Robohub.org
 

CSAIL shows off demos to 150 high-schoolers for “Hour of Code”


by
15 December 2015



share this:
Students watch CSAIL researchers show off a "garden" made of dozens of distinct origami robots that move and change color to demonstrate complex programming algorithms. Photo: Jason Dorfman/CSAIL

Students watch CSAIL researchers show off a “garden” made of dozens of distinct origami robots that move and change color to demonstrate complex programming algorithms. Photo: Jason Dorfman/CSAIL

By Adam Conner-Simmons | CSAIL

Last Friday, MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) hosted 150 local high school students for its second annual “Hour of Code” event, tied to the international initiative focused on getting kids interested in programming.

Researchers showed off robots, 3-D-printing technology, and other projects to math and computer science students from schools throughout the greater Boston area, including Cambridge, Charlestown, Roxbury, and Somerville.

The event also included a surprise video message from John Green, author of the bestselling young-adult novels-turned-movies “The Fault In Our Stars” and “Papertowns.” Green commended the students on participating the event and elaborated on why coding is important.

“I cannot emphasize enough how much I believe in learning computer science, not least because I am basically a first-grader when it comes to computer literacy,” Green said. “These days STEM education is vital to being able to understand the world around us and interact with it effectively.”

Among the projects on display were “MultiFab,” a 3-D-printer that can print using a record 10 different materials at once; Atlas, a 6-foot-tall, 400-pound humanoid robot that can open doors, climb stairs and drive a car; and a wireless device that can detect, track and identify individuals from the other side of a wall.

CSAIL Director Daniela Rus kicked off the event by inviting three graduate students to speak about how they got involved in programming and why coding is fun, exciting, and important.

“I like to think being able to code is sort of like having a superpower,” Rus said. “Researchers here can see through walls with wireless, create objects that nobody would have ever thought possible, and develop robots that shape-shift like Transformers and fly through trees at 30 miles per hour.”

To date approximately 150 million students have done an hour of programming as part of the Hour of Code, which was launched in 2013 by the organization code.org and takes place during Computer Science Education Week. Companies such as Apple and Microsoft have also jumped onboard with special programs, while last year U.S. President Barack Obama became the first sitting president to write a line of code.



tags: , , ,


MIT News





Related posts :



Livestream of RoboCup2025

  18 Jul 2025
Watch the competition live from Salvador!

Tackling the 3D Simulation League: an interview with Klaus Dorer and Stefan Glaser

and   15 Jul 2025
With RoboCup2025 starting today, we found out more about the 3D simulation league, and the new simulator they have in the works.

An interview with Nicolai Ommer: the RoboCupSoccer Small Size League

and   01 Jul 2025
We caught up with Nicolai to find out more about the Small Size League, how the auto referees work, and how teams use AI.

RoboCupRescue: an interview with Adam Jacoff

and   25 Jun 2025
Find out what's new in the RoboCupRescue League this year.

Robot Talk Episode 126 – Why are we building humanoid robots?

  20 Jun 2025
In this special live recording at Imperial College London, Claire chatted to Ben Russell, Maryam Banitalebi Dehkordi, and Petar Kormushev about humanoid robotics.

Gearing up for RoboCupJunior: Interview with Ana Patrícia Magalhães

and   18 Jun 2025
We hear from the organiser of RoboCupJunior 2025 and find out how the preparations are going for the event.

Robot Talk Episode 125 – Chatting with robots, with Gabriel Skantze

  13 Jun 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Gabriel Skantze from KTH Royal Institute of Technology about having natural face-to-face conversations with robots.

Preparing for kick-off at RoboCup2025: an interview with General Chair Marco Simões

and   12 Jun 2025
We caught up with Marco to find out what exciting events are in store at this year's RoboCup.



 

Robohub is supported by:




Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?


scicomm
training the next generation of science communicators in robotics & AI


©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence


 












©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence