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Customised Cuddlies
I'm posting this because my kids love it and it's a cheap way to add life to, or repair, a talking cuddly toy.
We have a talking scooby-do that cycles through saying,
"I love you!"
"Wanna hug?"
"That was the best hug ever!"
when you press a switch in its ear...
The switch is vulnerable: the wire from its battery box to its ear may have been pulled when it was being jumped on or something, it didn't last long. They asked me to resurect Scooby.
So I had an idea that was surprisingly successful: I put a tilt-switch from an alarm in Scooby's battery box to replace the broken switch. The result is far less fragile, and.... eeeerie! when someone steps on Scoobie or chucks another cuddly on him, or sits on the bed next to him, he says, "Wanna hug?".
It's given him life! And all for 50 pence and ten seconds of soldering! Everyone knows someone who has a soldering iron, don't they? So if you have a talking cuddly, this is a great way to improve them!
Disclaimers: whilst this is as easy as electronics gets, you do risk breaking the toy. That's unlikely, but this isn't: If the child sleeps with the toy, it will talk every time the child moves. Additionally, you will need to turn off the toy at the battery box when it's in the car to spare the batteries and your sanity! I also wouldn't recommend this for any toy that makes long noises like melodies, that would also get very annoying! I'm hoping this will improve the toy, not make you hate it!
A tilt switch is just a tiny can with a ball in it. When the ball shorts out two prongs inside the can, it is doing the same as pressing a normal switch: it's just easier, more natural and less vulnerable.
Use google images to see some, or google shopping to find out where to buy them. Rapid have them for 50 pence still. Maplin may be more accessible but are more expensive.
I've drawn a blue circle around the Tilt Switch can and a red one around the wires that go to the switch in the ear:
If I was to do it again, I would have cut the switch wire an inch away from the circuit board and put the tilt switch on the wire ends coming from the board, rather than directly onto the board.
Do let me know if you successfully save a cuddlies life
We have a talking scooby-do that cycles through saying,
"I love you!"
"Wanna hug?"
"That was the best hug ever!"
when you press a switch in its ear...
The switch is vulnerable: the wire from its battery box to its ear may have been pulled when it was being jumped on or something, it didn't last long. They asked me to resurect Scooby.
So I had an idea that was surprisingly successful: I put a tilt-switch from an alarm in Scooby's battery box to replace the broken switch. The result is far less fragile, and.... eeeerie! when someone steps on Scoobie or chucks another cuddly on him, or sits on the bed next to him, he says, "Wanna hug?".
It's given him life! And all for 50 pence and ten seconds of soldering! Everyone knows someone who has a soldering iron, don't they? So if you have a talking cuddly, this is a great way to improve them!
Disclaimers: whilst this is as easy as electronics gets, you do risk breaking the toy. That's unlikely, but this isn't: If the child sleeps with the toy, it will talk every time the child moves. Additionally, you will need to turn off the toy at the battery box when it's in the car to spare the batteries and your sanity! I also wouldn't recommend this for any toy that makes long noises like melodies, that would also get very annoying! I'm hoping this will improve the toy, not make you hate it!
A tilt switch is just a tiny can with a ball in it. When the ball shorts out two prongs inside the can, it is doing the same as pressing a normal switch: it's just easier, more natural and less vulnerable.
Use google images to see some, or google shopping to find out where to buy them. Rapid have them for 50 pence still. Maplin may be more accessible but are more expensive.
I've drawn a blue circle around the Tilt Switch can and a red one around the wires that go to the switch in the ear:
If I was to do it again, I would have cut the switch wire an inch away from the circuit board and put the tilt switch on the wire ends coming from the board, rather than directly onto the board.
Do let me know if you successfully save a cuddlies life
).
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