Ask HN: Anyone have experience making physical toys that you've sold?

How do I get involved with shipping a talking Teddy Bear, for example? Should I just forget about this?

I’d like to have even just 500 of them made. I have so many cute little toy ideas that would make good use of LLMs (very simple toys), more of these ideas than actual app ideas now days.

At the very least I feel like I should be able to have a talking and moving Roomba around the house.

3 points | by general_reveal 23 hours ago

1 comments

  • joezydeco 23 hours ago
    There are toy and industrial design firms you can hire to take your concept from idea to prototype and even shepherd it through production.

    If you want to do it alone you'll need simultaneous knowledge in electronics, mechatronics, mechanical engineering, design-for-manufacturing, parts purchasing, and procurement. That's before you build your product in a factory, or if you choose to do it yourself.

    Simone Giertz is an incredibly smart and talented person with a lot of this knowledge, and even she will tell you how hard this can be.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gTz_JmlYtQ