Polyurethane and custom software
Each: 2 5/8 x 1 5/16 x 1 5/16" (6.7 x 3.3 x 3.3 cm)
Suwappu (Japanese for “swap”) is a
series of eight toy characters—including
Deer, Badger, Fox, Robin, and Tuna—whose
lower and upper halves can be swapped
and re-assembled into hybrid characters.
The features painted on the characters
act as visual markers that are deciphered
with image-recognition software in
an accompanying Suwappu app. Viewing
the figures through the app unveils an
augmented-reality world in which
Suwappus interact and perform, based on
personality cues triggered by the head,
in surroundings determined by the
markers on the legs. The designers at
Dentsu London and BERG are “interested
in Suwappu as characters, as merchandise,
and as a new kind of content
platform,” one that could have an
extended life on Twitter, Facebook, and
other social media platforms.
