The Art and Craft of Toy Design

Caffeine Alert

Caffeine Alert is a wireless blog toy packaged inside a jar of premium blend coffee beans. At home in the kitchen or dining room, the toy is designed to simplify blog subscriptions, and bring them into a more social and glanceable space.

When a new post arrives, the coffee buzzes and lights up in one of four colors, so you can keep track of your favorite RSS feeds without sitting in front of the computer. When ground and served, the coffee beans provide hours of caffeine-driven blogging. The toy can be easily refilled with your choice of coffee beans (and new batteries) when the supply runs out.

Caffeine Alert, like Becky's Chatter IM pillow, uses the Plushie Message Framework (PMF) to connect Internet data with Arduino and signal wireless output. PMF can be extended for custom uses using a class-based PHP4 system. Current modules allow you to watch instant messages on Adium and to subscribe to a set of RSS feeds. The script runs as a background process that routes signals off to the receiving wireless toy, by way of the Arduino.

 

Related:
Source code for Caffeine Alert
Original Post with Intro & Flowchart
Work in Progress + Photoset

Electro Plush Rocker

Finished Virtual Kisses

Virtual Kisses are two pairs of plushie lips that allow you to send a little love to your partner or roommate from one room in the house to another.  Virtual Kisses love to be hugged and squeezed. Squeezing your lips will make them vibrate with happines, and a kiss will be sent to your partner's lips, causing them to light up (and making your partner smile).

Here's a Flickr photoset documenting the production process:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixielex/sets/72157594375533722/

DinnerTimer

When we work in our computers they usually absorb all our attention and we forget that it is dinner time. DinnerTimer will remind us that it is time to eat. Activated by a plushie fork and a knife, which are in the kitchen, the fish, on the desk, lights up its eye and vibrates.

Mock up

Process

Fish lighting and "vibrating"

Zeebu Lives!

A long time ago, sometime in the future, Zeebu gained
consciousness. However, she was born into a land where
robots were only machines.They were not allowed to
have feelings, but Zeebu's creator made her able to love.
When the government found out about this "experiment,"
they took away the programs and circuits of Zeebu's real
eyes and mouth so she could not communicate with anyone,
and exiled her.
She never hated humans, she just understood them
more. Her compassion merely grew. Animals could even
feel her love, and one day a bird who was very clever
decided to take care of her and help her "see" the world.
You can guide her too, if you would like to get to know her.

If you give Zeebu candy, she will be so happy because
it is her favorite thing to eat. Her favorite flavor is
unrefined oil. Mmmm.

Zeebu cares about her yellow bird the most. She likes
to stroke its head. It loves her very much.

Mice send Zeebu into epileptic fits, for some reason
she does not know. No one ever told her.

But one thing is for sure, Zeebu loves YOU!

Zeebu's heart glows with love,
even in the dark.

Zeebu with Bird, Candy, Heart and Mouse, a dynamic family!

go to see process.

Arduino Exploration

Digital Input and Output was the activity I chose to experiment with, with only a few minor wireing errors I managed to get it work properly. When the button isn't pushed down the yellow light is lit and when I push the button the green light it lit.

The Owl and the Mouse

Arnie the owl is constantly picking on Marge the mouse during recess at the Forest Academy. Marge doesn't know that its really because Arnie likes her. Till he gets the courage to tell her, she continues to be scared of him.  When he flies over to talk to her, she starts to shake!

video of circuit working outside and inside the toy

concept post

progress post

Pocket Ninjas

Here are the not so pocket sized ninjas for the midterm. Currently only one ninja can send a hit and the other can block.

Here's how they work:

For the final, we'll be using an arduino mini so they'll be pocket sized this time. Both ninjas will also be able to hit and block with proper ninja fighting sounds instead of an annoying buzz sound. They'll also be dressed in costume and equipped with weapons.

Here's the documentation of the process: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linhlypham/sets/72157594373898834/

Previous Post: http://yg.typepad.com/makingtoys2/2006/11/pocket_ninjas.html

Penguin Family

One day in Antartica, Mommy Penguin took her two kids Janie and Jack out to play. But Janie and Jack ran off too far and got lost in the snow. They were sad and scared and didn't know what to do. But Mommy using her Mommy powers calls out to them, since mom's know everything right? She tells them she is coming. When she calls the kids light up and jump for joy. Janie's eyes light up red, (she's a girl) and she vibrates with joy. Jack's eyes light up blue (he's a boy) and he shakes with joy as well. While Mommy is walking to find them, the kids huddle together because it is cold in Antartica, and their eyes light up green and they shake to keep each other warm.

Janie & Jackie being called by mommy

Janie & Jack huddling together for warmth. notice how their eyes glow green

one happy family

Nano twins

The Nano twins are from a far far planet. They are not like other twins and this is why. When  Momo  is touched Lolo reacts.

For example: when  Momo's right hand is pressed Lolo's right hand projects red light. If Momo's left hand is pressed Lolo's left hand projects red light. Or of  when Momo's right ear is pressed Lolo's right ear will react. And if Momo's left ear is pressed Lolo's left ear will react. 

Momo will have a transmitter and encoder while Lolo will have receiver and decoder.

 
After completing the circuits and putting them in boxes the next step is to make the toys.

So, on the end meet Momo and Lolo.