My AR.Drone keeps losing the WiFi connection

Is your drone acquiring and then dropping your WiFi signal, over and over again? We've only seen this happen a few times, but it's a frustrating problem so we wanted to share our fixes. This problem seems to crop up only in a specific situation: you're using the AR.Drone in a room with a metal subfloor, and/or you're using the AR.Drone somewhere with a bunch of competing WiFi networks. We tend to see this happen at convention centers, and the good news is that there's nothing wrong with your AR.Drone or BOX -- it's just the space you're using it in has some signal pollution that makes it hard for the Drone to function at its best. Simply move the Drone to a new location and try again. The problem should disappear!

The Sphero lesson display is acting strange – the grid keeps disappearing or re-aligning. What’s going on?

This is an old software bug we've fixed in Version 2! Looks like your tablet needs an update!

How do I use my Smart Board with the tablet and lessons?

Simply plug the included HDMI cable into the SmartBoard input and use the Smart Board as your projector. You will need to use the tablet to run the lesson and the robots, though we are always working on ways to improve the lessons -- like taking advantage of the additional Smart Board functionality!

My AR.Drone batteries won't charge/aren't working right. What do I do?

Your AR.Drone uses LiPo batteries. LiPo stands for Lithium Polymer – they’re great because of their light weight and huge power storage abilities, but there are some downsides we’re finding out about. These batteries are very fragile, and there are a few specific procedures for charging and using the batteries that you should know before use.

My Sphero won't connect to my tablet

Having trouble connecting to your Sphero? There are a few things to try, from checking the charge, to re-pairing, but we also have a software update for Sphero available that might fix things. Update to Version 2 now, if you haven't already!

   #1 Give Sphero a good shake; if it doesn’t light up, or if it only shows a red light, the robot needs to be charged (see Charging my Sphero). If you see a pattern of three colors (remember them for step two) then your Sphero is charged; once you’ve determined that you have a fully charged robot and if you’re still having connection problems move on to step two!
     #2 Grab your tablet and turn it on; from the tablet’s homescreen tap on the screen and drag/swipe to the left with your finger to reveal a second panel of apps. Click on the one labeled "Settings." 

Is your online checkout certified?

Yes, we are certified through PayPal: the friendliest way to pay for Robots. You can pay with any credit card, or with a PayPal account.

If you can’t or don’t want to pay online, we do accept Purchase Orders from schools sent to us by fax or email. Our Fax number is: 415-276-9057, or by email to sales@robotsLAB.com

If you prefer to get a call from us, please click below: 

What if I already have one of the robots?

It's always nice to find robotics fans! If you find yourself in the position of already owning some of the robots included in the BOX, you can control some of the robots you already own using our tablet and lessons,

we prefer you don't do that:

What if a robot breaks?

Never fear! Each box comes with a warranty for one year. For more  information on what each specific warranty contains see this article on our warranties

The image coming from my projector is a weird color. What's going on?

If your tablet's screen looks normal, but the image coming from the projector is the wrong color, the issue is probably in either the projector dongle or the projector. If the tablet screen isn't the right color either, go here.

Once I have the RobotsLAB-BOX what will I need to do before teaching with it?

Open the box and get acquainted with your new robotic teaching assistants. The tablet and robots are charged and fully configured. We've assembled a Quick Start Guide with a sample lesson to get you going, and we suggest you look over the instructions, review the videos for a few lessons, and do a lesson runthrough or two before demonstrating in front of a class. If you’re more a ‘fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants’ kind of teacher, then that’s completely up to you, but it’s at your own risk and possible humiliation.