Zowie Intertainment
TypeSubsidiary
IndustrySmart toy
Founded1998
Founder
FateAcquired by Lego
ParentLego (2000-Present)

Zowie Intertainment was a smart toy research company founded in 1998 by a group of engineers from Interval Research Corporation that focused on applying various computer and sensor technology research to smart toy development.[3][4] In 2000, toy design and manufacturing firm Lego acquired ownership of Zowie Intertainment as part of their smart toy division.[5]

Zowie Intertainment primarily relied on embedding proprietary RF sensors and recognition technologies in physical toys such as plastic figurines to create different game play and interaction experiences that could also be interfaced via a computer screen.[6]

History

In 1998, Zowie Intertainment was initially spun-off from Interval Research Corporation by Philippe P. Piernot, Allan Alcorn, and Amy Francetic among others.[7][5][8][1]

Zowie Intertainment’s portfolio of proprietary sensing and recognition technologies was called the Zowie Power. Zowie Intertainment released smart toy playsets such as Ellie’s Enchanted Garden and Redbeard's Pirate Quest, play-sets that merged playing with plastic figurines with interacting with a computer game.[6]

The company’s acquisition by Lego was part of Lego’s plan to fuse digital aspects of play to physical toys, a hybrid interaction internally referred to as “fluid play.” With a concept to create a toy-computer play-set based on the then popular Lego Duplo Circus theme, Lego also brought on the technology development team of Zowie Intertainment to work on a smart toy technology platform called the KidPad. However, due to the dot-com bubble crash and the ensuing economic difficulties, the KidPad Circus and related programs at Lego were cancelled.[9]

Zowie Intertainment was also one of the companies that organized discussions regarding psychological and developmental concerns of children interacting with smart toys and electronic playthings.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 "Allan Alcorn: Video Games as a Driver of Computing Technology" (PDF). San Jose State University, The Department of Computer Science and The Department of Computer Engineering. 5 October 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  2. ↑ "Tales of the Creation of the Video Game Industry". Media X at Stanford University. 30 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2023-07-02. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  3. ↑ "Oral History of Allan (Al) Alcorn" (PDF). 23 May 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  4. ↑ ""Allan E. Alcorn" Transcript of an interview conducted by Christopher Weaver" (PDF). 26 May 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  5. 1 2 "LEGO Company To Acquire Zowie Intertainment". 4 May 2000. Archived from the original on 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  6. 1 2 "Zowie Playsets, Demos, Patents". Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  7. ↑ "Al Alcorn Interview". 13 May 2012. Archived from the original on 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  8. ↑ "How curiosity keeps Pong creator Al Alcorn on the innovation path (interview)". 20 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  9. ↑ "How the LEGO Group Blends the Physical and Digital to Create New Forms of Play" (PDF). 16 December 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  10. ↑ Smart Toys: Brave New World?. 6 April 2000. pp. 247–248. doi:10.1145/633292.633436. ISBN 9781581132489. S2CID 31168670. Archived from the original on 2023-07-02. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
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