"Mindstorm", an electric Lego doll
The toy companies are introducing more and more high-tech applications into their products. Experts say that the educational value of a computerized doll is not necessarily high
It's a bit hard to call these devices toys, even though that's exactly what they are. The old rules have been kept - some of them are construction games, some resemble equipment and devices from the world of adults, and others are more didactic, sort of workbooks for freedom, only a little more fun. The common denominator of all these toys: they are all extremely sophisticated high-tech products.
The established toy companies, such as Mattel (which in cooperation with the Intel company established laboratories for the development of smart toys) and Fisher Price, have in the last two years released more and more toys that use elite technology. They are confronted by younger companies, such as Vitech and Neurosmith, who are upgrading their products from simple game blocks to technological products.
In September, the Lego company is supposed to launch the "MyBot" series, intended for 6-4 year olds, centered on a cockpit around which you can build a spaceship, a racing car or a robot. What sets "MyBot" apart from other Lego assembly kits is the "smart bricks", which attach to the cockpit and respond to changes in environmental conditions. One type of smart brick reacts to lighting changes, another to cockpit movement, and a third to temperature changes.
"When the child decides which game blocks to use to assemble a certain model, he is actually building a simple computer program," explained in the online edition of the magazine "Wired" Mitchell Resnick, a lecturer at the MIT laboratories, who helped the Lego company develop the game's computer interface. "This initial activity plays a key role in expanding the child's horizons in everything related to building the product according to his satisfaction," he says. Contrary to the popular opinion that technological toys help children feel more comfortable in a technological environment, Resnik emphasizes that the best way to do this is to simply motivate them to use technology, and not just put electronic toys in front of them.
Some of these sophisticated toys can ignite the special sparkle in the eyes of adults as well. Indeed, according to data published by the American Toy Manufacturers Association, about a third of the sales of an older Lego assembly kit - Mind-Storm - were for adults. However, experts warn parents not to be dazzled by the advanced technology in these toys. In many cases, more than the toy excites the children themselves, it tempts the parents into thinking that a technological toy will promote the child's development and integration into studies.
"A smart chip that is installed in the body of a certain doll does not necessarily make it an educational toy," emphasized Hilary Retting, editor of the technological consumer website "Technocopy". Most people, she said, call Frebi dolls a smart toy, even though they have no educational benefit. "A box of colors and plasticine for $16 will advance the child's development much more than a Barbie doll that costs $60," Retting said.
Diane Cardinale, from the Toy Manufacturers Association, also agrees with this claim. According to her, in addition to the fact that most electronic toys are not educational at all, some of them may achieve the opposite result. As an example, she describes cases where beeping robots and flashing light bulbs of toys caused emotional damage to children.
"The children need a wide range of options," says Cardinale, "they need technological toys, fur dolls, play bricks and toy cars, toys that they can operate, and not just those that only operate according to computer commands."
"Haaretz" service
{Appeared in Haaretz newspaper, 19/7/2000}
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