A programming tool kit "toio (toyo)" that Sony created with the concept of "play × robot"

Tokyo Toy Show 2017, Sony toy platform "ToioWe announced. It is a product that can be used for program education that allows you to create lovely movements by loading programs into a small "cube" with the theme of "play × robot".

Toy Platform "toio ™" | First Flight
https://first-flight.sony.com/pj/toio

A booth written "toio".


It is a product called "toio" which Sony announced as a toy platform.


It attracted attention as many people as we could.


He said that if it loads the program into a small block-shaped "cube" it starts to move.


Toio consists of such parts.


The body "toio console". It is the dummy cartridge that is inserted in the center. You can enjoy various ways of playing by replacing cartridges like game machines.


It is about this size compared with iPhone 6s. Rounded design with no corners is a design that is enjoyed by small children as well.


This is a moving object called "toio core cube" (cube). If you load the program you can freely move the cube. It is possible to enjoy various movements depending on the idea.


The protrusion on the cube's top surface is for docking other 'toys'. For example, if you combine Lego, you can make "moving Lego".


The bottom is a structure that supports with 3 points of two wheels and a fulcrum serving as a fulcrum, it has a built-in motor and can move around. The black part on the upper left is the sensor and the terminal for charging is on the upper right.


It is the round controller like a donut that operates the cube "toio ring". Acceleration sensors are built in, so you can recognize operations such as shaking and tilting. It can be operated regardless of left hand / right hand, and it is designed based on ergonomics so that buttons can be easily pushed.


I put the toio ring on the desk and hit it ... ...


You can grasp it with both hands like a handle and use it freely. It has great freedom in how to use the controller itself.


Button 1 to operate with your thumb


Two buttons, button 2 and button 3, also in the opposite position to the grip part.


Push button 4 with thumb


The toio logo is the home button.


And, a Sony-like "Jog" dial.


An indicator on the side of the ring.


The display on the top of the toio console is dare to black and white. It is said to serve as a monitor to convey the state of the cube to the last.


A speaker beside the cartridge.


The controller is removable and has two mounted.


A dent to charge the cube.


Toio on the front side of the console volume button ......


There is a power switch.


A USB port is also installed for expansion.


Although the prototype machine was a Micro-USB port, it seems that the product will be an AC jack in terms of ease of plugging and ease and safety.


So, I asked them to demonstrate what to play with toio.


It is toio developers and Andre · Alexi of the Sony Computer Science Laboratory to explain.


First insert the cartridge into the toio console. The cartridge contains a program that makes toio various movements.


And two cubes.


The cube is able to produce every movement from the three elements "position" "direction" "time". It is a big technical advantage of the cube that the cube can read the position information of all points of the mat placed on the table so that the cube can accurately grasp where you are.


By looking at the movement of 'Care of Life' programmed cube, you can understand the possibility of 'play' created by toio with a single shot.

Do not escape targeted prey, Toy Platform toio's 'Meodama Organism' is too cute - YouTube


A guide book named 'How to make gozenroid'. Various programs are prepared in this picture book.


The way of playing is "flowing a favorite thing" → "making a work" → "injecting a program of movement" → "playing on a mat".


Attach eyeballs made by the work to the cube. Adhesive etc is unnecessary, it can be mounted with block projections.


If you place everyday creature on the black program loading sheet of the picture book, the program will be loaded.


Let's put another cube in front of Meshiba creatures. For everyday life it is "food".


Elektronism does not keep an eye on the prey. Even if you move quickly to the left or right, I will chase the cube tightly.



When I make a meaning that I pick up the food from before my eyes ......


I move about while looking around Kyo Rokuro. cute…….


Even if you put the cube back in the back, you will find food immediately.


Elephant creature staring at prey. Because eyewife is shy, it is just looking at the situation that the eyes match.


When the food shows the back ... ...


After trembling with the chance of a thousand chances, it suddenly attacked us.


If the food faces this direction with too much fierce attack, I will only look at it again.


The movement of this ecodia creature and the cube to become a food is almost a pseudo one. It is not that they are actually physically conflicting, but each is grasping the position and creating a dynamic movement. For example, if there is enough room behind a food, the affected food block will show a movement to be repelled behind.


However, if there is not enough space behind and it is likely to fall out of the mat, I will accept it without losing the attack. Each cube grasps the position, time and direction, and creates lovely and realistic movements.


Depending on the program, it is obviously OK to physically touch and blow your opponent. It is also ant to play sumo wrestling with a disc-shaped mat that is supposed to be a ring.


If you put your favorite toy on the cube, you can create your own robot. The battle play which had been playing against the "fantasy world" with hands toys is transformed into "real fight" if you program with toio.


It is the toio ring that manipulates the love aircraft.


You can check the situation of fighting in the real world with the following movie.

Manipulate your favorite character with Toy Platform "toio", fight against the real world - YouTube


How to use the toio ring is very free. Depending on the program, it may be ants to use it like a bracelet. In addition, when I heard the schedule for wirelessization of the toio ring, it seems to have been sent off this time to increase the cost, but it is technically possible. It may be added depending on request.


According to Mr. Alexie, the concept of toio itself was born five years ago. It seems that it was difficult to create a way to move the cube freely with the program, and four years ago, it was said that a prototype that tracked movement was installed by attaching multiple cameras on the mat. It is said that it took time to go beyond the technical hurdle to realize the idea, but finally it finally got to the present model of using the mat and sensor to manipulate the parameters of "position" "direction" "time" It seems that we were able to reach and commercialize it.


Toio is excellent as an educational tool is that it is a place where you can try trial idea immediately, trial and error is repeating. Toio console, toio ring, etc. are just sub-roles, it is the significance of toio that you actually touch the cube body, decide the goal (your goal) yourself, and think about the program accordingly.

With toio, even simple movements can be transformed into a lovely scalable robot "Shaktory".

"Shaktory" which reproduces cute kimono moving cute with toy platform "toio" which can program cube freely - YouTube


Shaktory will show a completely different movement if you change the design.

Improve the toy platform 'toio' 's shaktory to transform it into a mysteriously moving creature - YouTube


The toy platform "toio" wants to be a platform that supports the foundation of toys as a platform. For this reason, I have already cooperated with other companies, such as collaborating with LEGO to make LEGO · CUBE, and that there are various ideas. Depending on collaboration, the day when my favorite character starts to move may come.


The toy platform "toio" is scheduled to be released on December 1, 2017 with the toio console · toio ring · toio core cube set at around 20,000 yen.


A lot of programs are prepared, and the "Croatian creature gemstrod" in the article will be around 4000 yen.


Toio Introduction video - YouTube


In addition, at the same time as announcing toio, reservation sale began at Sony's EC site "First Flight", but at the time of article creation, the first time limited "all sets" (25,555 yen including tax), "Basic set" 1557 yen) is sold out.
Toy Platform "toio ™" | First Flight
https://first-flight.sony.com/pj/toio