ABSTRACT
Smart toys first appeared fewer than 10 years ago, and they were considered in some quarters of the toy industry to be the new rock ’n roll. Likewise, the study of haptics-the sense of touch-has been receiving increased attention over the past decade as the basis for a revolutionary form of computer interface. Although in many ways smart toys and haptics research are quite distinct, this chapter reviews the multidisciplinary research being carried out by the author that attempts to build some connections between them. A general overview of current research is presented, followed by a description of a new experimental rig and example case studies enabled by the equipment.
