A collaboration between IBM and TheNew York Times, theT Brand Studio AR app for iOS and Android uses augmented reality (AR) to immerse users in history. The Outthink Hidden part of the app lets users visit 150 locations around the United States to discover AR statues of leaders in science and technology. Many locations feature an empty pedestal affixed with a QR code. When the app triggers that QR code, an AR statue appears, which can be moved 360 degrees. Each virtual statue will also offer access to biographical information, as well as images and audio content. Among the science and technology greats featured are Mary Walton (inventor and engineer), Bessie Blount Griffin (inventor), Mary Jackson (engineer and mathematician), Katherine Johnson (physicist), as well as six other historic figures. The app was inspired by the film Hidden Figures, which depicts the story of unheralded black women who worked for NASA during the early 1950s space race. In addition to highly trafficked locations such as New York City; Washington, DC; San Francisco; and Los Angeles, the AR statues will have QR code–emblazoned pedestals at the NASA Langley Research Center, Kennedy Space Center, Computer History Museum in San Francisco, and universities including Cornell, Princeton, University of Michigan, Northwestern, California Polytechnic State, North Carolina State, and Duke. In the following months, users will be able to access the statues from any location while using the app. Cost: Free
In smaller rural schools, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education can face troublesome barriers. In our K–12 district of 730 students, we have many of the common obstacles, including limited funds, no extra faculty, and an already overloaded class schedule. These three join arms to block us from using any of the really cool programs we’d like to. Other institutions sing praises of cutting-edge programs and share their successes. Meanwhile, rural schools are trying to figure out how to educate equally deserving kids in STEM.
In spring 2018, Reaktor, an AI and tech partner in Finland, and University of Helsinki came together with the aim of helping people be empowered, not threatened, by artificial intelligence. Together, they built Elements of AI to teach the basics of artificial intelligence to people from a wide range of backgrounds.