An automatic mobile robot for facilitating activities to improve both neurotypical and autistic children's intellectual and emotional development is disclosed. The mobile robot has a non-humanoid toy shape, and includes an expressive face perceived as friendly and approachable by autistic children. The mobile robot is durable and safe for children. It includes auto-play, game, and occupational therapy modes. Games and therapeutic activities may be customized to suit each child user's developmental level. The mobile robot includes multiple sensors and components configured to process and express emotion in response to data received from the sensing units and the patterns of the user's interactions with the robot.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a modeling compound molding system. The molding system is generally comprised of an openable interlocking molding device, the openable interlocking molding device is configured to cast external features onto a modeling compound surface by securing the modeling compound within a molding cavity of the openable interlocking molding device.

A toy figurine and/or toy figurine packaging is coated with a dissolvable layer. When the toy figurine is coated, the toy figurine is entirely coated so that its overall appearance, including its skin complexion and/or facial features, is substantially hidden or obscured. Then, when the figurine is submerged in a fluid, the dissolvable layer dissolves to reveal the figurine's appearance that had been hidden underneath the dissolvable layer. When the toy figurine packaging is coated, the toy figurine packaging hides the identity of a toy figurine enclosed therein until fluid is introduced to the packaging.

A toy figurine comprising a figurine body with an identity selected from a set of identities and a removable plush costume covering the figurine body and obscuring the identity of the figurine body. The plush costume includes one or more separately removable portions and removing one or more of the separately removable portions reveals the identity of the figurine body.

Toy electronic display structures to receive and support a user to rotating their electronic display device resulting in first and second viewing configurations, with a support mechanism disposing alternate facing gaming display and virtual reality viewing of the electronic display device. A smart phone with a display screen or like electronic display device is arranged to direct the display screen of the smart phone in oppositely disposed for different viewing configurations.

Provided is a communication apparatus in which, when the moving image data composed of a plurality of frame images for expressing an emotion is switched from first moving image data to second moving image data to be reproduced and displayed on a display unit, a display control unit selects a frame image to start reproducing from the second moving image data in order to reproduce and display the second moving image data in such a way that a next frame image of a frame image of the first moving image data reproduced and displayed immediately before the switching becomes similar to the frame image of the second moving image data to be reproduced and displayed immediately after the switching.

An educational doll assembly includes a doll that has a body, a neck extending upwardly from the body and a head that is movably coupled to the neck. The neck extends upwardly into the head such that the head is rotatable about the neck. The head has a plurality of faces thereon and each of the faces is structured to resemble different ethnicities of human beings. The head is rotatable such that a selected one of the faces is aligned with the body of the doll. An audio unit is coupled to the doll and the audio unit stores a plurality of spoken words in a plurality of different languages. The audio unit emits the spoken words in a language corresponding to the ethnicity of the selected face on the head. In this way the audio unit teaches a user about the language spoken by the ethnicity on the selected face.

A manipulable multi-piece toy having a spherical body that is removably captured between a base and an attachment member is provided. The base and the attachment member are configured to have portions of a coupling element associated therewith. The base also has a depression with curvature for receiving and securely retaining a first portion of the spherical body in its assembled configuration. In some configurations, the depression comprises a seat with geometry that mates with geometry of the spherical body. By one approach, the base includes a vehicular or figure body. In another aspect, the attachment member includes, for example, a helmet, a hat, a headdress, hair, horns, ears, and/or a mask.

An illuminated display device with a base member representing an eye and having a primary cavity therein, usually existing as a pair of devices to represent two eyes. Thin walls within the primary cavity divide it into multiple chambers, wherein each chamber has a unique shape and volume that represents a view of a unique emotive response in an eye. Illumination devices are placed in each unique thin-walled chamber shape to emit light in a pattern from the chamber volume through a top opening of the cavity. Lighting all illumination devices equally imitates an open eye, while illuminating the volume of one or more unique chamber shapes at OFF or lesser brightness than the volume in other chambers creates a negative space, giving the illusion that the eye has changed shape to equal the shape in the brightly lit chambers only. The device can thus imitate the changing shapes in an eye shown when expressing emotion and the device is capable of exhibiting eight or more distinct emotive responses. A speaker can emit sounds in synchronization with a pattern of illumination to enhance the emotive effect. The unique chamber shapes and volumes in the primary cavity can be covered by translucent material that may be printed with a graphic representation of an eye.

A customizable mannequin form that may be decorated according to user preference is provided. The mannequin form includes a front side resembling a face, wherein one or more accessory apertures are disposed thereon. The front side is removably secured to a rear side, thereby forming an interior volume. The front side and the rear side are removably attachable to one another via one or more fasteners. A speaker and light source are operatively connected to a power source, wherein the speaker, light source, and power source are disposed within the interior volume of the mannequin form. The mannequin form further includes multiple accessory portions that may be inserted through the one or more accessory apertures disposed on the front side in order to provide a customized appearance.