Learning and Interactive Tangible User Interfaces (Smart Toys)

Smart Toys allow an interaction with the user that goes beyond what a normal toy can provide. They possess the ability to learn from teachings by their owner, and it is by this learning process that an intimate bond is forged between the owner and their toy. This research looks at the the forces behind the learning process and the development of a physical device that can function as a Smart Toy. The Sulley Smart Toy is adapted from a plush doll. This introduces some interesting challenges, but also allows an interaction of a kind that is different to most existing smart toys. Sulley can be hugged and squeezed, and from this interaction he can perform actions. The action itself is determined by an interactive reinforcement learning model. Part of this research was to determine how best to apply existing reinforcement learning methods to the quirks of this model.