Greg Hyman, the electronics engineer and toy inventor best known as a co-creator of the 1996 sensation Tickle Me Elmo, died May 1 at his home in Boca Raton, Florida. He was 78 years old. His partner, Deborah Nelson, confirmed his passing but did not disclose the cause of death.

Hyman’s career spanned several decades during which he developed innovations in interactive children’s toys. He first gained prominence alongside longtime business partner Larry Greenberg, who passed away several years before Hyman. Together, they created popular electronic toys such as Alphie, a talking robot. On his own, Hyman also developed a talking Barney doll based on the beloved children’s television character.

In the early 1990s, Hyman collaborated with emerging toy inventor Ron Dubren on a concept involving a toy whose laughter escalated in a distinctive way. They initially developed a giggling chimp character called Tickles the Chimp and sought licensing agreements to market it.

Interest in the project emerged from Tyco Toys, which recognized the potential of the tickling and giggling technology but favored applying it to an Elmo plush doll. Elmo, the red monster from the television series Sesame Street, was experiencing a surge in popularity at the time. However, possession of plush toy rights was held by Hasbro, not Tyco. This changed when Tyco secured the Sesame Street plush license shortly afterward, allowing the team to proceed with the Elmo version.

Before finalizing the Elmo character, Hyman and Dubren briefly developed Tickle Me Taz, a version based on the Looney Tunes Tasmanian Devil, for which Tyco already had plush rights. However, the acquisition of the Sesame Street plush license shifted the focus back to Elmo.

Tickle Me Elmo combined features such as giggling, speaking phrases like “That tickles!”, and vibrating after being tickled multiple times. The toy made a major retail impact upon its release in the summer of 1996. Tyco initially manufactured 400,000 units, which sold out almost immediately, with demand soaring through the holiday season. The unprecedented popularity led to widespread scarcity and reports of intense consumer competition and long lines.

Born June 25, 1947, in New Rochelle, New York, Hyman showed an early fascination with invention and electronics. By age 11, he was teaching basic electrical concepts to classmates and creating homemade contraptions, such as a “rocket ship” made from repurposed household items. Mentorship from family friend Larry Greenberg helped introduce him to opportunities in creative technology.

Hyman’s first notable success in the toy industry came in 1979 with Playskool’s purchase and production of Major Morgan, a handheld electronic musical toy that evolved from earlier sound experiments he developed as gifts for the Greenberg family.

Throughout his career, Hyman remained recognized as a creative force behind innovative interactive toys that resonated with children and parents alike. His contributions to the field endure through the lasting legacy of Tickle Me Elmo and other electronic playthings.