One similar product is an app called Geared. It was created by Bryan Mitchell in 2011. The game costs $0.99 and was at one point ranked the #1 paid game in 53 countries. The premise of the game is to place different sized gears in the field to connect the first gear with the last gear. It is targeted for anyone ages 4+. The puzzle style of the game makes it accessible to adults as well as children. The game is strong as a puzzle game that challenges the thinker, but does not teach about gear ratios. There is nothing about how fast the gears spin - just that they do.
Despite having similar premises as gear toys, this app and the team's proposed toy are not very similar. Ultimately, the proposed toy is better as an educational toy, as there is an intended learning outcome. It is more than just a puzzle game - it teaches players at the same time.
Another similar product is Engino Mechanical Science: Gears. This toy, aimed at children 6-15, is manufactured by Engino, a company that makes mechanical toys for budding engineers. The company claims that the €29.99 (approximately $41) toy will teach children all about the different aspects of gears - "how gears can easily reduce or increase speed, change Force, or transfer motion from one position to another." The game is innovative as it teaches how gears work in a bigger picture. The set has more parts than just gears - 150 different parts that can connect at 529 different points.
Like Geared, the Engino toy is fairly different from the proposed toy. It is far more complicated. While the Engino toy works as a playset, the team's proposed toy works more as a game with objectives.
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