Disney is launching a series of programmable robotic toy products!
In conjunction with the launch of WALL-E - the new animated feature from Disney and Pixar starring an adorably dorky robot - in summer this year, Disney will be releasing an innovative line of robotic toys. Amongst them are the iDance Wall-E dancing boombox, the Ultimate WALL-E robotic toy and the remote controlled Tinker Bell flying toy.
I was not even aware that Disney has been a pioneer in the area of entertainment robotics and animatronics since the 1960s until I found out about this launch and did a little bit of research. They have been implementing their technology in their theme parks all along!
The release of these new robotic toys may bring about a whole new era for Disney - where it brings robotic entertainment right into people’s homes.
From a character business point of view, I personally think this is very exciting because the robotics technology would bring the characters to life in a realistic and interactive manner. This would mean that the characters would have an unprecedented exposure to fans and ensure a longer lifespan as far as licensing opportunities are concerned. It would be interesting to see how Disney would benefit financially from this new venture. I personally think this is going to be a winner.
And check this out - the toys are designed to be programmable and come complete with infrared sensors to detect obstacles, sound direction sensors, touch sensors etc. They also double up as MP3 players!
Imagine if and when this technology is ported to other Disney characters - what it could mean for Disney! Many of their characters could be revived and immortalized!
With Club Penguin (please read my other article on Club Penguin) hacking the path through the internet jungle and the WALL-E robotic toys starting off what could be a very lucrative licensing and merchandising model, it seems that the magic in Disney is far from dead!
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