Intel iQ – Jon Irwin
A new generation of kids are playing with toys that plug into the Internet of Things, teaching new skills and inspiring creativity.
From building blocks to Cabbage Patch Kids, children’s toys have often relied on the player’s active imagination. A new era of touchscreen cubes, rolling robots and other Internet-connected toys engage kids, teaching them about the world.
Overall, the market for toys is on the rise, with marketing research firm NPD Group estimating a 7 percent sales growth across 11 major global markets. Meanwhile, licensing industry publication License! Global predicts connected toys will be a significant trend in 2016.
Take, for example, the plastic kitchen set of old, which did little more than provide a countertop for Play-Doh spaghetti. Robo Mama’s Kitchen Set, created at the Internet of Things Hackday in Minneapolis, makes future chefs feel as if they’re really cooking with fire.
The set features a digital faucet and frying pans with conductive pads that can detect different vegetables and heat settings. Through LED lights that provide immediate feedback, kids can learn different recipes and cooking methods. It’s all the fun of a beginners cooking class without the fire hazards.
It’s not just kiddie kitchenware, either. Even the stiff and immovable plastic action figure is taking a leap into modernity with Sphero’s app-enabled BB-8. Far from a generic token of the Star Wars universe, unboxing Sphero’s droid feels more like mistakenly receiving a package meant for delivery on Tatooine.
“We wanted to create a product that was as authentic to BB-8 in the film as possible,” said Ian Bernstein, co-founder of Sphero. “Things like the decorations had to be perfect. Applying high-quality artwork around a sphere and having it all match up correctly is not easy.”
Everything from BB-8’s packaging to its ability to store and play holographic messages makes that galaxy far, far away feel much closer to home. What would have been impossible in 1977 has become a reality thanks to widespread access to powerful handheld computers. In a manner of speaking, Bluetooth is the new Force.
The craftsmanship of the replica, coupled with its responsiveness and personality, transports players to the tactile world that lies at the heart of Star Wars’ magic. Reactive to touch and voice, BB-8 invites a uniquely personal experience that is unlike most other manufactured toys.
by MindMake via MindMake Blog
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