During the crisis, many are anxious to “do something” to help, and 3D print experts are stepping up to do their part.  Many groups and companies have organized COVID-19 projects to help hospitals, redirect their resources to manufacturing essential goods, and other ventures. But on an individual basis, it can be more challenging to figure…

With an increasing amount of STEM programming kits teaching children the basics of computer technology and coding, it was only a matter of time before one came along to that also teaches younglings how to also build a computer all on their own. Enter the Kano PC—a DIY laptop kit designed by educational startup Kano in partnership…

Kids these days will never know how good they have it. While nothing beats the adventure of playing outside and getting hands dirty in the mud, this generation also gets to pair the outdoors with a seemingly endless roster of “smart” toys that foster 21st-century skills—toys like the Chatterbox AI Speaker Bot. As the Kickstarter…

We stopped by Gowanus Audio in Brooklyn, NY to get a step-by-step rundown of their DIY Bluetooth speaker class. Founder, Pete Raho, generously shared details and tips in the video below so you can make it yourself! Watch the Video For Explanation on All the Things: 3 Options for How You Can Build This: Go…

Last year, Kano debuted a complete DIY desktop computer kit based around the Raspberry Pi as a way to get kids interested in computing. The unforeseen problem, however, is most kids today prefer to interact with touchscreen mobile devices—such as smartphones and tablets—rather than a desktop PC. Kano took notice and has launched an updated…

Morphi is a (sort of) free app for the iPad, Mac, and Windows devices that lets users push, pull, and craft 3D creations via a touchpad device. Its simple nature makes it ideal for starting kids out in the world of 3D modeling and showcasing their work — with tools such as stop motion and AR/VR…

Let’s face it: the days when learning for kids meant going outside to play are dwindling fast. Instead of experiencing the outside world for themselves (or reading about it in a classic paper bound book), children of this generation are more content to sit in front of a screen for hours on end and absorb…

When it was released earlier this year, the Nintendo Labo platform — a modern cardboard construction set extension for the Nintendo Switch portable video game platform—made a bigger splash than anybody could have predicted. While the Nintendo Switch has proven to be popular with gamers of all ages, a modular cardboard construction set seemed like…

After a two year absence from Kickstarter, Joe Freedman is back with another way to make drawing (and math) easier. While his previous Cycloid Drawing Machine was more for professionals and art fans who wanted their drawings as intricate as the inside of a kaleidoscope, it wasn’t exactly cheap. Since he did all the laser…

From Hollywood movies to a plethora of apps, the appeal of STEM skills in the mainstream has never been greater. And when it comes to mainstream, few toys could ever top the semi-controversial Barbie doll—first introduced in 1959. While some argue that the blonde, plastic doll conveyed an unrealistic body image to girls, the latest…

We may have never gotten the chance to build the robots of our dreams as kids (tears), but that doesn’t necessarily mean our children of this generation should also miss out. The STEMI Hexapod is a brilliant do-it-yourself robot. And before you go saying it looks like a mechanical spider, take note this robot only…

Between instant water balloons, DIY computers, or even just simply finding a reason to get back to nature, kids today have never had it so good when it comes to busy activities. And now, they can add Droid Inventor to that list. Announced last week by LittleBits, the Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit includes everything…

MyStemKits announced an international expansion of its 3D printing kits and curriculum, which could eventually lead to breakthroughs in 3D print use worldwide. MyStemKits is a US-based organization that provides educational packages for students and teachers to learn about 3D design and print in the classroom. We’ve written about them previously when they launched larger quantities…

Well, the future is looking bleak folks. BLEAK. A word that’s sure to become more familiar and hit the Top 10 baby names for 2024. According to a study by Ball State University Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER), the United States is highly vulnerable to the effects of technological advancement, namely automation, trade…

We’ve said it time and time again, but the Raspberry Pi is just so dang cool and we think everybody should have one in their toolkit. While there is a bit of a slight learning curve, it’s nothing that today’s designers and engineers can’t handle on a leisurely Saturday. To get things up and running…

When you’re a kid, few things go better together than tools and a build-it-yourself project. Ok, maybe peanut butter and jelly. But for the young mechanic in the family, this engine repair set from Hammacher Schlemmer will take care of the former—and safely, too. Featuring a somewhat detailed engine in the body of a fake…

With online games and other interactive programs tailored to the needs of the coding novice, the days of learning basic coding principles through a traditional coding environment are long over. But what if we want to get away from the screen altogether? Such is the premise behind Musicon, an interactive wooden musical instrument that doubles…

Every once in a while, a new business model comes along that totally disrupts the status quo and changes the way we buy and become introduced to new products. Among others, the subscription service business model is just one of them. While these days consumers can purchase everything from socks to pre-prepared dinners and shave…

When it comes to designing toys, it should come as little surprise that sometimes kids themselves are the best designers. After all, who else knows the target user the best? Which is why for their latest collection of stuffed toys, IKEA eschewed hiring a professional (boring adult) toy designer in favor of crowdsourcing designs from…

While some of us grew up with LEGOs and bandsaws to flex our inventor muscles, today’s kids are living a totally different world entirely — a world where creating Bluetooth-enabled hardware is nearly as easy as assembling a LEGO spaceship. Available starting this week, the new littleBits Gizmos & Gadgets Kit, 2nd Edition, is the…

Update – MakerBot has published an update to change the language of the MakerBot Print EULA. Just last week, MakerBot announced a new product lineup—hardware and software included—geared towards professionals and educators that MakerBot CEO Jonathan Jaglom said was the result of a “cultural shift” at the company as they gained further insight into the…

When it comes to equipping tomorrow’s designers and engineers with the tools they need to create compelling projects today, few companies have been as generous in offering access to software, tools and even fabrication facilities as Autodesk has. While the company’s Fusion 360 design software has always been free to use for students and those…

When it comes to teaching kids the basics of hardware development, few companies have mastered speaking to young inventors on their level as well as LittleBits. Founded by engineer and interactive artist Ayah Bdeir, it would make perfect sense that, being a female and one-time young inventor herself, Bdeir knows exactly what kids want to…

Despite the plethora of apps and games that are slowly breaking down the barriers for learning how to code, one of the biggest remaining hurdles is as simple as they come: humans like to build stuff with their hands. As an open hardware platform to help developers, designers, and researchers build the next generation of…

Nearly a year ago, the BBC revealed a pocket-sized computer called the BBC Micro:bit that they planned to give to one million UK-based Year 7 school children as a part of their mission to “inform, educate and entertain” as more schools adopt more STEM-friendly curriculums. At 70 times smaller and 18 times faster than the…

It’s no secret that CAD tools are among the most complex pieces of software to learn and – perhaps most importantly – use effectively with intent. Unsurprisingly, learning these tools has been a brutal experience for many that can test even the most patient of learners and take them to their limits. More recently, video…

With over 86% of the world’s existing engineers being male, it might appear that inspiring a new generation of female engineers is an uphill battle. Thanks to recent efforts to make STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) a more appealing career field for girls however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Already, we’ve seen…

Does anyone not like LEGOs? After watching the trailer for the upcoming documentary on the iconic toy, it would appear that you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who doesn’t. The documentary, which is simply titled A LEGO Brickumentary, is the first of its kind in that it tracks literally everything LEGO – ranging from the…

Not too long ago, graduating from an Ivy League School was among one of the best ways to ensure a high-paying and dignified career. Now, a new study has shown that despite what history may have taught us, the new high-paying jobs are demanding skills that aren’t offered at Ivy League schools at all -…

It stretches. It bounces. It tears and it shatters – now put it next to a magnet and it comes alive! Of course you remember playing with Silly Putty as a kid. Thinking Putty, however, is no longer just Silly; it’s all grown up and developed even more superpowers! Thinking Putty is a silicone polymer-based…

Often referred to by experts as the M2 Generation, there’s no limit to the amount of time kids aged 6 to 10 will spend playing with apps on various multimedia devices including smartphones and tablets. With this in mind, the designers behind the Hackaball have developed an ingenious learning tool that helps teach kids the…

For those that grew up in the 1980s and early 1990s, it’s likely that some of the best weekends-ever consisted of epic Nerf soft-dart Blaster fights and fort-building. Unlike LEGOs, the soft darts didn’t hurt if you stepped on one and the combination of building strategic forts for protection certainly led to at least some…

For those who missed it, yesterday, 14th October was Ada Lovelace Day. It is a day dedicated to commemorate the achievements of women in STEM, i.e. science, technology, engineering and maths. In an era where the likes of Satya Nadella (Microsoft’s CEO) undermine the prowess of women, I guess it’s important to celebrate everyday as…

Yesterday, SolidSmack posted on the Electric Loog Guitar—a sort of build-a-guitar kit that encourages customization. While build-a-kits have been in existence for decades, there seems to be a resurgence in interest for both adults and kids alike. After raising over $160,000 on Kickstarter with 29 days left to go in their 30-day campaign, the Kano…

Can you even imagine what you get when you have three young girls and Brett Doar (of OK Go fame) spending two weeks with a crew creating a Rube Goldberg machine made completely out of toys, putting it to music with a rewrite of the Beastie Boys’ Girls? Only the most awesome video in the…

Master woodworker and community leader Eric Hollenbeck presents a rare breed in today’s technology-obsessed world. While 3D printers, laser cutters, and CAD software have re-defined what it means to ‘make something’, Hollenbeck’s most-modern tool in his impressive arsenal was built in 1948. In this mesmerizing Maker profile from director Ben Proudfoot of Breakwater Studios, we…

When a girl is applying that special shade of chemical-infused eye-liner to their lids, the last thing going through their heads is all the science and incredible amounts of process that go into it. Unless they’re a girl in science… or interested in science… or forced by their parents to watch sciency videos on making…

In a new challenge from GrabCAD, your dream(s) of designing a steering wheel for a supersonic car are about to come true. We covered the 1,000 mph speed of the Bloodhond SSC back in 2008, so it’s nice to see where the Bloodhound team has taken the project, that Cisco has become their main networking…

All the STEM news out of CES 2013 may have been tablets and 3D printing, but our eye is on the third generation of LEGO Mindstorm robotics as well. The new Mindstorm EV3 rolls in, firing balls of robot-educating awesome with a new programmable brick loaded with new features for today’s generation of tech-savvy kiddos…