Robohub.org
 

Wearable fashion toy Linkitz teaches girls how to program | TechCrunch


by
25 July 2014



share this:

MIT PhD Lyssa Neel is using socializing and accessorizing to get get girls interested in programming. Neel’s invention, Linkitz, is a wearable electronic toy that allows kids to rearrange, take apart and snap together electronic blocks that blink and buzz to change their behavior. This teaches them programming in a fun way, says Neel.

Both boys and girls can play with Linkitz, but Neel, who was the 10th woman to earn a PhD in computer science at MIT and fell in love with computer programming in the sixth grade, says she was inspired by her own three daughters to design the product.

Read more by Sarah Burh at TechCrunch



tags: ,


Hallie Siegel robotics editor-at-large
Hallie Siegel robotics editor-at-large

            AUAI is supported by:



Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack



Related posts :

#AAMAS2026 blue sky award winner: Foundation world models for agents in changing environments

and   21 Aug 2026
Hear from the AAMAS 2026 Best Blue Sky Paper Award winner.

Robotics roadmaps from around the world spotlight of the month: Japan

Robots have been a prolific theme in Japanese pop culture and media since the 1950s

Intermittent swimming promotes the energy efficiency of fish-like robot movements

How zebrafish-inspired robots save energy by swimming in bursts.

What does it take for a robot to hold a conversation with a room, not just a person?

and   14 Aug 2026
Find out about a summer school held at Imperial College London.

Robotics roadmaps from around the world

We embark on a tour into some of the recent and prominent robotics roadmaps from around the world.

A ‘5-in-1’ seed-sized surgical robot

Mini robot can move, cut tissue, release drugs, grip and store samples, and generate heat wirelessly

AI agents create virtual playgrounds to help robots get crucial training data

  07 Aug 2026
“SceneSmith” system uses collaborative AI agents to create realistic 3D environments of places like kitchens, hotels, and living rooms, where robots can simulate everyday chores.

Robots in society, business and culture: July 2026

A round up of robotics stories in a new monthly series from IEEE RAS.



AUAI is supported by:







Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack




 















©2026.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence