Plushbot

Abstract

In recent years, a burgeoning landscape of tangible, interactive toys has emerged--construction kits, robotic characters, and so on. At the same time, there has been relatively little development in software systems that permit users (including younger users) to design and create their own computationally-enhanced tangible figures. This paper presents Plushbot, a prototype system whose purpose is to allow people to create and customize programmable stuffed toys. Plushbot includes features specifically aimed at facilitating the incorporation of computational elements within stuffed fabric designs. Here we describe the current (still early) state of the system, show a completed project employing the system, and outline near- and medium-term directions for its continued development.