Furby

Furby is a robot toy.

It looks like a small pet. It can talk to you. It starts by speaking a special language. It learns English words as it grows.

Some Furbies can even talk to each other. They use a sensor to share sounds. You can pet them to make them happy. They are fun robot friends to have.

Furby is a famous electronic robot toy.

It looks like a small creature. It was first sold in 1998. Many people loved it. Over 40 million Furbies were sold in three years.

Furbies are fun because they seem smart. They start by speaking a special language called Furbish. As you play with them, they learn English. This makes it feel like they are growing. Some Furbies can even talk to each other. They use a small part between their eyes to send signals.

There are many kinds of Furbies. Some are called Furby Babies. They have higher voices and speak English faster. There is also a toy called Shelby. Shelby looks like a clam. It has its own language called Shelbish.

New Furbies come out too. The newest kind came out in 2023. These Furbies have glowing ears. They respond when you pet, shake, or feed them. They can speak many languages like English, Spanish, and French. Furby is even a finalist for the National Toy Hall of Fame.

Furby is a famous electronic robot toy that looks like a small, furry creature.

It was first released by Tiger Electronics in October 1998. People loved these toys so much that they became a "must-have" item. During the first three years, more than 40 million Furbies were sold. In 1998 alone, 1.8 million were sold, and that number jumped to 14 million in 1999. Because they were so popular, the price for them went up very high during the holidays. Some people even paid hundreds of dollars to get one.

What makes a Furby feel special is how it seems to learn. When you first get a Furby, it speaks a unique language called Furbish. This language uses short words and simple sounds. However, the toy is programmed to learn English over time. As you play with it, it uses fewer Furbish words and more English words. This makes it feel like the toy is actually growing up. Some Furbies can even talk to each other using an infrared port. This port is a small sensor located right between their eyes.

Two inventors named Dave Hampton and Caleb Chung created the Furby. They spent nine months making the toy and another nine months designing it. They worked with an inventor named Richard C. Levy to help sell it. Eventually, the toy was brought to Tiger Electronics. The very first time the public saw a Furby was at a big toy fair in New York City in 1998. Since then, many different versions have been made. Some versions have LCD eyes, which are small digital screens. Others have colorful fur or even special shapes like a clam.

There are many different types of these robotic friends to discover. Furby Babies are smaller and have higher voices than the adults. They also learn English much faster than the original models. There is also a toy called Shelby that looks like a clam. Shelbies have their own language called Shelbish and can sense if they are being held upside down. In 2005, the Emoto-Tronic Furby was released with a voice recognition system. This allowed the toy to communicate more easily with humans. Later models, like the Furby Connect, even used apps on phones.

Furbies have stayed popular for many years through many changes. In 2012, new Furbies came in sixteen different colors. These included colors like teal, tangerine-tango, and navy blue. The newest generation of Furby arrived in June 2023. These new models have glowing ears and can respond to petting or shaking. They can speak many languages, including Spanish, French, and Japanese. Because they are so special, Furby is a finalist for the National Toy Hall of Fame. This shows how much people still value these little robots.

Furby is a famous line of electronic robotic toys.

These toys resemble small, furry creatures similar to sugar gliders. They are significant because they represented the first successful attempt to sell a domestically aimed robot. Beyond being mere playthings, Furbies are designed to simulate intelligence through language acquisition. This creates a sense of companionship between the user and the machine. This unique bond has made the brand a lasting icon in toy history.

The mechanism of a Furby relies on a mix of hardware and programming. Inside the toy, a simple electric motor works with a system of cams and gears. These parts allow the Furby to close its eyes, move its mouth, and raise its ears. It can even lift itself off the ground to show a faux display of mobility. To communicate, Furbies use an infrared port located between their eyes. This allows different units to talk to one another. They also use various sensors to react to the world. These sensors can detect loud sounds or sense if the toy is being held upside down.

Furbies function through a programmed learning process. When a new Furby is first turned on, or after it has been reset, it speaks only "Furbish." Furbish is a unique language made of short words and simple syllables. However, the toy is programmed to gradually transition from Furbish to English. As the toy "grows," it uses more English words and phrases in place of Furbish. This design is intended to mimic the way a real creature learns a new language. This feature was so convincing that it led to a common misconception. Many people believed Furbies could repeat words spoken around them, a myth that even caused some intelligence agencies to ban them from offices.

The history of Furby began with inventors Dave Hampton and Caleb Chung. They spent nine months creating the concept and another nine months designing the physical toy. After two failed attempts to license the idea, they joined forces with inventor Richard C. Levy. Levy brought the project to Tiger Electronics, where Roger Shiffman purchased the rights. The Furby made its public debut at the 1998 American International Toy Fair in New York City. It officially launched on October 2, 1998. The toy became an instant sensation during the holiday season.

The commercial success of the original Furby was massive. During its first three years of production, more than 40 million units were sold. In 1998, 1.8 million were sold, and this number rose to 14 million in 1999. The high demand caused the resale price to skyrocket. While they originally retailed for about US$35, they often sold for over $100 during Christmas. Some were even sold in auctions or newspapers for more than $300. This intense demand even led to cases of fraud where customers paid for toys that were never delivered.

Many different types of Furbies have been released over the decades. The first generation lasted from 1998 to 2002. In 1999, the company introduced Furby Babies, which were smaller with higher voices. There was also a clam-shaped relative called Shelby, which spoke a language called "Shelbish." The second generation arrived in 2005 with the Emoto-Tronic Furby. These models featured voice recognition and more complex facial movements. The third generation, released in 2012, featured monochromatic LCD eyes and mobile app connectivity. Later, the Furby Connect introduced color LCD eyes and a translucent joystick.

Recent generations continue to evolve the brand. In 2023, Hasbro announced the return of the line with five voice-activated modes. These new models can provide over 600 different responses. They include varieties like tie-dye, aurora, and gold. While they do not connect to apps like previous versions, they feature glowing ears and respond to petting or shaking. This long history of innovation has kept the toy relevant. In 2025, Furby was named a finalist for induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play.