Teddy Bears- the Weird and Wonderful World

Teddy Bears have been around for over 100 years,movements and even facial expressions!
but that doesn't stop designers and inventors fromWith Microsoft showcasing a high-tech Spy Robot
coming up with wacky new ways of using, altering, orTeddy Bear at the TechFest trade fair, the stage
(in some cases) destroying them!looks set for further investment and development into
From the innovative to the kitsch, the world of Teddyintelligent Teddy Bears capable of recording moments
Bears is full of inventive new ideas, ranging from theof your child's day, reading them a book, and even
wonderfully touching, to the downright weird!connecting to a parent's system in a remote location
The Teddy Bear Gunto enable them to 'program a repertoire for a child'.
Surprisingly, this isn't a joke! This Japanese 'toy' hasThe possibilities seem endless!
actually been designed to make life easier at yourInitially, this Teddy Bear was designed to plainly track
wedding! Instead of throwing confetti at the bride andsomeone's movement around a room, but since then,
groom, the Japanese go one step further and throwthe whole project has exploded, and future plans for
Teddy Bears!the Teddy Bear will take this toy to an amazing level
Naturally, someone somewhere in Japan realised thatof sophistication.
this tradition could be made a whole lot easier if theyThe Creepy Teddy Bear
had a gun to 'throw' the Teddy Bears for them, and soThis may be the strangest and most disturbing Teddy
created the Teddy Bear Gun.Bear I've ever come across, and slots into our 'weird'
This contraption-- produced by Japanese paintball guncategory perfectly!
manufacturers, Sunamiya-- utilises the science behindCalled the somewhat reassuring 'TeddyBearBand', this
their paintball guns to thrust the Teddy Bear through a'cuddly toy' was surprisingly designed by Philippe
transparent barrel, high into the air with a simple 'click'Starck who claims that 'an overabundance of toys
of the trigger.fosters infidelity' in children, leading him to create this
Fortunately, no Teddy Bears are injured with the usekind of hybrid of Teddy Bears/soft toys that
of such a contraption as each bear is fitted with theirapparently meets all of a child's needs!
own mini parachute, so they glide safely and gracefullyWith this Teddy Bear having a bunny for a hand, and a
back down to Earth to wish the bride and groom welldog for a foot, it certainly packs more animals into a
on their journey.cuddly toy than the average Teddy Bear, but I'm
USB Teddy Bearworried about the dreams I'll be having tonight after
That's right, a data-storing Teddy Bear! At a firstseeing this thing, let along the effect it'll have on a
glance this is just a normal, cute Teddy Bear, but onceyoung child.
you pull its head off (Yes, you are required toThe Teddy Bear Remote Control
decapitate this poor Teddy Bear!), it suddenly becomesThis slightly odd-looking Teddy Bear, designed by the
a USB memory stick, with the head acting as the cap.innovative designer Leah Culver, doubles up as an
When plugged in, it appears as though the Teddy Bearall-purpose remote control.
is being sucked into your computer! Poor thing. MaybeWhile maintaining it's softness and child-like appeal, this
someone had a score to settle?Teddy Bear makes a surprisingly effective, fully
We're not too sure when, or even if these Teddyfunctional remote control. Squeeze the Teddy Bear's
Bears will come on to the market. So if you don't feelchest to play/pause your program or film, and change
like waiting to find out, it can't be that hard to pull apartthe volume with a soft pinch of the ear.
one of your much loved cuddly toys…If you're really tempted, you can follow this online guide
The Huggableto make your own Teddy Bear Remote Control!
The 'Huggable' Teddy Bear definitely fits into ourWe really like this one! Slightly weird, but also
'wonderful' category!somewhat wonderful!
This Teddy Bear is being developed to act as aGPS Navigation Teddy Bear
robotic companion for the ill, elderly or infirm who areThis cheeky but fun GPS-fitted Teddy Bear (Navirobo)
unable to enjoy the presence of real animals, and thesits on your dashboard and directs you to your
benefits this can bring. The idea of the 'Huggable' wasdestination. But heaven forbid if you take a wrong turn,
born after clinical trials proved that animals can reducefor your cuddly companion-- who even does a little jig
stress levels in patients, but some- due to allergies orwhen you finally reach your destination-- will mock you!
local restrictions- are not able, or allowed to haveThis is a great, laugh-out-loud Teddy Bear, designed
access to such animals.and manufactured in (you guessed it!) Japan, will be a
Making use of the latest sensate-skin technology,great addition to your dashboard that will make your
cameras in the eyes, microphones in the ears, wirelesslong journeys home far less tedious!
technology and data collection techniques, the Teddy'You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog'
Bear has been intelligently designed to respond toWhen Barney the guard dog went on a rampage at
touch in the way a real animal would, and thenWookey Hole Caves, it was no ordinary Teddy Bear
communicate in an appropriate manner.that became one of her victims
The aim is to provide a helpful tool for care providersMabel, made in Germany in 1909, who previously
that is emotionally pleasing and provides real,belonged to none other than the King himself-- Elvis
measurable health benefits to patients.Presley-- lay mortally wounded, surrounded by the
This has to be the most advanced, forward thinking,remains of almost a hundred rare Teddy Bears,
technologically packed Teddy Bear we've ever seen!destroyed by the foul-tempered Doberman Pinscher.
Teddy Bear MP3 PlayerThe Teddy Bears were on loan at the time of the
Appealing to Teddy Bear fans the world over, this niftyattack, displayed at Wookey Hole Caves, Somerset.
little Teddy Bear MP3 player, capable of storing 128mbMabel-- bought for $40,000 by Sir Benjamin Slade, an
of audio, with a USB connection, and a liberal $78 priceavid collector of Elvis memorabilia-- was,
tag, seems set to become one of the most useful andnot-surprisingly, the star attraction.
practical Teddy Bears available, without compromisingBarney, who was supposed to be guarding the Teddy
on cuteness.Bear collection, worth over £400,000 was
Created by Tomy, and weighing in at only 50gwrestled to the ground among the remains of the
(excluding battery), this rather retro looking product willTeddy Bears, with "Heads pulled off, arms, legs here
offer you up to 8 hours of playback from a single AAand there, it was a total carnage really. I've never seen
battery!such a mess, there was stuffing, fluff and bear bits
With this MP3 player making Virgin Media's Top 10everywhere."
Strangest MP3 Players list, we couldn't resistSir Benjamin was, understandably, not best pleased!
mentioning it!Do our Teddy Bears have feelings too?
Teddy Bear ChairWith so many weird and wonderful things happening in
As soft and as comforting as a 'real' Teddy Bear, thisthe Teddy Bear world, it makes you wonder whether
eccentric Teddy Bear Chair was designed by furnitureour cuddly friends have feelings and emotions of their
designer Matti Klenell.own. What would they think of the crazy ideas we
Perfect for any Teddy Bear lover looking forhave for Teddy Bears? Do they come awake at night
something completely different to furnish their homeand remember our moments of cruelty?
with, 'Mido' is an upholstered Easy Chair, shaped like aPerhaps it is sometimes true that we form
Teddy Bear, originally displayed at the Agate Gallery,connections with the inanimate objects that we
Stockholm as part of an impressive solo exhibition.surround ourselves with and eventually humanise our
This Teddy Bear Chair just looks so cosy. It's temptingTeddy Bears, and by doing this, we begin treating them
me to just snuggle up to it and have a nap!as if they have human emotions- pain, fear, love.
The Evil Spy Robot Teddy BearWhatever the case, here at Funky Bears, we're sure
No, this isn't the latest military project, but a Teddythe crazy Teddy Bear inventions will continue, and we
Bear fitted with the latest and most advancedcan't wait to see the next weird or wonderful ideas
technology. The Teddy Bear is being developed tothat people in the same industry as ourselves will
respond to the Teddy Bear's owners' voice,come up with!