Switch Activated Toys
Modifying existing toys to be switch activated according to the clients needs
The Need
The teachers and nurses of South Shore Educational Collaborative need adaptable toys that allow for kids with disabilities to interact with non-adaptable toys. The client specifically mentioned wanting to adapt toys such as dancing stuffed animals or music toys with multiple buttons that have hard-to-access power buttons, or multiple buttons that produce unexpected outputs with their current switches. The SSEC already owns an adequate amount of buttons that connect to electronic devices through an audio jack, so they have requested that we design a solution(s) to convert existing battery-operated toys to be able to be controlled through their switches.
The Solution
By creating a connection between the and buttons, we aim to eliminate the need for constant assistance from teachers and nurses, allowing the students to independently enjoy their playtime and saving valuable time for educators. This project will focus on creating a method to connect toys with audio jack inputs to buttons for children who need switch activated toys. This approach will allow more accessibility to students with physical disabilities, so they are able to control these toys independently, reducing their reliance on constant assistance from educators. The approach taken will be a combination of a software and electrical based approach.
The Team
Vanessa Guan
Lily Tsahalis
Donnell Weldon
Benny Wu