Artificial Intelligence sounds like something complex and it is. But now you can create your own smart plush toy which uses AI to communicate with you.
This is possible thanks to an open source project called The Smart Toy. It provides open source technologies to everyone who want to create their own smart toys with artificial intelligence.
It is also the first AI which is able to sense the world and develop a personality, the official site claims. There is a video demo which shows off a plush Baymax toy from Disney’s Big Hero 6 which has this module installed and is able to communicate and converse with the person. It is also able to answer questions, play music and so on.
As with other artificial intelligence projects, this one gets more and more advanced the more it is used. Apart from other projects though, you can actually make this one yourself. You need a plush toy or a stuffed animal of your choice and some hardware:
Minimum Hardware:
– 1 Raspberry Pi 3
– 1 Micro SD Card 8GB
– 1 Emotion Processing Unit (EPU USB Dongle)
– 1 USB Microphone / Speaker (Jabra is better)
– 1 Power Bank (output 2.1A)
– 1 Micro USB cable
– 1 Qi Wireless Charger pad + receiver (optional)
– 1 Toy (ie Disney Baymax Big Hero 6 plush)
Then you have to download the software, which costs $9 from the project’s official site. Next, using your IPhone or Android phone, create a local Hotspot “The SmartToy” with the password “Emoshape”. Now The Smart Toy it will work from anywhere!
This video shows how to make your own plush toy with artificial intelligence, once you have all the hardware needed. It is definitely a great and easy way to create the most unique and personalized stuffed toy gift. It would also be a very interactive toy which is sure to keep kids and adults intrigued and entertained.
