Called Jooki, the smart-toy jukebox lets kids play their favourite music via NFC-tech collectable toy figurines.
The UK will be a major focus for the launch of a new smart-toy that lets kids play their favourite songs via collectable toy figures.
Called Jooki, the sound system uses ‘toys-to-life’ technology to encourage youngsters to share music among friends and family.
Having secured 107 per cent of its Kickstarter goal of €50,000, Jooki is the latest product from the consumer tech and toy start-up, MuuseLabs and has been designed to bring ‘new angles to the toy and children’s entertainment industry.’
“We see the toy and consumer tech industries coming closer together in the future and Jooki is one product that combines tech from both,” Theodore Marescaux, CEO of MuuseLabs, told ToyNews.
“Jooki is one of the first products that opens the path to kids and family tech, beyond simply toys. It’s a kids’ product and has all the toy properties such as robustness and toy safety, but it is also a consumer electronics device with high-quality speakers and a design that appeals to kids and their parents.”
Jooki utilises technology first popularised by the Skylanders franchise to play music through its collectable and customisable figurines called Jooki Stars.
Each Star includes an NFC chip that links to a playlist, podcast or web stream, allowing the portable music player to function without a smartphone or a tablet.
It may be early days for the product but interest from retailers and distributors across the globe has already started pouring in, with the UK being a major focus when it launches in 2017.
“The way we listen to music today has evolved and I want kids to be part of the digital revolution while we do our bit to reduce screen time,” said Marescaux.
“There is plenty of opportunity for customisation with Jooki, we live in an era where 3D printing at home has become a reality and we have many ideas for Jooki in the future,” he concluded.
