Tag Archives: toys

Peel & Play: A new sensory toy for kids with special needs @ CES 2024



Peel & Play sensory toyThe Peel & Play interactive toy, designed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other related disabilities, aims to provide a fun and creative way for these children to relieve stress and engage in interactive activities. This innovative toy is designed to address the stimming behaviors commonly seen in children with ASD. Stimming, which refers to repetitive behaviors such as hand flapping or repeating words, is a way for individuals with ASD to regulate their emotions and stress levels.

Interactive toy for children with special needs

While stimming behaviors provide comfort and joy for these children, they can also prevent them from attending to daily activities. The goal of the Peel & Play toy is to provide a replacement behavior that is both enjoyable and engaging. Developed by a team called Solive Ventures, the toy incorporates puzzles and interactive features.

Resembling an orange that can be peeled off, the toy provides tactile feedback and vibrations for sensory stimulation. It also includes lights, songs, and different gaming modes. The toy uses haptic device techniques to provide vibrating feedback when pieces are inserted, while the LEDs and songs provide auditory and visual feedback, making the toy engaging and interactive.

The pieces of the toy can be put together to form different shapes, such as animals and numbers, allowing children to be creative and play with the puzzles in various ways. The toy also includes different gaming modes, such as “Catch Me If You Can” and “Simon Says,” which promote cognitive development and memory skills.

Initially targeted at three to four-year-olds, the toy has been observed to be popular among children of different ages. The vibrating mode is popular among younger children, while the puzzle and gaming modes are more suitable for elementary school-aged children.

Tracking actions for engagement

One of the key features of the Peel & Play toy is its ability to track individual usage and provide metrics on children’s engagement. This functionality could prove invaluable in educational settings, enabling teachers to monitor and support children’s progress. By identifying when and how children are using the toy, educators can devise interventions and activities to improve classroom association and reduce reliance on stimming activities.

Future applications of the toy include the development of an app to monitor the developmental milestones of children using the toy. This app will allow parents and therapists to track the child’s progress and customize the activities based on their developmental age.

Conclusion: A toy to ease stimming activities

The Peel & Play toy is set to launch in South Korea in April, with the team behind the toy currently in discussions with clinics and kindergartens in the country. They also have plans to expand to the international market in the future. The toy is expected to be priced between 100 to 200 in Korea, a relatively affordable range considering the potential psychological benefits it can offer. This is particularly significant for children with autism who heavily rely on stimming activities for self-soothing.

In conclusion, the Peel & Play interactive toy, currently in its prototype phase, is a valuable tool for children with disabilities, particularly those with ASD and sensory needs. The toy provides a fun and engaging way for these children to relieve stress, regulate their emotions, and develop cognitive skills. By incorporating tactile, auditory, and visual feedback, the toy promotes sensory stimulation and interactive play. The future development of an app to monitor developmental milestones further enhances the toy’s potential impact on children’s growth and development.

Interview by Christopher Jordan of The Talking Sound.

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Real and Virtual Play Combine with Sam’s Curious Cars



Learning is best done when fun and what’s more fun than play? Sam’s Curious Cars fall right into this sweet spot and Todd gets an interactive demo from Joachim.

Sam Labs have created a series of component-based toys (think chassis, wheels, motors) that can be built up to make a vehicle – in this instance a car. The components are compatible with Lego bricks, so builders can really express themselves.

Once constructed, the car can be controlled by other components, like a switch for power and a slide for left and right. The car can also be controlled by an app and for advanced learners, the cars behaviour can be built up using control blocks in the app. It’s designed to introduce some of the key concepts of programming without actually having to code.

There’s a series of six different sets, priced from US$99 and the Curious Cars are $199. Additional sensors and motors can be bought separately. Available now from the Sam Labs shop and other good retailers.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.

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More Mileage From Your Old iPad



d-red logoMounting an older iPad in a customized frame is a great way to extend the life of the device and at the same time provide a toddler with a unique toy that builds all sorts of skills. Building skills in numbers and letters, learning to draw, or just having fun, this is a sure fire way to keep little kids engaged for hours of constructive play. d-Redshop has developed an entire family of custom apps for the iPad that can be built into the frame, and then connected via Bluetooth. The company has a number of iOS based products. The toy applications are found at MyLearnToys.com.
TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Daniel J. Lewis, The Audacity To Podcast.

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Combat Creatures – Your Own Battlebot



Affordable Play With Robot Warriors

Combat Creatures Logo

Combat Creatures introduced WiFi controllable remote toys  called Attacknids . Introduced in 2012, the toys have been a big hit and have been featured on the David Letterman show, Fox News, and many gadget shows.

The units can be armed with Nerf missiles, Ping Pong ball cannon, flying disk ammo and roving crab-walk shields, and  provide some of the thrills of the old Comedy Central Battlebot series at an affordable price.

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TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews