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This article was first published in the December 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Get more of WIRED's annual round-up of the best gadgets, design, accessories, rides and sports gear in our Gear of the Year 2015 special .
MECCANO MECCANOID G15 KS
Meccano's personal robot can be programmed in three ways: physically manipulate its limbs; move the companion app's digital avatar; or use motion-capture to record your movements and instruct the G15 KS to repeat the sequence. The 122cm tall bot can also be combined with other Meccano parts to create anything from a dinosaur to a tipper truck. £350 maplin.co.uk
CREOPOP PEN
With a range of glittering, glow-in-the-dark and aromatic inks available in 24 colours, this 3D- printing pen gives the novelty of scented gel pens an added dimension. Rather than relying on melted plastic, the CreoPop's tactile ink is made from photopolymers solidified by LED diodes, thus eliminating any dangerous heat or unpleasant odours. From $119creopop.com
LEGO TECHNIC MERCEDES-BENZ AROCS 3245
Assembled from 2,793 individual pieces, this is the largest LEGO Technic model produced to date. It's also one of the most realistic, thanks to fully independent suspension and a pneumatic crane-control system. And when you tire of it, you can rebuild it into an articulated construction truck. £170 lego.com
TECHNOLOGY WILL SAVE US DIY GAMER KIT
This Arduino-based open-source kit is the perfect introduction to the workings of gaming systems. A 64-pixel LED matrix display provides the backdrop for two pre-installed lo-res gaming classics, Pong and Snake, although users are encouraged to code their own creations. An infra-red transmitter allows multiplayer mode.From £65 techwillsaveus.com
NERF RIVAL ZEUS MXV-1200
The larger of Nerf's newly unveiled Rival blaster range, the Zeus MXV-1200's motorised fly-wheel mechanism claims a muzzle velocity of just under 113kph and the ability to empty its 12-round, ambidextrous-release magazine as quickly as you can squeeze the trigger. Improved firing accuracy comes courtesy of the Rival's Zeus's re-engineered ball-shaped ammunition. $50 nerf.hasbro.com
ANKI OVERDRIVE
The original Anki Drive system featured artificially intelligent cars controlled via a smartphone app. Now there's OVERDRIVE, with its magnetic modular vinyl track - and scope for eight unique configurations using the starter kit alone - alongside a range of additional packs for extra expansion potential. £150 anki.com
Photography: Sun Lee and Dave Lidwell
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
