This microcontroller interfaces, via a serial connection, the physical toy with the SAGE Storytellers software that resides i n an external Macintosh computer. These features were motivated by the need to embed in the toy the mechanisms to give non-verbal as well as verbal feedback. For example, to show attention, when the rabbit becomes a listener, its ears go up. As part of the authoring experience, children might be able to program the physical behavioral responses of the toy as well as the verbal one s. Thi s process is done in order to match user's personal story with a traditional story in the data-base.
Children can input information only through the keyboard.
It behaves as the sage's disciple and is in charge of conversing with the user. After collecting information, it calls the sage storyteller. The screen displays the sage's cartoon while canned recorded stories are played back. Input is still through the keyboard. The toy maintains the conversation with the kids.