Basma: An Interactive IoT-Based Plush Toy for Arabic-Speaking Children

A toy is an item mainly intended for children to play with. However, due to its important role in child development, it has evolved to encompass sophisticated educational and learning characteristics. Toy industry has evolved to provide these needs as digital interactive smart toys. Interactive toys combine traditional toys with additional computing capabilities using software and hardware components. This paper presents the design and development of an interactive toy system named “Basma” which interacts with a child in Arabic language. The system consists of two parts: The first one is a plush toy with a hardware component that is implemented using a low cost Internet of Things (IoT) kit. This part leverages the interaction between the child and the toy, allowing the toy to respond and talk. The second part is an iPad application connected to the toy via Bluetooth. It allows parents to customize the toy and provides the child with stories that embed moral and cultural values. The interactive toy system was evaluated using test scenarios and user acceptance.