Interactive Robotic Toy Finger Clinging Animation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of interactive robotic toys that can cling to a person's finger and exhibit a combination of physical animations, such as head motion and sound, in response to user actions like kissing, cradling, and hanging upside down, which are not addressed by existing finger puppets or toys.
Innovation Solution
An interactive robotic toy with a body section, flexible limbs, a rotatable head section, eyes with lids, a speaker, motor, touch sensors, sound sensors, and a processor that selects and produces physical animations based on user interactions, including sound and motion responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a toy is designed to cling to a finger, then it provides portability and ease of use, but it limits the size and complexity of components that can be integrated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nesting by placing the speaker inside the body section, positioning the motor within the head section, and integrating sensors into the limbs. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional components to coexist in a compact configuration that maintains finger-clinging capability while enabling complex interactions and animations
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors and actuators are integrated into the toy, then it can exhibit complex physical animations, but it increases device complexity and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The processor serves multiple functions by receiving signals from various sensors (touch, sound, motion), processing these inputs, and coordinating multiple actuators (motor, eye blink actuator, speaker) to produce different physical animations. This multi-functional approach allows the system to achieve versatile behavior with a centralized control architecture, managing complexity through functional integration
3Adaptability or versatility
If the toy includes multiple sensors for detecting user actions, then it can respond to diverse interactions, but it increases power consumption and device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic sampling of sensor inputs rather than continuous monitoring, with the processor checking for changes in touch, sound, and motion states at discrete intervals. This periodic detection approach enables the toy to respond to diverse user interactions while minimizing power consumption by keeping sensors in low-power states between sampling events
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The toy effectively responds to user actions with a range of animations, enhancing user engagement through a combination of sound and motion, such as laughing, sneezing, and kissing sounds, while maintaining attachment to a finger.
Implementation Method 1
at least one touch sensor for detecting touch
Implementation Method 2
at least one sound sensor for detecting sound in the vicinity of the toy
Implementation Method 3
at least one rotational motion sensor for detecting rotational motion of the toy about selected axes
Data Source
AI summary
The toy includes a body section including flexible limbs and a head section rotatably coupled with the body section having eyes and eye lids. A speaker and a motor to rotate the head section are provided along with an eyes blink actuator which moves the eye lids. A touch sensor and a sound sensor for detecting sound in the vicinity of the toy are included. A rotational motion sensor detects rotational motion of the toy about selected axes. A memory is provided for storing a plurality of physical animations. A processor, coupled with the speaker, motor, eyes blink actuator, touch sensor, sound sensor, rotation motion sensor and the memory, selects at least one physical animation corresponding to signals received from the touch sensor, sound sensor and rotational motion sensor. The processor produces signals corresponding to the selected physical animation for the speaker, the motor and/or the eyes blink actuator.