hands on with stickerbox, the ai-powered sticker maker for kids

Introducing Stickerbox: An AI-Powered Creative Tool for Children

A novel, AI-driven toy named Stickerbox has emerged, and despite initial skepticism, it proves to be remarkably engaging for young users.

Developed by Hapiko, a startup located in Brooklyn, Stickerbox functions as a voice-activated sticker printer. It converts imaginative concepts into physical stickers.

Initial Impressions and Expectations

Prior to experiencing the device firsthand, a degree of negativity was anticipated – a sentiment shared by both myself and my daughter, who participated in the testing process.

Our first thought was a preference for traditional sticker design and printing methods. The idea of an AI generating stickers seemed less appealing.

A Change of Heart

However, after evaluating the review unit provided by the company, our perspectives shifted.

Stickerbox demonstrates the potential for a new style of creative activity. It doesn't entirely rely on AI to dictate a child’s imagination, as might be expected.

The Nature of Creative Play with Stickerbox

The device allows children to vocalize their ideas, which are then translated into printable stickers.

These stickers can subsequently be colored, peeled, and applied to various surfaces, fostering a tangible creative outcome.

Stickerbox represents a unique intersection of technology and artistic expression.

Exploring the AI-Powered Sticker Printer

The Stickerbox, priced at $99.99, is a compact, vividly red device featuring a monochrome screen and a prominent, white “push-to-talk” button. Included with the printer are three paper rolls, yielding a total of 180 stickers, alongside a power cable and a set of colored pencils.

Its color scheme evokes memories of the classic Etch A Sketch, a fitting comparison considering Stickerbox represents a contemporary reimagining of that beloved toy. The Etch A Sketch demanded mastery of physical controls to manifest imagined pictures. Stickerbox, conversely, utilizes voice commands to interact with its AI model.

Children aren’t consciously striving to refine their prompt engineering skills. Their primary focus remains on imaginative exploration and the joy of visualizing their ideas in tangible form. Any enhancement in their prompting abilities occurs as a natural consequence.

Initial device setup necessitates parental assistance. Similar to connecting a smart speaker to a home Wi-Fi network, the process involves connecting to the Stickerbox’s Wi-Fi and then inputting home network credentials. The setup procedure, completed within a minute, proceeded seamlessly.

Operating Stickerbox is remarkably straightforward. The user presses the button, verbally describes the desired image, and releases the button to witness the text appear on the screen, followed by the AI-generated image being printed.

A sense of delightful surprise accompanies the experience of conceiving an idea and then physically holding the resulting sticker within seconds.

The device employs a thermal image printer, eliminating the need for ink cartridges. Furthermore, the paper utilized is both BPS and BPA-free, ensuring safe usage.

The printed sticker is easily detached and can then be personalized with the included colored pencils. Alternative coloring tools, such as crayons and markers, are also compatible. This blends the engaging, potentially addictive nature of generating new prints with the more relaxing and focused activity of coloring, akin to providing children with a coloring book.

This combination provides a beneficial equilibrium between utilizing technology and encouraging a slower-paced, hands-on activity. It also effectively combats potential feelings of boredom.

With increased usage, the versatility of Stickerbox’s prompt interpretation becomes apparent. Requests aren’t limited to simple image descriptions, such as a “magical unicorn.” The AI can process lengthy, conversational commands, accurately discerning the user’s intent. (This capability is especially valuable considering children often express themselves in a non-linear manner.)

Introducing “AI for Kids” with Stickerbox

Hapiko, the creator of Stickerbox, was established this year through the efforts of CEO Arun Gupta and CTO Robert Whitney. The two initially connected during their time at the e-commerce platform Grailed, where Whitney served as director of engineering and Gupta held the position of CEO. (Grailed was later acquired by GOAT Group in 2022.)

Prior to his involvement with Grailed, Gupta was the founder behind WakeMate, a hardware-based sleep tracker that received backing from Y Combinator and was successfully launched.

Whitney’s career path included a role as the director of engineering within The New York Times’ Games division. This period coincided with the publisher’s expansion beyond traditional crosswords into a comprehensive gaming application, including the acquisition of Wordle and the introduction of new games such as Connections and Strands. His subsequent experience at Anthropic provided him with direct insight into the rapid advancements occurring in AI technology.

However, the inspiration for Stickerbox stemmed from Whitney’s personal experiences as a parent.

A request from his son for a coloring page not readily available led him to utilize ChatGPT to generate a printable image.

“I created one for him – a tiger enjoying ice cream. He had never encountered a printer before, so I retrieved our HP printer from storage, dusted it off, and printed the image. He was delighted and immediately began coloring,” Whitney explained. “But shortly after, he returned with another request: ‘I want a lizard riding a skateboard.’ And I obliged.”

His son’s enthusiastic response to witnessing his ideas materialize sparked a realization of potential.

“I observed a look of genuine wonder on his face – pure enchantment,” Whitney remarked.

The co-founders also recognized a gap in the market; while AI technology was rapidly evolving, few applications were specifically designed for children.

“There's a lack of AI solutions tailored for kids. We aim to address that,” Gupta stated. “We are focused on establishing appropriate safety measures, identifying the optimal approaches, and developing suitable products.”

They understood that children possess vibrant imaginations, making them ideal users for an AI image generation model.

“[Children] have boundless imagination and creativity… they are constantly learning, and their interests shift weekly. We believe we are the first to integrate an image model within a dedicated device,” Gupta added.

Designed for Continuous Improvement

The core of Stickerbox’s functionality relies on a suite of AI models, incorporating both established technologies and the company’s own unique developments geared towards ensuring a safe experience for children. The system actively prevents responses to requests for inappropriate content, such as depictions of violence or sexually suggestive material, and incorporates a filter for profanity.

Attempts to elicit problematic responses, even with less explicit prompts like the word “boobs,” are met with a deflection – the device will print a random sticker that might have a tangential connection to the input. For example, a generic cartoon girl image could be generated, but not one with exaggerated features.

It is anticipated that after unsuccessful attempts to generate undesirable content, children will naturally revert to using the device for its intended purpose: creating playful and imaginative images.

Gupta stated, “Our goal is to establish ourselves as the brand parents can rely on, eliminating the need for constant monitoring of their child’s activity and usage.”

Currently, the company’s primary revenue stream comes from device sales, while maintaining affordable replenishment costs. Refill paper is available for $5.99 for three rolls, providing 180 stickers. (A current promotion offers six rolls with each device purchase.)

Future development plans include the introduction of premium features, such as the ability to upload personal images for customized sticker creation and tools to facilitate collaborative design.

As a device connected via Wi-Fi, Stickerbox receives regular updates to its firmware and functionality. Initial testing allowed for the printing of recognizable characters, but a subsequent update implemented enhanced safeguards to encourage more original artwork.

An upcoming companion application will enable users to review previously generated stickers, save preferred designs, and potentially serve as a platform for accessing premium features.

Stickerbox has secured $7 million in funding from investors including Maveron, Serena Williams’ Serena Ventures, the Allen Institute’s AI2 incubator, and angel investors such as Matt Brezina, alongside product leaders from various consumer applications.