Capsela

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A motorised crane built from Capsela capsules.
A motorised crane built from Capsela capsules.

Capsela is a construction toy consisting primarily of spherical plastic capsules which may be connected to form various toys that can be static or moving and suitable for land or water. There are electric motor capsules, gear capsules, switch capsules, pontoon capsules, and others; there are also battery holders, wheels, propellers, impellers, lights, wires, and other miscellaneous supporting pieces.

Capsela products were originally sold in at least four ranges:

  • A series of increasingly complex generic construction sets, similar in style to Meccano or Lego Technic. (Sets 150, 200, 250, 400, 450, 500, 700 and 1000, ranging from 30 to 108 parts.)
  • Capsela Computer, the flagship range, based around a multi-function computer capsule capable of controlling motors and lights. (Sets CRC2000 and ICR5000, the latter featuring an infrared remote control.)
  • A sister product branded as SpaceLink, which had no motorised parts (with the exception of spring powered wheel units) and instead focussed on science fiction-themed accessories (cockpits, small action figures, rockets, etc.). This range appears to have been designed to be more appealing to children than the dryly educational original products. (Sets 330, 345, 360, 610, 650, 670, 690, 805, 820, 835, 850, 860 and 895, ranging from 8 to 53 parts.)
  • Capsela Powertram, a series designed to 'bridge' Capsela and Spacelink, containing motor-driven construction components and Spacelink accessories. The Powertram unit was a motor driven platform which housed its own batteries and allowed land vehicles to be constructed without the need for a separate switch box, battery compartments, wires and motors. (Sets 275 and 375, with 26 and 42 parts respectively.)
  • Robot (set 204) — this set comes with a worm gear capsule with a larger gear ratio.

Capsela products were originally manufactured by Mitsubishi Pencil Co of Japan. The series was then licensed out to Play Jour and has since been produced by VTech, Kidology and a number of other subsidiaries. The range seems to have been recently re-released in Japan by Bandai, adding new colours to the basic range of transparent spheres. They are frequently used in TLC classes (Technology Life Career).[citation needed]

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