Ray Charles Doll Keeps on Singing
We recently saw the Ray Charles animatronic doll that our team designed in 2002, in collaboration with Design Integrity and Cosmodog in Chicago, in a small shop in Arlington Heights. The doll sings and sways along to two of Ray Charles’ classic hits; “America the Beautiful” and “What I’d Say”. What makes the design special is that the prototype, complete with movement, had to be presented to Walgreen’s management and Ray Charles himself in just thirty days. The product was then taken to stores in less than seven months.
“From the hand-sculpted head and hands to the proportionate body to Ray Charles’s signature moves, such as swaying side to side and lifting his hand at the end of the song, this animatronic doll captures the essence of the performer in terms of both aesthetics and movement using animatronics and integrated sound chips.” –Appliance Design Magazine
You can check out a video of the Ray Charles doll below.