From the Toysit archive
HEXBUG Nano V2 Hurricane Set
Explore the clear tubes, orange platforms and black funnel of the HEXBUG Nano V2 Hurricane Set with a tube-traveler diary activity.
The play at a glance
A tiny traveler in a looping habitat
Clear tubes arch over orange platforms in the pictured Hurricane habitat. White barriers outline the open areas, while a black funnel makes a striking landmark between journeys. Watching a Nano V2 move through this little structure suggests the view of a traveler finding its way through a city of tunnels.
Watch the route unfold
Nano V2 uses vibration to move through its habitat. The Hurricane’s tubes, platforms and funnel give that movement different places to happen. Follow the matching guide to connect and support the pieces; the diary below observes the completed layout without changing it during a journey.
Give names to places you can actually see, such as Clear Arch, Orange Square and Funnel Junction. The pleasure is in noticing where the little traveler goes. A route traced afterward records an observation; it is not a programmed mission or evidence that the toy understands the names.
Try this: tube-traveler diary
- Draw a simple map. Sketch the assembled habitat and label three landmarks on the paper beside it. Keep paper and decorations out of the moving toy’s path.
- Watch one journey. Pick a visible starting place and observe until the traveler reaches another landmark. If part of its route is hidden, leave that section dotted or mark it “not seen.”
- Trace what happened. Add arrows to the map in the order you observed. Use a different color for a second journey and compare the routes without requiring them to match.
- Write a postcard. Imagine the traveler describing a favorite landmark: “The clear arch gave me a wonderful view of Orange Square.” Separate this invented voice from the route you recorded.
If the toy is inactive or unavailable, draw a habitat and invent the entire journey, labeling it an imagined trip. A friend can add a second postcard from another landmark.
Battery and setup care
The matched guide specifies an AG13/LR44 button cell and adult battery replacement. Keep loose new and used cells away from children, and use the toy only with its battery compartment securely closed and undamaged. Suspected swallowing requires immediate medical attention. Follow the guide’s age and assembly directions, and keep the moving toy away from faces and ears.
The historical record
Original Toysit coverage
The complete earlier product account and commentary are preserved below as historical coverage.
They can climb
Introducing an all new breed of gravity defying Hexbug Nanos. These Nano V2 bugs can now climb up vertically, horizontally, around corners, through loops and tubes, to the tip top of any Nano V2 habitat set. The HEXBUG Nano V2 Hurricane set features an evolved Nano, sporting a new look, with three rubber spines on its back, as well as a new system of tubular tracks that highlight the Nano V2's unique multi-level climbing abilities. The HEXBUG Nano V2 is a tiny, micro robotic creature that uses the physics of vibration to scurry up through multiple levels of tubes, as high as the V2 set will take it, to explore its environment. The quick little critter possesses an uncanny sense of balance, capable of crawling through tubes on its feet or on its back and can pass another bug in a single tube to avoid a traffic jam. The Nano V2 will even flip to its feet when landing on its back on an open flat surface.
Micro robotics has undergone a transformative journey since its conceptual inception. Originating in the latter half of the 20th century, the field was initially dominated by research into miniaturizing motors and mechanisms, seeking ways to replicate the motions and functions of larger robots on a smaller scale. With advancements in materials science, particularly with the discovery and manipulation of smart materials, micro robots started harnessing phenomena like piezoelectric effects for locomotion. As we delved into the 21st century, innovations in microfabrication and MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) allowed for even more intricate and precise robot designs. Integrating principles from biology, bio-inspired micro robots modeled after bacteria, insects, and other microorganisms emerged, showcasing efficient locomotion in complex environments. Coupled with rapid progress in microcontroller technology and sensors, these robots evolved from simple demonstrators to tools with real-world applications, including medical interventions, environmental monitoring, and more.
Sources and editorial notes
The Hurricane image matches item 477-2991 in HEXBUG’s 2014 catalog. Both pages of the manufacturer’s 2016-revision Hurricane guide were visually reviewed; it lists one Nano V2, 51 connecting pieces and a 3+ marking. That later sheet is identified separately from the earlier photograph. The historical micro-robotics essay does not describe this toy’s sensing or medical capabilities. No physical testing was performed.
- Original Toysit image — Existing same-site image reviewed and retained unchanged.
- HEXBUG 2014 catalog — PDF page 3, printed pages 4–5, visually reviewed: Hurricane entry I, item 477-2991, matches the preserved image. The full catalog was not reviewed.
- HEXBUG Nano V2 Hurricane instructions — Both pages reviewed, revision 477-2991-IS-EU-US-CA-Rev1 (2016): assembly diagrams, contents, age marking and battery/face/ear guidance.
- CPSC button-cell and coin-battery information — Current general guidance on secure compartments, keeping loose cells away from children and urgent care for suspected swallowing; not a certification of this historical toy.
- Original Toysit coverage — Complete historical account retained, including its original claims and wording.
Images and descriptions are retained as historical material. How Toysit covers toys.
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