Wearable fashion toy Linkitz teaches girls how to program | TechCrunch

by Hallie Siegel

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.

Robot Talk Episode 103 – Keenan Wyrobek

Robot Talk 20 Dec 2024

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Keenan Wyrobek from Zipline about drones for delivering life-saving medicine to remote locations.

Robot Talk Episode 102 – Isabella Fiorello

Robot Talk 13 Dec 2024

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Isabella Fiorello from the University of Freiburg about bioinspired living materials for soft robotics.

Robot Talk Episode 101 – Christos Bergeles

Robot Talk 06 Dec 2024

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Christos Bergeles from King's College London about micro-surgical robots to deliver therapies deep inside the body.

Robot Talk Episode 100 – Mini Rai

Robot Talk 29 Nov 2024

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Mini Rai from Orbit Rise about orbital and planetary robots.

Robot Talk Episode 99 – Joe Wolfel

Robot Talk 22 Nov 2024

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Joe Wolfel from Terradepth about autonomous submersible robots for collecting ocean data.

Robot Talk Episode 98 – Gabriella Pizzuto

Robot Talk 15 Nov 2024

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Gabriella Pizzuto from the University of Liverpool about intelligent robotic manipulators for laboratory automation.

Online hands-on science communication training – sign up here!

AIhub 13 Nov 2024

Find out how to communicate about your work with experts from Robohub, AIhub, and IEEE Spectrum.

Robot Talk Episode 97 – Pratap Tokekar

Robot Talk 08 Nov 2024

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Pratap Tokekar from the University of Maryland about how teams of robots with different capabilities can work together.