Tobor was redesigned and re-imagined by NCC's Fab Lab instructors for years, Boerner said. The Lab's 14 instructors first built Tobor only 6 feet tall, but later decided to expand the robot.

Tobor won six editor choice ribbons and was also named best exhibit by PC Magazine. Sean Kernan is one of the creators and said, "Just the overall wackiness of the whole thing.