Summary of Plush toy, singing with Mommy’s voice
This article details a DIY project to transform a plush toy into a singing companion that plays recordings of the mother's voice instead of generic music. The build involves modifying a teddy bear by opening it, installing electronics including an Arduino Uno and MP3 shield, and reassembling the toy with Velcro strips for access. The project requires basic soldering skills and aims to create a personalized gift while engaging in electronics hobbyism.
Parts used in the Singing Plush Toy:
- Plush toy
- Velcro strips
- Arduino Uno
- MP3 shield (Sparkfun model recommended)
- 0.5W speaker
- 9V battery with connector
- 2.1mm Jack plug
- Pushbutton
- On-off switch (optional)
- Crimp connectors (optional)
- Used credit or fidelity card
- Empty business card box
This Instructables is about upgrading a plush toy to give it the ability to sing when baby presses its belly.
Most importantly : it will not play a stupid pre-recorded music, but actually sing mommy’s songs, with mommy’s voice !
This project started with two goals in mind: customizing a nice gift for my baby, and raising support from my wife in my electronics hobby 🙂
Material needed
Toy
– plush toy (one that you can tear apart without regret)
– Velcro strips
Electronics
– Arduino Uno
– MP3 shield (I recommend Sparkfun’s https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10628 – the code I will provide is based on this model)
– 0.5W speaker
– 9V battery with its connector and a 2.1mm Jack to plug in the Arduino
– pushbutton
– on-off switch (optional)
– crimp connectors (optional)
Other components
– used credit or fidelity card
– empty business card box.
Level : I assume the reader is comfortable with both Arduino (and shields) and general electronics, including soldering. I will skip many details but do not hesitate to ask in comments, I will reply.
Acknowledgment : Bill Porter has written a MP3 librairy for the Sparkfun shield that greatly facilitated my work (as well as further support in his forum). His website is
Step 1: Ripping apart Teddy Bear and stitching it backStep 1: Ripping apart Teddy Bear and stitching it back
As the title suggest, this step involves sharp blades and open-heart surgery.
Jokes aside – It is important to open the plush toy in the cleanest fashion possible, in order to be able to put in back together at the end.
Look for a long sewing line, for example in the back, and cut the sewing threads with a cutter blade.
Then remove all filler from the belly, and keep it in a plastic bag.
Last step for the preparation of the plush toy : sew two bands of Velcro on each side of the cut.
The first picture show the assembly diagram.
(Note: read this Instructable until the end before. Some of these wires need to go through a hole of the box, before soldering)
First, solder the connectors to the MP3 shield and plug it into the Arduino. Then, let us deal with the pushbutton.
1) The pushbutton connects the +5V to the pin 5 of the shield, one of the few pins left available on the Sparkfun MP3 shield. a 10kOhm pull-down connects the pin 5 to the ground.
2) There will probably be no room for breadboard in the toy, so you will have to solder the wires and the resistor on a small piece of proto board, as shown on the 2nd picture. Then, insert a small piece of insulator (extruded polystyrene, cardboard, …) between the MP3 shield and the proto board, to avoid any short circuits.
3) Notice that the pushbutton connection to the proto board is through a crimp connector. This is optional, but is very convenient later when arranging the electronic enclosure. The final overview of the pushbutton can be seen on the last picture
For more detail: Plush toy, singing with Mommy’s voice
- What is the main goal of this project?
The goal is to customize a gift for a baby so the toy sings mommy's songs using her actual voice instead of pre-recorded music. - How do you prepare the plush toy for installation?
You must find a long sewing line, cut the threads to open the toy, remove all filler from the belly, and sew two bands of Velcro on each side of the cut. - Which pin does the pushbutton connect to on the MP3 shield?
The pushbutton connects the +5V to pin 5 of the shield, which is one of the few available pins on the Sparkfun MP3 shield. - What component prevents short circuits between the shield and proto board?
A small piece of insulator such as extruded polystyrene or cardboard should be inserted between the MP3 shield and the proto board. - Is breadboard usage recommended for this assembly?
No, there will likely be no room for a breadboard inside the toy, so wires and resistors must be soldered directly onto a small piece of proto board. - What library facilitates the work on the Sparkfun MP3 shield?
Bill Porter has written an MP3 library for the Sparkfun shield that greatly facilitated the author's work. - Can the on-off switch be omitted from the project?
Yes, the on-off switch is listed as optional in the materials list. - What type of audio output is required for the project?
A 0.5W speaker is required to play the audio through the modified plush toy.
