On-screen text
These fifth graders vibe coded a real-world Braille tool — and wowed their Microsoft teacher
Kurt Schlosser
On Apr 14, 2020 at 8:49 am
Fifth graders who worked on the Braille 3D Generator at Global Idea School in Redmond, Wash., learn "how to use GitHub Spark" and build a Braille 3D Generator, a tool that turns text into printable, tactile 3D Braille models in seconds.
"We live in an amazing time," said Lavista Ferris, a 17-year Microsoft vet who has taught at the school, co-founded by his wife, for seven years. "The fact that a 10-year-old can do it in a class without any training? That thing is an actual working solution."
Six students worked on the Braille 3D Generator. They were inspired by the idea of creating signage to help blind or low-vision people navigate in their school to find classrooms.
The group is the youngest to enter the "AI for a Better World" competition, a national initiative in collaboration with MIT, that invites students in grades 6-12 to explore how artificial intelligence can improve their communities and the broader world.
Juan Llavona Ferris, Microsoft corporate VP and director of the AI for Good Lab, LinkedIn Photo
This with GitHub Spark,
to describe what you want in plain English, then have a AI turn it into a working web app.
Braille 3D Generator
Convert text to tactile Braille and export as printable 3D models
Text Input
Type your message here
0/500
Braille Type
UBR (Unified English Braille)
Braille Translation
(Interspersed with capital indicators and contractions)
3D Preview
Remote dimension to inspect your model
No preview available
Enter text to generate 3D model.
Export
Download your Braille model as an .STL file
View .STL File
Download .STL File
Braille-to-scale dimensions (200 mm x 100 mm - client high)
Global Idea School
About Us
Programs
How We Teach
School Life
Contact Us
Non-Discrimination Policy
Coolest part about
they didn't just
A.I. demo.
They actually talked
to a Microsoft
accessibility expert
who works with
Braille technology
and used her feedback to make sure the tool would be
useful for blind
people.
The student's teacher
is actually the
head of
A.I.
for Good Lab,
and even he said that he
was surprised that ten year
a working solution
like this
without traditional coding
experience.
The part that
understand.
AI building
about making another
SASS app.
It's about turning
real problems into
working solutions faster
than ever.
Graders can build
something like this,
imagine what happens
people start building
for problems
that they actually
I personally believe
that that is
AI.
should be centered
around.
A follow if
up with this
space.
