We were impressed by what the small team behind the Anki Drive project achieved, when we first learnt of their project, some months back. For them, it all started about six years ago, with the idea to bring together cool futuristic Hot Wheels-esque models, artificial intelligence and the power of smartphones. Here they are now, two days away from the official market launch of the system that caught our attention before.
The basic principle of how it works is a bit hard to grasp at first, but once you learn what all of the components are, it gets easier. When you purchase the ‘Starter Kit,’ you will get two cars, the track, chargers and tire cleaners. Then you need an Apple smartphone or tablet (no Android support as of yet) onto which you install the Anki Drive app you get from the official Store.
Then, you’re basically ready to go, and you basically just let the cars drive around, allowing them to ‘gather experience,’ because the artificial intelligence that makes them tick improves their performance the more you run them.
The idea is to have an experienced car which you ‘level up’ over time, then spec it up with weapons and call your friends over with their cars and do battle. It sounds like tons of geeky fun for little boys of all ages. Check out the selection of videos below for a more detailed look, and a chance to see it all come together.
By Andrei Nedelea
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