The Force Trainer II: Hologram Experience

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review **

My kids explored what it is like to be a Jedi on May the Fourth as we had some Star Wars Day fun with Uncle Milton's THE FORCE TRAINER II: Hologram Experience. Who hasn't watched a Star Wars movie and dreamed of being able to move physical objects through the power of concentration? Utilizing a tablet, special Bluetooth headset, and a holographic display, The Force Trainer from Uncle Milton provides users the feeling of using the Force by allowing you to move holograms with the power of your mind. The Force Trainer II creates holographic images that are impressive to observe then enhances the fun to another level of awesomeness by allowing these holograms to be controlled through the power of your mind mimicking a Jedi's use of the force. This really is impressive, most impressive!

These holograms are created by downloading a free app that works with most current iPads (iPad 2 and newer)and Android tablets (Samsung Tablet 10.1 recommended)onto a device which is placed on top of an included theatrical display and projects images upon special panels to create a three dimensional illusion. My kids were really delighted by these holograms with my daughter yelling out in excitement when she saw her first image "it looks just like the pictures R2-D2 shows in Star Wars!"

While simply viewing these holograms is thrilling in itself, amazingly The Force Trainer also allows you to move them with your mind. Instructions from Master Yoda will guide you through a variety of Jedi Challenges ranging from constructing a light saber to knocking down battle droids. Both my son and daughter agreed that their favorite challenge was recreating the scene from Empire Strikes Back where you raise an X-wing space ship out of a Dagobah swamp.

The Force Trainer harnesses the power of your mind through the included headset which uses advanced dry neural sensor technology that monitors your brainwaves. As people concentrate they generate Beta brainwaves. The headset can detect these Beta brainwaves and send a measurement of their intensity via Bluetooth to the tablet which controls the holograms movement based upon your level of concentration. The higher the level of concentration the quicker you will complete a challenge. There are 10 levels to conquer to move up the Jedi ranks from Padawan to Master. Each level requires an escalating intensity of Beta brainwaves to complete challenges and continue moving on. Can you demonstrate to Yoda the concentration needed to obtain the rank of Jedi Master? Do or do not. There is no try!

The entertainment value of the Jedi Challenges combined with the educational insights that can be gained from its scientific elements earns THE FORCE TRAINER II: Hologram Experience a nod of approval from A Geek Daddy.  Incorporating music and sound effects from the Star Wars movies with real life holograms that look like they jumped right out of a sci-fi film is a great way to combine learning with having fun.  Parents can jump right in and compete with their children to see who can earn the rank of Jedi Master first making this a great experience for the whole family to enjoy together.  It also comes with a science learning poster to reinforce the educational aspects of this game. This really is worth checking out!



THE FORCE TRAINER II: Hologram Experience is recommend for ages 8+.  It does require a compatible iPad or Android tablet (not included), Internet access to download an app (though not needed to operate the app), and 1 AAA battery to power the neural sensor technology.  It is important to achieve a good fit with the adjustable headset because if the sensors don't maintain a good connection the game will be interrupted and paused because the game needs to be detecting Beta brainwaves for the challenge modes to function. The sensors must be flush against a person's skin on his or her forehead and behind each ear. Be aware it may take some adjustments and trial and error before a good connection is established but once you get it working the headset works very well when it comes to interacting with the holograms.  The Force was awakened in our house with this great product from Uncle Milton as my children really had a blast pretending to be Jedi and interacting with the Star Wars holograms.

CLICK HERE for more information about THE FORCE TRAINER II: Hologram Experience from Uncle Milton.

Glow-in-the-Dark fun with Uncle Milton's Millennium Falcon UV Light Laser

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review **

Learn the science behind Star Wars with Uncle Milton's educational toys and gadgets.  Uncle Milton is one of our family's favorite brands because it does a great job of introducing children to scientific concepts in a fun and entertaining way.  The originators of the toy industry icon, the Ant Farm, since 1946 Uncle Milton has created toys that inspire imagination and learning while encouraging kids to explore the world around them.  We recently tried out the Millennium Falcon UV Light Laser kit from Uncle Milton's Star Wars Science line of products.  Recreate a Star Wars space battle on the wall of a room with ultraviolet light and a pinpoint laser. A Geek Daddy has to say this product is pretty darn cool!



To create your battle scene first peel and attach the included UV screen onto a wall.  It is about the size of a standard 3-tab file folder.

Next take the provided battle scene film and gently brush it across the UV screen with your fingers so that it clings to it.

The Millennium Falcon laser light device has two functions.  A lower button on its trigger releases broad UV light and pressing the upper button shoots out a laser beam.  Illuminate and charge the scene by pressing the lower button and moving the light all around the scene.  Quickly peel away the film from the UV screen to reveal a glow-in-the dark Star Wars battle scene.

Aim and press the upper button on the Millennium Falcon laser light device to shoot pinpoint blasts at the glowing ships pretending you are Han Solo and Chewbacca flying into battle versus the evil Empire.  See how many TIE fighters you can hit with your laser before the scene fades away. The Millennium Falcon makes laser blaster sound effects to enhance imaginative play plus the kit comes with glow-in-the-dark stickers so children can customize the experience beyond the the Star Wars space scene cling.  Then recharge the scene again with your UV light and start the fun all over again.

In addition to the space battle game, you can also have a lot of fun creating drawings on the UV screen.  Instead of using the Star Wars battle scene cling be creative and make your own designs on the UV screen.  Place your hand or different objects in front of the blank UV screen and illuminate them with the light function on your Millennium Falcon to create different glow-in-the-dark shapes.  Then use the pinpoint laser to draw additional details onto your image.  Have a blast making all sorts of glow-in-the-dark artwork.

A science learning poster packaged with the toy set provides children with information about lasers, ultraviolet light, and phosphorescence.  Then kids learn about how these topics that they are probably familiar with through Star Wars work in real life by enjoying themselves with the Uncle Milton Millennium Falcon UV Laser Light which combines phosphorescence, UV light, and lasers to make the toy set work.

Uncle Milton's Millennium Falcon UV Laser Light gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval for being an entertaining toy my kids really enjoyed that also did an excellent job of educating them on scientific principals.  This is an item we've stored on our game shelf so that we can use it over and over again. For more information on the Star Wars Science products from Uncle Milton visit unclemilton.com.