$99.99Launch price $99.99 (April 2014). Discontinued, and Amazon lists it as unavailable, but used units and leftover stock turn up for less (October 2026 check). The successor MiP Arcade is still sold at Amazon, Target and Best Buy.
Discontinued · used/leftover onlyPython from a laptopSelf-balancingGesture controlOpen BLE protocol
Possibly ≤ 1 weekShipping: Unconfirmed. The original MiP is out of production, so used or new-old-stock units on eBay and marketplace sellers are the main source. The successor MiP Arcade ships quickly from Amazon and Target. MiP Arcade ↗
Remote control: Community Python and C (macOS) libraries and WowWee's Node.js SDK talk to MiP over Bluetooth LE from a Mac or PC. A microcontroller can also be soldered to its internal UART pads.
Overview
A 7.5-inch robot that balances on two wheels like a Segway, using control algorithms from UC San Diego's Coordinated Robotics Lab. It responds to hand gestures and claps, carries a tray, dances, roams while avoiding obstacles, and plays laser-tag style battles, with the app adding driving, path drawing and games. WowWee published the full Bluetooth protocol and several SDKs, so hobbyists have driven it from Python, ROS and Arduino. It is discontinued and its SDKs have not been updated since about 2018, so the successor MiP Arcade is the one sold new today.
A charming, hackable balancing toy, worth picking up used for tinkering with its open protocol.
Specifications
| Category | Companion robots · Small companion robots |
|---|---|
| Released | 2014 |
| Country | Canada, USA |
| Availability | Discontinued · used/leftover only |
| Programmability | Full SDK |
| Built-in autonomy | Reactive · Responds to its surroundings without a map, such as avoiding obstacles or following a person |
| LLM support | Possible via SDK · No built-in LLM, but WowWee published the full Bluetooth protocol and SDKs, so an LLM could drive it through custom code. |
| MuJoCo simulation | None found · Nothing found. |
| NVIDIA Isaac simulation | None found · Nothing found. |
| Gazebo simulation | None found · Nothing found. |
| Best for | Ages 8+ (maker rating) |
| Vision sensors | No vision sensors |
| Actuators | DC / gear motors |
| Audio | Speaker, Microphone |
| Compute type | Proprietary / undisclosed |
| Remote control | Python from a laptop |
| Size | About 19 cm (7.5 in) tall, about 350 g (12.3 oz) |
| Drive | Two wheels, self-balancing inverted pendulum |
| Compute | Proprietary, not published |
| Vision | None (IR sensors only) |
| Lidar | None |
| Sensors | Gyroscope, accelerometer, IR sensors for GestureSense hand gestures and obstacle 'radar', clap detection, tilt/weight sensing, odometer, Bluetooth LE |
| Runtime | 4–6 hours of moderate use on 4 AAA batteries (rechargeable pack optional) |
| Speed | 0.14 m/s (0.3 mph) |
| SDK | Official MiP BLE protocol docs plus iOS, Android, Node.js, Windows and PhoneGap SDKs (WowWee Labs GitHub), a documented UART port for Arduino-type boards, and community libraries (Python, C for macOS, TinyGo, ESP8266, ROS) |
Ratings & reviews
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