Toybox

Toybox is a digital guitar pedal that explores the idea of joyous design – audio hardware that encourages interaction, play, and curiosity. Inspired by glitch art, children’s toys, and DIY culture, the project investigates how embedded audio systems can be designed not as tools, but as playful and expressive toys. Created from the ground up, Toybox represents a personal journey through self-directed learning in
electronics, coding, and fabrication. This process became part of the concept itself: assessing the accessibility of audio hardware and software
development for independent creators and those without formal engineering backgrounds.

At the heart of Toybox is the Daisy Seed: an affordable, open-source microcontroller designed specifically for real-time audio processing. The Daisy Seed was then programmed using PlugData – a visual programming environment based on PureData, which allows for intuitive, node-based coding and plays well with the Daisy Seed. The physical form of Toybox draws inspiration from circuit-bent electronics and the bright, tactile design of children’s toys. These references helped shape a product that feels both novel and familiar. The enclosure is 3D printed using PETG plastic and supported by hand-finished wooden side panels. This fabrication method was chosen not just for practicality, but to demonstrate that accessible, low-cost tools can still produce professional, durable outcomes.