addition to the construction kit parts, we hoped to find an illustrated assembly manual in the box. However, nothing of the kind was found there, except for a thin leaflet with Chinese characters and a few pictures. How do you collect smart penguins and self-propelled carts now?

The answer was found in the form of a QR code on one of the instructions pages. It encrypts a link to a special application for Android or iOS, which contains all the necessary information. The program, of course, is in Chinese, but we did not have any difficulties with its use due to the large number of videos and visual pictures.

The main window of the program contains links to three sections, switching between which occurs by rotating a stylized globe. We are primarily interested in the section with assembly instructions, which is indicated in the form of a tree.

When you open this section, we will see 12 cards, under which are examples of models for assembly. It is better to start with the simplest toys in order to get acquainted with the basic details and how to connect them. Among them are various pieces of furniture, cars, tops, windmills. Only then is it worth moving on to more complex programmable models, the construction of which can take more than one hour.

It is quite easy to cope with the assembly of almost any model. It is enough to carefully follow the instructions, in which each step is shown in detail in the form of an animated three-dimensional illustration. Pictures can be rotated and enlarged, so even the smallest detail will not escape your eye.

Self-propelled models are controlled from a smartphone. To do this, after completing the assembly, turn on the power using the toggle switch located on the large white block. After that, you should go to a special section of the application, where you can connect the model with a smartphone via Bluetooth. If everything went well, a simple remote control will appear on the screen to control the device.

In addition to manual control, the Xiaomi MITU designer offers the ability to program the model's actions in a special editor. Here you can select the available actions, assemble a sequence from them, and then launch them for execution. Understanding the work of the editor is somewhat more difficult, since due to the Chinese language you have to act by trial and error.

This construction set can be interesting for children of almost any age. The smallest, guided by step-by-step instructions, can easily assemble simple toys from it, which, when they get bored, can easily be turned into something else. At the same time, the degree of delight of the kids at the moment when a machine or a penguin assembled with their own hands comes to life and begins to move is simply impossible to describe.

Older children will be able to delve into creating their own models. Mechanical knights, astronauts, all-terrain vehicles, spaceships - with the proper patience and imagination, all this can be assembled from the details of the constructor. Therefore, we definitely recommend Xiaomi MITU Smart Building Blocks Robot for purchase to all parents who want to develop perseverance, attentiveness and imagination in their children.

At the time of this writing, the cost of Xiaomi MITU Smart Building Blocks Robot is 2 668 rubles with a coupon CA% TH4thx2.