Baby Tango: Electronic Textile Toys for Full-Body Interaction

We describe two prototypes from the Baby Tango project: electronic textile toys that enable soft, tangible, full-body interaction. It presents interaction techniques that bridge the physical, the digital, and the social, as well as a case study in constructing interactive composite textiles. Given that the softness of the toy is a central design constraint, most of the circuit, including the sensors, is embroidered directly on the surface of the artifact using technical threads (with varying electro-mechanical properties) and a digital embroidery/laying machine. This submission includes design and technical details, as well as initial interaction design scenarios. The next steps of this project will explore how these toys could support the development of empathy in toddlers through embodied play. Further work is needed in order to develop background research, collaborations with early childhood researchers, as well as empirical studies. Future work will include the development of these studies; iterating aspects of interaction and play through participatory design; and improving technical design to focus on reliability, robustness, and durability.