Our Toys

See & Learn Piano (LeapFrog, 2001)

The See & Learn Piano was a popular item at the thrift store we frequented, and we decided that working on one would be a good opportunity to show how basic circuit bending can create a novel, versatile instrument. With its four piano-like keys, programmed sounds and multiple modes of play, the See & Learn had several things we could potentially  tweak.

We achieved a result we liked by means of a single bend. We discovered this bend by touching two random points on the circuit board, and further spontaneity is found in the See & Learn’s erratic tones and chaotic light display. As opposed to the pitch-manipulation bends we attempted on other toys, our See & Learn bend turns the toy into a distorted, abrasive sound generator. The programmed patterns lose their friendly timbre, and individual buzzy tones are playable on the the keys. We soldered on a toggle switch to control the bend, so the See & Learn can shift from its original sounds to the circuit bent ones in an instant.

Musical Valentine “Love” Gorilla (Dan Dee Collector’s Choice, Copyright Date Unknown) 

With the Dan Dee Collector’s Choice Valentine Gorilla doll, we wanted to manipulate a toy that acted predictably each time you used it. While some of the toys we worked on would somewhat randomly go between sounds or phrases, the Valentine Gorilla did one thing each time its foot was squeezed: it played back Nat King Cole’s classic ballad “L-O-V-E” to a synchronized light display.

After cutting open the back of the doll, we were able to easily locate the circuit board and touch a wire to the resistor that controlled the current’s pitch and speed. Using a potentiometer, we sped up the song to make Nat King Cole’s voice squeak like a mouse, and we slowed it down until it was unrecognizable. The bend caused the song to occasionally make quick octave jumps, giving it a nice, experimental feel. In addition, we attached a toggle switch to the bend, allowing us to switch back and forth between the original version of the song and our new take on it.

Hug ‘n’ Wiggle Winnie the Pooh (Disney/Mattel, 1997) 

Our satirical “corporate takedown” toy was originally going to be a talking Cookie Monster, as discussed on the “Outtakes/Attempted Toys” page. When we ran into trouble with Cookie Monster and couldn’t bend him, we turned to another ubiquitous character from our childhood years: Winnie the Pooh. The lovable, absent-minded bear was an appropriate candidate for circuit bending symbolism, since Disney, the owner of his likeness, knows a thing or two about planned obsolescence. The company puts a literal expiration date on their films with the “vault” system, which stops home video production of Disney classics until they are given special rereleases. While overall access to these films has increased during the digital era, Disney’s vault was notorious for causing people to pay large sums of money for “rare” copies.

We transformed Pooh Bear into a dehumanized, harrowing symbol of corporate greed by soldering wires to capacitors on the circuit board. The bend creates a loop of high-pitched squealing while Pooh’s nose vibrates, creating what is arguably the most frightening result of our semester of circuit bending. The loop cuts out sometimes, triggering distorted versions of the toy’s catchphrases, an alternative that is hardly comforting. We attached a button to trigger the bend, as well as a potentiometer to manipulate the pitch of the noise. Disney might not be pleased if they find out what Pooh Bear is up to in our vault.