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{{tone|date=October 2016}}
{{about-otherpeople|the American inventor||Michael Freeman (disambiguation)}}
{{about-otherpeople|the American inventor||Michael Freeman (disambiguation)}}
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== Education and career ==
== Education and career ==
In 1969, Freeman received his bachelor's degree in Economics and Management from the City College of New York, an MBA in 1970 in Business Management and Economics from Bernard Baruch College, and received his doctorate in 1977 from the City University of New York, majoring in Behavior Sciences and specializing in mental adaptation techniques,.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=August 2016|title=Making Learning Fun: Inventor-Innovator Michael J. Freeman|url=http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/magazine/documents/BCAM-FW15-16.pdf|journal=Baruch Alumni|volume=|issue=|doi=|pmid=|access-date=|via=}}</ref>
In 1969, he received his bachelor's degree in Economics and Management from the City College of New York, an MBA in 1970 in Business Management and Economics from Bernard Baruch College, and received his doctorate in 1977 from the City University of New York, majoring in Behavior Sciences and specializing in mental adaptation techniques,.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=August 2016|title=Making Learning Fun: Inventor-Innovator Michael J. Freeman|url=http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/magazine/documents/BCAM-FW15-16.pdf|journal=Baruch Alumni|volume=|issue=|doi=|pmid=|access-date=|via=}}</ref>


Freeman was a professor at Baruch College of the City University of New York,<ref name=":1" /> at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and at Hofstra University in the Village of [[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead, New York]]. Freeman was the keynote speaker at Harvard University on November 14, 2001 at the conference, ''Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Future''. [note: needs citation]
Freeman was a professor at Baruch College of the City University of New York,<ref name=":1" /> at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and at Hofstra University in the Village of [[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead, New York]]. Freeman was the keynote speaker at Harvard University on November 14, 2001 at the conference, ''Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Future''. [note: needs citation]


Freeman commercialized approximately forty US patents, and contributed to the work of approximately twenty-five others</ref>http://www.google.com/patents/US5724091<ref>http://www.google.com/patents/US5861881</ref><http://www.google.ch/patents/CA2173996C?hl=de&cl=de</ref></ref> patents<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://patents.justia.com/inventor/michael-j-freeman|title=Michael J. Freeman Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications - Justia Patents Search|website=patents.justia.com|access-date=2016-09-20}}</ref> in educational devices, programming, telephony, laser/special effects, Cable TV, and others. Core patent claims include telephone push button tones as input to the home via branching.<ref>http://www.freepatentsonline.com/bibliography.html</ref>" Patent claims also covering cable TV, addressability of cable converter boxes, digitization, interactivity, and smart-toys. He programmed and did the voice talent for over eight interactive educational programs, each translated into six foreigh languages.<ref>http://2-xl.net/?page_id=213</ref> He founded a U.S. Nasdq corporation to further develope patent claims for movies special effects, laser special effects, Hyper TV, and distance learning systems<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/IATV:US-actv-inc</ref><ref>http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9512052915/georgia-chooses-actv-major-distance-learning-project</ref><ref>http://slideplayer.com/slide/8493728/</ref>
He commercialized approximately forty US patents, and contributed to the work of approximately twenty-five others</ref>http://www.google.com/patents/US5724091<ref>http://www.google.com/patents/US5861881</ref><http://www.google.ch/patents/CA2173996C?hl=de&cl=de</ref></ref> patents<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://patents.justia.com/inventor/michael-j-freeman|title=Michael J. Freeman Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications - Justia Patents Search|website=patents.justia.com|access-date=2016-09-20}}</ref> in educational devices, programming, telephony, laser/special effects, Cable TV, and others. Core patent claims include telephone push button tones as input to the home via branching.<ref>http://www.freepatentsonline.com/bibliography.html</ref>" Patent claims also covering cable TV, addressability of cable converter boxes, digitization, interactivity, and smart-toys. He programmed and did the voice talent for over eight interactive educational programs, each translated into six foreigh languages.<ref>http://2-xl.net/?page_id=213</ref> He founded a U.S. Nasdq corporation to further develope patent claims for movies special effects, laser special effects, Hyper TV, and distance learning systems<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/IATV:US-actv-inc</ref><ref>http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9512052915/georgia-chooses-actv-major-distance-learning-project</ref><ref>http://slideplayer.com/slide/8493728/</ref>


== Developments ==
== Developments ==
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=== Leachim ===
=== Leachim ===
In 1974, Freeman created Leachim, a 6-ft, 200 pound robot, which demonstrated that voice branching could be done quickly enough to replicated speech (i.e. verbal output). This method combined phonemes, words, and sentences to form verbal responsive messages. Leachim was also programmed with biographical information on students, and to simulate 'infinite patience'. Leachim was tested in a fourth grade classroom in the Bronx New York.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=May 9, 1974|title=The Robot in Room 317|url=|journal=Scholastic Magazine|volume=44|issue=13|doi=|pmid=|access-date=|via=}}</ref>
In 1974, he created Leachim, a 6-ft, 200 pound robot, which demonstrated that voice branching could be done quickly enough to replicated speech (i.e. verbal output). This method combined phonemes, words, and sentences to form verbal responsive messages. Leachim was also programmed with biographical information on students, and to simulate 'infinite patience'. Leachim was tested in a fourth grade classroom in the Bronx New York.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=May 9, 1974|title=The Robot in Room 317|url=|journal=Scholastic Magazine|volume=44|issue=13|doi=|pmid=|access-date=|via=}}</ref>


=== Touch-tone phone branching/Automated phone menus ===
=== Touch-tone phone branching/Automated phone menus ===
In 1984, Freeman introduced a telephone branching technology that recorded voice interactive messaging system,<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=February 2003|title=Your Call Is Important to Us|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rf4DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76&source=gbs_toc_r&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false|journal=Kiplinger's Personal Finance|volume=57|issue=2|doi=|issn=1528-9729|pmid=|access-date=|via=}}</ref> a process where callers hear menu options provided by an automated telephone attendant when a business is reached.<ref>{{Citation|last=Freeman|first=Michael J.|title=Verbally interactive telephone interrogation system with selectible variable decision tree|date=16 Mar 1982|url=http://www.google.nl/patents/US4320256|accessdate=2016-09-22}}</ref>
In 1984, he introduced a telephone branching technology that recorded voice interactive messaging system,<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=February 2003|title=Your Call Is Important to Us|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rf4DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76&source=gbs_toc_r&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false|journal=Kiplinger's Personal Finance|volume=57|issue=2|doi=|issn=1528-9729|pmid=|access-date=|via=}}</ref> a process where callers hear menu options provided by an automated telephone attendant when a business is reached.<ref>{{Citation|last=Freeman|first=Michael J.|title=Verbally interactive telephone interrogation system with selectible variable decision tree|date=16 Mar 1982|url=http://www.google.nl/patents/US4320256|accessdate=2016-09-22}}</ref>


The technology was officially called "automated phone menus" or "telephone branching."<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/empower-your-callers-with-self-service-speech-recognition.aspx|title=Article : Empower Your Callers With Self-Service Speech Recognition|last=BenchmarkPortal|first=Dr. Jon Anton,|date=2005-07-12|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref>
The technology was officially called "automated phone menus" or "telephone branching."<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/empower-your-callers-with-self-service-speech-recognition.aspx|title=Article : Empower Your Callers With Self-Service Speech Recognition|last=BenchmarkPortal|first=Dr. Jon Anton,|date=2005-07-12|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref>
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=== ACTV Incorporated; Two Way Cable TV ===
=== ACTV Incorporated; Two Way Cable TV ===
In early 1984, Freeman created core patents for interactive TV and started an American corporation named ACTV Inc.<ref>http://www.google.com/patents/US4602279</ref> He took the company public in 1990 with the Washington Post owning a 25% share, as well as Atari founder Nolan Bushnell.<ref>http://articles.latimes.com/1992-06-07/business/fi-404_1_cable-tv-business/2</ref> He hired some high power businessmen to run the operation.<ref>http://articles.latimes.com/1992-06-07/business/fi-404_1_cable-tv-business</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19840523&id=Q61PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RAYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6970,4315336|title="New TV System Lets You Create Own Programming"|last=|first=|date=|website=Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search news.google.com|publisher=|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref> proving cable TV subscribers to interact with programming."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QlRaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kEwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5514,4078411|title=Waycross Journal-Herald - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref> He founded a New York-based corporation ACTV. It became a publicly held corporation on May 4, 1990 and partnered with NBC TV and Showtime to test programming.<ref>http://articles.latimes.com/1989-04-21/entertainment/ca-2285_1_tv-signal-nbc-tests-high-definition-signal-david-sarnoff-research-center</ref><ref>http://www.dmnews.com/news/actv-prepares-web-test-with-showtime/article/63044/</ref> It was listed on the Nasdaq stocl exchange.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vu40AAAAIBAJ&sjid=YgMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5575,6384306|title=Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref> Freeman was the company's CEO and President until 2001.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=November 1988|title=Do-It-Yourself TV|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZLk-jN3PnkC&printsec=frontcover&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=freeman&f=false|journal=Popular Science|volume=233|issue=5|page=60|doi=|issn=0161-7370|pmid=|access-date=|via=}}</ref> [[Leonard Nimoy]] was the company spokesperson.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/319544536043743661/|title=Leonard Nimoy|website=Pinterest|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2001/09/01/309477/index.htm| website=money.cnn.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref>
In early 1984, he created core patents for interactive TV and started an American corporation named ACTV Inc.<ref>http://www.google.com/patents/US4602279</ref> He took the company public in 1990 with the Washington Post owning a 25% share, as well as Atari founder Nolan Bushnell.<ref>http://articles.latimes.com/1992-06-07/business/fi-404_1_cable-tv-business/2</ref> He hired some high power businessmen to run the operation.<ref>http://articles.latimes.com/1992-06-07/business/fi-404_1_cable-tv-business</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19840523&id=Q61PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RAYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6970,4315336|title="New TV System Lets You Create Own Programming"|last=|first=|date=|website=Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search news.google.com|publisher=|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref> proving cable TV subscribers to interact with programming."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QlRaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kEwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5514,4078411|title=Waycross Journal-Herald - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref> He founded a New York-based corporation ACTV. It became a publicly held corporation on May 4, 1990 and partnered with NBC TV and Showtime to test programming.<ref>http://articles.latimes.com/1989-04-21/entertainment/ca-2285_1_tv-signal-nbc-tests-high-definition-signal-david-sarnoff-research-center</ref><ref>http://www.dmnews.com/news/actv-prepares-web-test-with-showtime/article/63044/</ref> It was listed on the Nasdaq stocl exchange.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vu40AAAAIBAJ&sjid=YgMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5575,6384306|title=Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref> Freeman was the company's CEO and President until 2001.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=November 1988|title=Do-It-Yourself TV|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZLk-jN3PnkC&printsec=frontcover&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=freeman&f=false|journal=Popular Science|volume=233|issue=5|page=60|doi=|issn=0161-7370|pmid=|access-date=|via=}}</ref> [[Leonard Nimoy]] was the company spokesperson.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/319544536043743661/|title=Leonard Nimoy|website=Pinterest|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2001/09/01/309477/index.htm| website=money.cnn.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref>


== Educational toys ==
== Educational toys ==
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}}
}}


In 1975, Freeman licensed 2-XL, considered the first smart-toy,<ref>http://mentalfloss.com/article/87066/remembering-first-smart-toy-2-xl</ref> to the Mego Corporation,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/retro-tech-megos-2-xl/|title=Retro Tech: Mego's 2-XL|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref> a US based toy company. The toy was "monumentally successful,"<ref name=":4" /> a bestseller in the late 1970s. 2-XL was sold in many foreign countries and the programs were translated into six foreign languages. A number of board games were created in conjunction with the 2-XL robot.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=http://www.megomuseum.com/megolibrary/interviews/mcnett/mcnett.html|title=Mego Museum Spotlight : John and Linda McNett|website=www.megomuseum.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref>
In 1975, he licensed 2-XL, considered the first smart-toy,<ref>http://mentalfloss.com/article/87066/remembering-first-smart-toy-2-xl</ref> to the Mego Corporation,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/retro-tech-megos-2-xl/|title=Retro Tech: Mego's 2-XL|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref> a US based toy company. The toy was "monumentally successful,"<ref name=":4" /> a bestseller in the late 1970s. 2-XL was sold in many foreign countries and the programs were translated into six foreign languages. A number of board games were created in conjunction with the 2-XL robot.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=http://www.megomuseum.com/megolibrary/interviews/mcnett/mcnett.html|title=Mego Museum Spotlight : John and Linda McNett|website=www.megomuseum.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}</ref>


In 1992, the toy was reintroduced to the marketplace by [[Tiger Electronics]], an American toy company based in Vernon Hills, Illinois. As before, the programmed tapes were translated into many foreign languages and sold internationally.<ref name=":3" /> Renowned basketball player [[Michael Jordan]] was the official brand ambassador for this new version of 2-XL.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.2xlrobot.com/moreinfo/tv.html|title=World of 2-XL: The More Information Button: 2-XL on TV|website=www.2xlrobot.com|access-date=2016-09-25}}</ref> This version of the toy system became the basis of a TV game show [[Pick Your Brain]], produced by Marc Summers Productions and Summit Media Group. The 2-XL robot in the show served as the assistant of Marc Summers, the game show host, and was voiced by Greg Berg.
In 1992, the toy was reintroduced to the marketplace by [[Tiger Electronics]], an American toy company based in Vernon Hills, Illinois. As before, the programmed tapes were translated into many foreign languages and sold internationally.<ref name=":3" /> Renowned basketball player [[Michael Jordan]] was the official brand ambassador for this new version of 2-XL.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.2xlrobot.com/moreinfo/tv.html|title=World of 2-XL: The More Information Button: 2-XL on TV|website=www.2xlrobot.com|access-date=2016-09-25}}</ref> This version of the toy system became the basis of a TV game show [[Pick Your Brain]], produced by Marc Summers Productions and Summit Media Group. The 2-XL robot in the show served as the assistant of Marc Summers, the game show host, and was voiced by Greg Berg.
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{{Main article|Talk 'n Play}}
{{Main article|Talk 'n Play}}


In 1984, Freeman created Talk 'n Play (also called Electronic Talk'n Play).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bestofthe80s.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/electronic-talk-n-play/|title=Electronic Talk ‘n Play|date=2011-12-20|website=Best of the 80s|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref> It was a character-based interactive toy manufactured by CBS Toys within the Child Guidance brand. Later in 1986, it was reintroduced by [[Hasbro|Hasbro Toys]], a Pawtucket RI, American Toy company, under the [[Playskool]] Hasbro brand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://apps.shareholder.com/sec/viewerContent.aspx?companyid=HAS&docid=1348002|title=Hasbro, Inc. - Current Report|website=apps.shareholder.com|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref>
In 1984, he created Talk 'n Play (also called Electronic Talk'n Play).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bestofthe80s.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/electronic-talk-n-play/|title=Electronic Talk ‘n Play|date=2011-12-20|website=Best of the 80s|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref> It was a character-based interactive toy manufactured by CBS Toys within the Child Guidance brand. Later in 1986, it was reintroduced by [[Hasbro|Hasbro Toys]], a Pawtucket RI, American Toy company, under the [[Playskool]] Hasbro brand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://apps.shareholder.com/sec/viewerContent.aspx?companyid=HAS&docid=1348002|title=Hasbro, Inc. - Current Report|website=apps.shareholder.com|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref>


"The toy spurned creativity in children and was considered one of the best futuristic learning toys of the 1980s decade and was manufactured to be an excellent educational and entertainment system." Sub-licenses for programming were awarded to Sesame Street ([[Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]]) and [[The Walt Disney Company]]. With this license the toy allowed interaction between children and the characters of [[Big Bird]], [[Elmo]], [[Mickey Mouse]].
"The toy spurned creativity in children and was considered one of the best futuristic learning toys of the 1980s decade and was manufactured to be an excellent educational and entertainment system." Sub-licenses for programming were awarded to Sesame Street ([[Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]]) and [[The Walt Disney Company]]. With this license the toy allowed interaction between children and the characters of [[Big Bird]], [[Elmo]], [[Mickey Mouse]].

Revision as of 03:46, 15 October 2016

This article is about the American inventor. For other people with the same name, see Michael Freeman (disambiguation).
Michael J. Freeman
Born1947
Alma materCity University of New York, Baruch Collge, City College of New York
Occupation(s)Inventor, business and government consultant, educator, entrepreneur
Known forRobotics, electronic educational toys, telephony, interactive television, behavioral science

Michael J. Freeman works in trend analysis, advanced behavioral systems, programming of smart toys, Cable television, robotics, telephony, among others. He was a professor at three American universities and a consultant to business and governments. Freeman has a Ph.D., MBA, and BA degrees.

Education and career

In 1969, he received his bachelor's degree in Economics and Management from the City College of New York, an MBA in 1970 in Business Management and Economics from Bernard Baruch College, and received his doctorate in 1977 from the City University of New York, majoring in Behavior Sciences and specializing in mental adaptation techniques,.[1]

Freeman was a professor at Baruch College of the City University of New York,[1] at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and at Hofstra University in the Village of Hempstead, New York. Freeman was the keynote speaker at Harvard University on November 14, 2001 at the conference, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Future. [note: needs citation]

He commercialized approximately forty US patents, and contributed to the work of approximately twenty-five others</ref>http://www.google.com/patents/US5724091[2]<http://www.google.ch/patents/CA2173996C?hl=de&cl=de</ref></ref> patents[3] in educational devices, programming, telephony, laser/special effects, Cable TV, and others. Core patent claims include telephone push button tones as input to the home via branching.[4]" Patent claims also covering cable TV, addressability of cable converter boxes, digitization, interactivity, and smart-toys. He programmed and did the voice talent for over eight interactive educational programs, each translated into six foreigh languages.[5] He founded a U.S. Nasdq corporation to further develope patent claims for movies special effects, laser special effects, Hyper TV, and distance learning systems[6][7][8]

Developments

Leachim with 3rd graders, c.1975

In 1960, at the age of 13, Freeman was awarded first prize in the Westinghouse Science Fair, now known as the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his demonstration of rudimentary computer memory.[9] This allowed a robot machine to be programmed to move to a destination and automatically rerun the cycles repeatedly as many times as requested, i.e. This he called rudimentary "programming." [10]

Leachim

In 1974, he created Leachim, a 6-ft, 200 pound robot, which demonstrated that voice branching could be done quickly enough to replicated speech (i.e. verbal output). This method combined phonemes, words, and sentences to form verbal responsive messages. Leachim was also programmed with biographical information on students, and to simulate 'infinite patience'. Leachim was tested in a fourth grade classroom in the Bronx New York.[11]

Touch-tone phone branching/Automated phone menus

In 1984, he introduced a telephone branching technology that recorded voice interactive messaging system,[12] a process where callers hear menu options provided by an automated telephone attendant when a business is reached.[13]

The technology was officially called "automated phone menus" or "telephone branching."[12][14]

Cable television

The world's first Telephone Branching Machine invented by Freeman in 1979
File:Leonard Nimoy giving Dr. Michael Freeman the Vulcan nerve pinch. 1988.jpg
Leonard Nimoy giving Dr. Freeman the Vulcan nerve pinch

ACTV Incorporated; Two Way Cable TV

In early 1984, he created core patents for interactive TV and started an American corporation named ACTV Inc.[15] He took the company public in 1990 with the Washington Post owning a 25% share, as well as Atari founder Nolan Bushnell.[16] He hired some high power businessmen to run the operation.[17][18] proving cable TV subscribers to interact with programming."[19] He founded a New York-based corporation ACTV. It became a publicly held corporation on May 4, 1990 and partnered with NBC TV and Showtime to test programming.[20][21] It was listed on the Nasdaq stocl exchange.[22] Freeman was the company's CEO and President until 2001.[23] Leonard Nimoy was the company spokesperson.[24][25]

Educational toys

2-XL

Main article: 2-XL
File:Mego 2XL Robot 1980.jpg
The Mego 2XL Robot
File:Charity Foundation.jpg
Michael Jordan appeared in the 2XL TV ads in 1992 to support a charity campaign with Dr. Freeman

In 1975, he licensed 2-XL, considered the first smart-toy,[26] to the Mego Corporation,[27] a US based toy company. The toy was "monumentally successful,"[28] a bestseller in the late 1970s. 2-XL was sold in many foreign countries and the programs were translated into six foreign languages. A number of board games were created in conjunction with the 2-XL robot.[28]

In 1992, the toy was reintroduced to the marketplace by Tiger Electronics, an American toy company based in Vernon Hills, Illinois. As before, the programmed tapes were translated into many foreign languages and sold internationally.[27] Renowned basketball player Michael Jordan was the official brand ambassador for this new version of 2-XL.[29] This version of the toy system became the basis of a TV game show Pick Your Brain, produced by Marc Summers Productions and Summit Media Group. The 2-XL robot in the show served as the assistant of Marc Summers, the game show host, and was voiced by Greg Berg.

Talk 'n Play

Main article: Talk 'n Play

In 1984, he created Talk 'n Play (also called Electronic Talk'n Play).[30] It was a character-based interactive toy manufactured by CBS Toys within the Child Guidance brand. Later in 1986, it was reintroduced by Hasbro Toys, a Pawtucket RI, American Toy company, under the Playskool Hasbro brand.[31]

"The toy spurned creativity in children and was considered one of the best futuristic learning toys of the 1980s decade and was manufactured to be an excellent educational and entertainment system." Sub-licenses for programming were awarded to Sesame Street (Children's Television Workshop) and The Walt Disney Company. With this license the toy allowed interaction between children and the characters of Big Bird, Elmo, Mickey Mouse.

Kasey the Kinderbot

Kasey the Kinderbot toy was sold by Fisher-Price a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel.[32]

Kasey was a precursor of digital memory and animatronics and could teach forty different learning skills to children under seven years old.[33]

The toy won awards as best educational toy in 2002, and the Gold Seal award from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio 2003.[34] Although Kasey's voice was digital, professional female voice artist Kamala Kruszka studio-mastered the initial recordings.[35][36]

In 2004, The Kasey the Kinderbot line expanded with the introduction of two lower price point toys named Toby the Totbot and Fetch the Phonicsbot, plus a DVD featuring stories about Kasey.[37] Kasey sold out of Toys R Us[38]

Interactivision

Main article: View-Master Interactive Vision

In 1986, Freeman licensed a video game toy system to the View-Master IdealToy Company Inc. This toy encompassed sophisticated digital interactivity considered advanced for that time period, and video games were produced by the Walt Disney Company and CTW (Children's Television Workshop).[39]

References

  1. ^ a b "Making Learning Fun: Inventor-Innovator Michael J. Freeman" (PDF). Baruch Alumni. August 2016.
  2. ^ http://www.google.com/patents/US5861881
  3. ^ "Michael J. Freeman Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  4. ^ http://www.freepatentsonline.com/bibliography.html
  5. ^ http://2-xl.net/?page_id=213
  6. ^ http://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/IATV:US-actv-inc
  7. ^ http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9512052915/georgia-chooses-actv-major-distance-learning-project
  8. ^ http://slideplayer.com/slide/8493728/
  9. ^ "Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  10. ^ "The Robots Are Coming". New York Magazine. 12 (30). July 30, 1979.
  11. ^ "The Robot in Room 317". Scholastic Magazine. 44 (13). May 9, 1974.
  12. ^ a b "Your Call Is Important to Us". Kiplinger's Personal Finance. 57 (2). February 2003. ISSN 1528-9729.
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