Recently, Mego2, a partnership between Mego and technology and artificial intelligence (AI) firm D1srupt1ve, began shipping the 2XL Cobot. Short for “companion robot,” it is the third generation of talking robots that first hit store shelves more than 45 years ago in 1978.
The latest release can also be considered a “full circle” moment for Mego. Throughout its evolution, the toy line has remained true to its educational roots while embracing the opportunities of new technology.
2-XL Talking Robot: The First Generation (1978)
Mego released the original 2-XL (short for “to excel”) in 1978. It offered a wide range of educational programming on different topics recorded on 8-track tapes. Children interacted with 2-XL by listening to questions and selecting an answer using built-in buttons.
Pressing a button caused 2-XL to switch between pre-recorded tracks, thereby appearing to respond to user input, foreshadowing AI! Its eyes lit up while operating and one of the most distinctive features of the 2-XL was its voice. Inventor Dr. Michael J. Freeman synthesized his voice to create a high-pitched robotic parlance with a distinctive Brooklyn accent.
2-XL Type 3 (1992)
In 1992, 10 years after Mego filed for bankruptcy, Tiger Electronic re-introduced 2-XL, known as the 2-XL Type 3 to collectors. This second-generation toy robot offered better sound quality and swapped out 8-track tapes for standard audio cassettes to enable the question-and-answer sessions. New features included the ability to operate the toy using 4-D batteries and the inclusion of an integrated headphone jack.
Visually, 2-XL Type 3 sported a more pronounced body design and was slightly shorter than its predecessor. Tiger Electronics retained some of the original’s charming features—namely glimmering eyes and Dr. Freeman’s synthesized voice.
2XL Cobot (2024)
The 2XL Cobot is Mego’s first foray into AI. With a large language model (LLM) at its disposal, the toy offers three different modes of operation (story, conversation, and fun) and built-in voice recognition to deliver educational content to users. Cobot can also leverage its LLM to speak more than 30 different languages.
On the technology side, Cobot uses a thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT LCD) for facial animation and Bluetooth to connect to a dedicated smartphone app with built-in controls, allowing parents to set up age-appropriate profiles for their children. The toy also uses a virtual currency called “Vexels” to power (and pay) for the connection to its AI service provider, shipping with 130,000 free Vexels out of the box.
Turning Imagination into Innovation
Partnering with an AI company to release the 2XL Cobot has allowed Mego to revisit and refresh one of its iconic toys for a new generation of children. Given the pace of change in machine learning, it will be fascinating to watch how Mego2 updates its kid-friendly robot companion in the future.
Todd Coopee is Editor-in-Chief of Toy Tales, an online publication that covers toys and games past and present.
