Toymakers aiming to shake off economic gloom at Asia fair

HONG KONG - Agence France-Presse

A smartphone-controlled robot that fires foam bullets and a model of a tyrannosaurus with real bones were among the attractions drawing the crowds at Asia’s largest toy show, the second biggest after the Spielwarenmesse event in Nuremberg, Germany, ended yesterday.

Aiming to shake off the global economic slowdown, about 2,000 exhibitors from 43 countries displayed their wares at the Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair, the second largest in the world and now in its 38th year.

The 30 centimeter plastic “iDroid” robot sportswraparound glasses that light up when controlled by smartphone systems via Bluetooth.

“Everyone has a smartphone these days, so naturally we thought it could be used to control a cool toy,” Eddie Yu, chief marketing officer of the robot’s maker, Hong Kong-based Globalactive Technology Ltd, said, using his phone to make the robot perform Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk.

At other times it fires a toy machine gun at giggling toddlers, swivelling its mechanical arms.