Talking Pictures

An idea for an interactive toy that allows parents to use their own photos to teach their children. This is done by pairing an image with a sound, and allows each child to have a unique experience customized to their own abilities and interests. Infants learn to connect things, and the sounds they make. (e.g. when a photo of a cat is placed in the TP console, a "meow" is played) Once a child begins to speak, they can be taught new vocabulary. (e.g. instead of a "meow", the word "cat" is played) For older children, TP can be used to teach a foreign language. The TP system consists of a console, and sets of RFID stickers. Each sticker is placed on the back of a photographic print. When the photo is placed on the console, a sensor reads the RFID chip. Pushing the button on the front of the console then plays the appropriate sound stored in the console's memory. Sounds can either be prerecorded onto a removable memory card, or recorded by the user. A simple interface allows a parent to assign a prerecorded sound with a photograph of their choosing, or to record their own message.