FabToys: Large Arrays of Fabric-Based Pressure Sensors in Plush Toys to Detect Fine-Grained Interaction

Stuffed toys are often a child's first friend and play an important role in a child's cognitive, physical, and emotional development. They are also essential for building social skills through pretend play and role-playing. For example, when children groom or feed a stuffed toy, they mimic everyday interactions which then transition into the social world. During the process of caring for a stuffed toy, they also build empathy and kindness. Such interactions also play an important role in language skills, since children act out stories and scenarios with their toys.