This project has been created for the Toy Design Workshop. The idea for this toy comes from two places; one is the homemade science toys website, and the other is from spy toys. Homemade Science toys are usually used in classrooms or after school clubs. Directions for making a lie detector appeared on one site for such toys. This motivated me to begin researching lie detectors and spy toys. Thus, I discoverd that spy toys are currently very popular amongst elementary school children. So, I decided to develop a lie detector-type toy for the Spy Toy niche.
The investigation kit is made up of two components. The first part and original inspiration for the toy is the Lie Detector. The other part of the toy is the voice recorder. The intended play pattern is that two or more children would play together and each would record questions into the recorder. Then they would play the questions back and take turns answering while using the lie detector to see if they are giving truthful answers.
The Investigation Kit is intended for children between the ages of 6 and 10. However, older children would probably enjoy this toy. During user testing this toy produced very interesting results. While some children used the intended play pattern others became much more creative with it. They created elaborate stories while they used the voice recorder. It seemed that the lie detector encouraged the children to be imaginative when recording. I am very excited to realize that I have created not just a fun toy but something that spurs creativity.

I was led to this project while researching science toys for Toy Design. I originally wanted created that used science or nature or a toy you might find in a Science Store. In doing so, I discovered many websites with products but only one that showed you how to make your own science toys. On this site was a homemade lie detector. I thought that this would make a great toy. Children are always trying to discover the truth about something. Orginally, I imagined a type of slumber party game that could be played like truth or dare.
Slowly, this project changed as I discoverd spy toys. I began to envision my toy as more of a role-playing toy. Children would pretend to be spys and try to solve crimes or mysterious. It was while looking at spy toys that I decided to include a voice recorder in the toy. This has proved to be an essential part of the fun-aspect of the toy. I was concerned that maybe the children did not even need the lie detector part. But when I asked one child if the lie detector was important she said "..that is practically the most important part..."

This toy comes from two sources. The first is the Science Toy Maker website which gives detailed instructions on how to make many science toys "http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/lieDetec/index.htm". The other source would be spy toys from Wild Planet. Essentially, I spent alot of time online just looking at many different types of science toys and spy toys.

The target audience would be older elementary school students between 8 to 10 yrs old. However, slightly older and slightly younger children could probably enjoy this toy.

The intended play pattern is that two or more children would play together and each would record questions into the recorder. Then they would play the questions back and take turns answering the questions while using the lie detector to see if they are giving truthful answers. The toy could create a role-playing situation where one children pretends to be the spy and the other pretends to be a detective. It could also be used in a slumber party setting as a compliment to a game of truth or dare.

It is made out of a lie detector circuit that measures skin resistance between two fingers. The resulting values move a servo motor a certain number of degrees. The servo motor acts as a meter and points either toward truth or lie depending of the values of the lie detector.
The voice recording is currently done using an i-pac that is interfaced with the key board so that buttons can operate Audacity. The audio recording would be done with digital vioce recorder.

I learned just how creative kids can be with just a little motivation. The stories they created because my toy contained a fairly inaccurate lie detector were pretty amazing.