Coding for Kids
Coding in the News: January 2021
The technological revolution is alive and kicking with a seemingly endless wave of stories highlighting awe-inspiring innovation. Yesterday, it was the out-of-this-world new device your neighbor was showing off. Today, it’s the amazing app your kid downloaded to your phone that’s going to change your life. Tomorrow, who knows?
What’s happening in the world of technology? Are the possibilities to create really infinite? And where does it all start? At its core, everything begins with your imagination or the ability to think outside the box. So, the question becomes how to bring these new visions to life. And in the 21st century, one answer is clear: Computer Programming or Coding.
At Tynker, we teach kids how to code, so we know that triumphs in technology come in all different sizes. Whereas some can have an enormous global impact, others will only fill a unique niche. Yet, both are essential to tech’s vibrant fabric. Meanwhile, your kid is obsessed with making new Minecraft skins. But, don’t worry. When you add Tynker to the Minecraft mix, they’re also learning code!
Here’s some recent tech news that we think shines a light on how coding can impact our world:
The Largest 3-D Printer In The World
Italian engineers are using advanced 3-D technology to print an exact copy of Michelangelo’s 17-foot statue of David. With the original being one of the most famous Renaissance statues since its unveiling in Florence in 1504, the plan is to make the replica the centerpiece of the Italian pavilion at the next world fair in Dubai. In order to produce the highest possible resolution, this digital copy will use laser scanners and aeronautic engineering to create the reproduction, then use resin and other materials to bring it to life.
Getting Punked By A Bot
This past fall a Reddit user caused quite a storm on the AskReddit subforum, leaving long detailed responses to questions in an unusually short amount of time. However, by the end of the week, it was revealed that the user was a bot, using OpenAI’s new language model GPT-3. An email from Murat Ayfer, the head of Philosopher AI, which is powered by GPT-3, revealed that “the user reverse-engineered the Philosopher AI iOS app to skip the captcha requirement and was able to make a bot.”
Augmented Reality On Every Corner
Snapchat recently launched a new feature called Local Lenses, which can transform whole neighborhoods into digital canvases. The first Local Lens is called City Painter, which lets you use the Snapchat camera app to spray paint shops and buildings in particular public areas, like Carnaby Street in London. This represents a basic example in the development of a mirrorworld – the idea that every street, building, and room in a city will have a digital twin.
Make Your Backpack Lighter Without Removing Anything
Researchers in China have designed a new backpack that takes into account whether you’re in an active or passive mode, recognizing the inertial forces of the bag against a backpacker’s body as the person walks, reducing the metabolic energy demand on the user by an average of 11 percent. That way, the backpack can self-adjust its motion to feel lighter!
All these advancements in technology began to take shape with code. That’s why Tynker is so excited to teach the next generation of computer programmers. We can’t wait to see what your children will create with code!
