Accessible-Design Toys
A world connected by “Asobi”
“Being able to be absorbed in what you love and enjoying time with precious people – that richness of life is the true health that Asobi can provide.”
The TOMY Group works to ensure that everyone can enjoy Asobi experiences, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.
We provide moments to laugh together through health, vitality, and precious experiences.
At TOMY, we started the training of “UD Leaders” in 2022 to actively learn about universal design and apply the knowledge and skills gained to the development of Asobi.
They participate in workshops such as lectures and the improvement of products from a universal design perspective, with the goal of obtaining the “UD Coordinator” qualification.
Members who participate in the workshops take the learned knowledge back to their respective departments to share and utilize it, aiming to create products and services that more children can enjoy.
Since FY2024, we have applied “Tactile Marks” – innovations in tactile displays on switches, etc., that make it easier for those with visual disabilities to operate toys – to all electronic toy products in the TOMY Group.
We have created a system where the development process cannot proceed unless an application is made for items that cannot be partially supported due to constraints such as the shape of the toy or the fact that the mold is not manufactured by our group. In principle, we support all electronic toys.
We create toys that accommodate the diversity of color vision so that more children can find them easy to play with. The first toy to accommodate color vision diversity and obtain Color Universal Design (CUD) certification!
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A steering wheel toy that allows for various driving experiences with your favorite “TOMICA”
Considerations for ease of play include easy-to-distinguish colors, tactile innovations, and voice navigation.
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- This “Let’s Drive TOMICA! Steering Driver” is certified by the NPO Color Universal Design Organization (* You will leave the TOMY website.) as being made with consideration for Color Universal Design, making it easy to see for more people regardless of individual differences in color vision.
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＜Points of Color Universal Design＞
For colors that are difficult to distinguish, such as dark red and black feeling like the same color, we design them with outlines or contrast to make them easier to identify.
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Wanting to know that there are various means of communication and to lead to activities toward the realization of an inclusive society, the reaction color cards used in next-generation education feature illustrations of Pop-up Pirate expressing colors in sign language.
We hope this will serve as a trigger for children to wonder what this is and become interested in "sign language," knowing that there are various means of communication, and leading to activities toward the realization of an inclusive society.
With consideration for the diversity of color vision, the illustrations are drawn using recommended Color Universal Design color schemes.
[Cooperation]
Yokohama Rapport Sports & Cultural Center
for Persons with Disabilities
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The Yokohama Rapport Information Provider Facility for Persons with Hearing Disabilities (Shin-Yokohama) is a facility that supports the lives of hearing-impaired citizens in Yokohama. It dispatches sign language interpreters and summary scribes, and provides consultation for troubles of hearing-impaired people and their families.
This time, while valuing the “Pop-up Pirate” character, we provided detailed opinions while paying attention to the characteristics of sign language as a language (direction of hands, movements, etc.).
Sign language is a means of communication for people who cannot hear. We hope this opportunity will lead to interest in sign language (and the lives of people who cannot hear).
1752 Toriyamacho, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 222-0035
Yokohama Rapport, Sports and Culture Center for Persons with Disabilities
https://yrf.jp/rapport/yokohama
* You will leave the TOMY website.
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Children who have learned about an inclusive society through toys are expected to play an important role in building a society that respects diversity and cooperates in the future.
"Accessible-Design Products" were created following the “proposal for Tactile Marks” made by TOMY.
By providing toys with considerations for accessible-design products, children can learn many important things for living through play. We believe that the experiences of children who have played with such toys will serve as a trigger to create a society where everyone can live together.
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LICCA's Shampoo and Rinse, Milk carton
To distinguish from rinse, hair shampoo and body soap have tactile ridges.
To distinguish milk from other paper carton drinks, there is a notch at the top of the carton.
These innovations are reproduced in LICCA's accessories. -
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The National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities utilizes a system (*) that allows for remote control of PLARAIL based on the same principle as myoelectric prostheses, as a way for children with congenital upper limb deficiency to learn how to move a prosthetic while having fun. They are working toward the popularization of pediatric myoelectric prostheses.
* Jointly developed by Shiewatech Co., Ltd.
and the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with
Disabilities
The product used is the “Grip-Type Master Controller” series. The Grip-Type Master Controller is a palm-sized controller that mimics a "master controller," a device installed in the driver's cab of railway vehicles to operate them. It allows for free operation of the vehicle, including speed adjustment, acceleration, forward movement, stopping, and backing up.
It is a product that realizes the unchanging desire of children to "freely control a vehicle like the train drivers they dream of becoming."
https://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/plarail/tettei/set/gripmascon/
National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities
https://www.rehab.go.jp/
* You will leave the TOMY website.
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In this initiative, a sensor is attached to the arm, and when the arm muscles are moved appropriately, the PLARAIL can be remotely controlled (forward, stop, backward) by electrical signals generated when the muscles move.
Practice is necessary for mastery, but the operating techniques for myoelectric prostheses can be learned while having fun.
It was also introduced as one of the experiences in the "Child Prostheses" corner at the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities booth at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. -
Booth exhibition at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan ends with great success
https://www.rehab.go.jp/rehawebnews/202507_1/
* You will leave the TOMY website.
Social Contribution Activities
Creating an Inclusive Society
Sustainability
Eco Toy Activities
Accessible-Design Toys