Play has always taken many forms, from hide-and-seek to today’s variety of inventive toys. Now, with the advent of the internet and ubiquitous mobile devices we are entering the age of “Connected Play”, a theme highlighted at this year’s Digital Kids Conference @ Toy Fair.
Connected Play provides variety of new play experiences for children, marrying physical play activities with connectivity of the internet through innovative new devices, creating altogether new play patterns. It is an exciting time!
It is with that in mind that we are pleased to announce our first keynote: Boris Sofman, Co-Founder and CEO, Anki and Joby Otero, Chief Creative Officer, Anki. As Wired Magazine recently put it: Anki Drive makes hybrid video game toys fun again with its iPad-controlled lane changing, car shooting and character combat races.
Prior to joining Anki, Otero was Vice President of Art and Technology and a Creative Director at Activision where he was a key leader in driving the creation of the multi-billion dollar Skylanders franchise.
Sofman is making it his life’s mission to push the boundaries of entertainment to create consumer products that people would not expect to be possible, all powered by robotics and artificial intelligence.
Anki is trailblazing a new category in consumer robotics that makes previously inaccessible technologies available to the masses. Anki DRIVE, Anki’s first product, fuses mobile technology, robotics, AI and gaming to bring toys to life. Will high-performance robotics and artificial intelligence alter the way we engage with one another? More specifically, will it change how we play? By combining these elements, Anki can deliver an unprecedented level of character personality and interaction in a physical game. Is this a taste of what’s to come for toys and entertainment?
We look forward to hearing how this sector will grow and thrive.
