Fuse beads

[1][2][3] Originally invented as a therapeutic device for the elderly, they were later sold as a children's toy, and have since attracted the interest of hobbyists.

[4] A similar toy, aqua-dots, are spherical beads that are fused by spraying with water, rather than by the application of heat.

The pegboard for bead designs was invented in the early 1960s (patented 1962, patent granted 1967) by Gunnar Knutsson in Vällingby, Sweden, as a therapy for elderly homes; the pegboard later gained popularity as a toy for children.

[8] Originally, the bead designs were not fused but glued to cardboard or masonite boards and used as trivets.

[4] During the 2000s and onwards, fuse beads gained new popularity through online communities focused on using them to recreate pixel art sprites from video games.

[4][11] In 2015, a 4.65 m  ×  8.70 m fuse-bead picture was created from 1,680,200 beads in Väringaskolan, Sweden, and hung in Stockholm Arlanda Airport.