Codee
© 2012 Techno Source
Trying to explain DNA to junior just got a little bit easier, thanks to Codee, a new type of block puzzle coming this fall from Techno-Source (www.technosourceusa.com). Each $8 kit comes with a foot-long strand of 64 hinged blocks. Each block is marked with a set of codes that can be aligned with the next block in the series. The key to making one of the six characters, such as a scorpion, is to follow a printed set of codes, one-at-a-time. According to Techno-Source, Codee was inspired from a project by Saul Griffith and Jonathan Bachrach while they were at MIT (see Otherlab for their current work). Codee has no business connection with MIT. In addition, it should be noted that while conceptually similar to DNA, this toy is not the real deal. Here's how it works. The blocks are numbered -- one through 64, and each has letters, A through J on the sides. A third set of symbols (>), (+), (-) or (·) tell you when to twist or rotate. So a sample bit of code might look like 1 + E, 2 > A. If you follow the instructions, needlepoint-style, your four inch plastic creature will slowly take shape. Or you can just let your mind wander and create a genetic mutation.
$8, Smart Toy
Teaches: math, logic, patterns, science, DNA