In the wake of the success of WowWee’s Robosapien, manufacturers are jumping on the robot bandwagon faster than you can say binary code. But L.A.-based toyco ToyQuest is banking on winning kids over with a model that emphasizes brains over brawn.

Not only is the i-Que robot programmed with a vocabulary of 80,000 words, it’s also outfitted with a wealth of facts from the Encyclopedia Britannica library and has the ability to help kids with their math homework and play games. However, it’s i-Que’s ever-developing memory that’s attracting the most attention. Kids can talk to their new robotic pal and he’ll get to know them and adapt to them better over time.

How does i-Que get to know you? The same way any good friend does – by asking questions. For example, if you tell him you like baseball, he might ask you later if you got a baseball mitt for your birthday. ‘You tell him anything you want, and he’ll actually remember and bring it up in the future, even years afterwards,’ ToyQuest brand manager David Haber says.

i-Que (US$149) hits shelves at major toy and electronics retailers this summer. Additional cartridges designed to feed the robot on subjects ranging from entertainment to dinosaurs can be purchased separately.