Meet Root, the robot that helps students understand programming

Kids need to learn how to code.

It’s the common adage around modern education. And of course it would be great if all kids learned a programming language or two before they graduated high school, but there’s a steep learning curve you have to break through before you can really get a solid grasp on coding.

Root is a robot that smooths out that curve, allowing anyone who’s new to coding to make sense of the often-unintuitive nature of programming languages. Designed by the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, the magnetic robot glides along metal-backed whiteboards or any horizontal surface, drawing and erasing lines, scanning colors, playing musical notes and displaying different color lights — all of which you control with a unique programming app. Read more...