Interactive Soft Toys for Infants and Toddlers - Design Recommendations for Age-appropriate Play
summary
Built an interactive soft textile book, tested with video-recorded play sessions, a six-parent focus group and three expert interviews; infants under three reliably trigger only one-step transparent interactions, rarely discover pulls (pressing on flat surfaces works), and often use whole-body exploration or try to dismantle the toy. Digital effects that worked were subtle and tied to real-world cues (an LED firefly that brightens opposite stars), while mismatches (a singing fish) confused infants. Design calls for washable, robust e-textiles, low-voltage electronics, predictable effects and caregiver-friendly features.
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chapters (4)
- 0:00Introduction and user study
- 2:15Design recommendations overview
- 5:54Smart toy design for toddlers
- 7:10Q&A session
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