Nigerian Tech entrepreneur Silas Adekunle secured deal with Apple to sell gaming robot MekaMon
Reach Robotics, a reality gaming company that creates robots for both fun and STEM education, recently won a deal with Apple to sell the MekaMon.
Sila Adekunle an innovator in the robotics field
Adekunle was born in Nigeria, and then moved to the UK at the age of 11. He studied robotics at the University of West England where he graduated in 2014 with first class Honors. He is currently located at the Bristol Robotics Lab which is a top robotics research center in the United Kingdom.
Reach Robotics founded in 2013, has Adekunle as current CEO, and is based at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) Technology Incubator. His colleagues include Chris Beck who had been working as a roboticist in the BRL. The company, has already secured $9.5m (£7.1m) of investment funding from organisations. They recently signed a major deal with Apple to sell its gaming robot, MekaMon, in all 361 Apple stores across the globe.
MekaMon: the four leg robot
The four-legged multi-functional robot—which is controlled by a smartphone app—is designed for single player mode or real-life Mek to Mek battling. It is the world’s first premium gaming robot, and first to ever to be sold through Apple. Apple Stores in the United States and United Kingdom have begun the sale of gaming robots, MekaMons, currently offered at the price tag of $299.95. The robots can be operated with an iPhone and other smartphones.
Reach Robotics MekaMon (Archive Footage)
Multiple players can have their MekaMons battle each another. Each robot weighs a little over two pounds with dimensions of 11.8 by 11.8 by 5.9 inches. MekaMons can connect to each other via infrared signals and Bluetooth, allowing for co-op gaming. The robots are powered by a rechargeable battery that provides up to an hour of gameplay. They are compatible with the iPhone, using the smartphone’s camera and infrared tracking capability for precise navigation.
Sources: Afro & Vanguardngr
